Travel is a privilege I have yet to fully take advantage of. It is one of the reasons I became a journalist; people, places, architecture and natural landscapes have stories worth documenting.

When I had the opportunity to go to Maui, Hawai'i, my camera was the first thing that I packed. I was excited for the well-needed vacation, but I was much more excited at the idea of photographing a world I had never seen before.

I was awe-struck by the green lushness of Hawai'i. It's easy to take for granted the greenery of the Pacific Northwest, but Hawai'i took it to a whole new level. Every color was deeply saturated, each contrast was more extreme, and everywhere I looked I fell more in love.

Looking back, it was the hospitality of the island that I miss so much. It was the Pacific Northwest without the grey skies. It was sandy beaches and an ocean you could swim in without a wetsuit. It felt like home.