Enjoying a picnic overlooking a scenic vista is the same reason I am stopping to take a photo. The picnickers are enjoying the moment.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 180, ƒ/14, 1/250

Here my friends Lily and her husband Philip enjoy looking for whales migrating off the coast of The Big Island.

Now driving down the road and just looking out the window might be closer to the video, but stopping and pausing is how a still image allows people to savor the moment visually.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 720, ƒ/22, 1/250

Driving north from Kailua-Kona, we stopped at Hawi Renewable Development Wind Farm. Lily’s hair is getting the wind treatment just like the windmills.

I am making notes in my head about locations like this one. I am noticing how the light affects the scene for this time of day. What if I could come back at sunrise or even sunset? Would that improve the stage to have more visual impact?

In other words, is there a better time of day to hit the visual pause button to stop and enjoy the scene more than this moment?

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 110, ƒ/6.3, 1/250

Every morning here, I wake up to this scene. I walk past it on my way to breakfast. It is so peaceful; this is why I wanted to capture this and hold this memory forever.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 250, ƒ/8, 1/250

I enjoy watching tourists as they experience new locations.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 560, ƒ/8, 1/250

I encourage you to be like a tourist sometimes in your hometown. Those things you walk by every day can be things that, just as you pause to enjoy, will make others appreciate it just as much.

Is the photo better when I show the people on the stairs better to give a perspective, or is this closer shot better?

Sometimes we need to spend more time absorbing our surroundings to pause our bodies to allow us time to feel peace and examine why this brings so much joy to our lives.

We cannot expect a photo from a moving car to compare to the one where you stopped. But, acting like the friends having a picnic stays long enough to allow the scene to permeate you. It takes time to decide the best lens, angle, and composition to capture something that genuinely moves not just you but others.