Caption
Prominent volcanic crater Lē‘ahi overlooks a great portion of Honolulu and some surrounding communities. I've avoided the perpetually crowded trail for a decade but resolved to make the hike up to the summit to capture a panorama of the city. At the summit, I found myself so surrounded by tourists that setting up a tripod would cause a fuss. Turning the issue into an opportunity, the theme suddenly became 'City of Tourists'. Switching to a one-shot camera, I was able to capture a city framed within a city.
Popularly known as Diamond Head, its profile from Honolulu is one of the more recognizable mountains in the world. It was used by the military from the early 1900s and fortified through World War II. Today, the ocean side view from a height of 232 meters (761 feet) draws so many tourists that a reservation system has been set up to avoid overcrowding. Some years have seen over a million visitors to the park. A city of ever-changing tourists, each anticipating a postcard selfie.
See a panoramic tour of Diamond Head State Monument here.