About

On July 1, 2020 I updated my theme to one that allegedly fully supports the new block editor. It seems to be doing OK so far, with just a few blips. Because of this change, some posts in the archive (prior to July 2020) are likely to have erratic layouts, but they should be easy enough to make sense of. My apologies for this, but feel free to let me know if you find something egregious.

Apart from a slightly different appearance, the main changes involve where some things are in the Menu. Archives can now be found under the Search heading, as can Categories and Tags, since these are all ways of finding things on the blog. Also on the Search page is a real follow button, which I guess I never had before – oops. A proper contact form can be found at the bottom of this About page.

Please let me know if anything looks awry. It will be helpful to know which posts are affected and which browser you’re using. You can contact me using the form below or email me at grahamsisland@outlook.com.

About me
Graham’s Island is the island of Hawaii, better known as the Big Island. That’s where I live. I don’t own it; I’m no Larry Ellison. The title simply refers to this blog being my observations from the Big Island.

I’m an enthusiastic photographer, not an expert. I take photos of things that catch my eye when I’m out and about, often in less than ideal circumstances – hazy days, midday light, murky water. Mostly I shoot with a Panasonic Lumix FZ200 which I try to keep free of the dust and salt spray that’s ubiquitous around here. I’m very happy with it. It’s stood up well to some less-than-ideal treatment and conditions.

In the water I use a Canon S 90 in a Canon wpdc35 waterproof case. I used to use a Pentax WG-3, but that leaked and died. I definitely prefer the Canon.

I process photos in Photoshop Elements, mostly cropping or tweaking colors, sharpness and the like. I rarely ‘change’ a photo – taking out or adding in – but if I do, I’ll note it in the text.

I’m not is a naturalist, botanist, geologist or pretty much any other kind of -ist. I enjoy the wildlife and landscape here. I like to hike, bike and snorkel. When I see something new or something I don’t know anything about (a frequent occurrence) I try to learn about it. I’ll include links to sites I’ve found useful in this regard. But I’m no expert on these things. If you spot errors, please let me know in a comment or using the form below or by email me at grahamsisland@outlook.com.

This blog isn’t a guide to the island. For that, try The Big Island Revealed (hawaiirevealed.com).

I put up a new post daily. Currently, I rarely use photos in more than the original post. I’m more likely to refer back to that original post with a link.

Copyright
All photographs and text are copyright Graham Burdekin. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Please contact me if you want to use any of the photographs or text.

Page last updated February 25, 2021.

Contact
You can contact me using the form below or email me at grahamsisland@outlook.com.

27 thoughts on “About”

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  2. Sel Calderbank

    Really nice to come across your blog, you have a great eye for interesting photos and angles e.g. the one of the church, photo taken from right down on the ground, I think? I haven’t been to Hawaii but I think it must be an interesting place for wildlife, I look forward to seeing more as I think you’ve got a new follower in me.

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    1. Graham Post author

      Thanks for stopping by. I love it here, for the wildlife, the landscapes, the ocean, and the climate. It’s not paradise – where is? – but it’s a pretty wonderful place to live.

      Liked by 1 person

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  3. restlessjo

    Hi Graham 🙂 🙂 I’m not a photographer and mostly use a tiny Canon Ixus. I hate lugging a camera around. I didn’t really know what to expect coming here from Becky’s as- like someone else said- I don’t follow anyone on the island 🙂 🙂 I am a nosy person though, so I would like to know if you were born on the island or moved for work/with family? And while I’m being nosy (in for a penny, in for a pound) what did you do, or are you doing, for a living? Irrespective of the answers I will continue to enjoy your take on life 🙂

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    1. Graham Post author

      I’m English by birth and moved to Washington State in the US in my 20s. I worked for a local weekly newspaper there for 17 years doing page layout and graphic design, as well as writing a weekly column and doing badly drawn cartoons. My wife and I moved to Hawaii 8+ years ago. I was working for a helicopter tour company here until the virus struck, but I’m hoping that at some point they’ll be able to reopen. I liked the work, a lot of variety and different people passing through all the time. I do love it here. Some of the Big Island is how people imagine Hawaii to be, but other parts are weird and wonderful and completely unexpected. Plus there’s an active volcano. What’s not to like?

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  11. naturebackin

    Thanks for the visit to my blog. I have enjoyed visiting your blog. The island is amazing. Btw I also use a Panasonic Lumix FZ200 and enjoy its versatility. Despite my taking care it did get dust on the processor once and it had to be professionally cleaned, which sorted the problem.

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    1. Graham Post author

      It’s a great camera. I like that I don’t have to lug a lot of equipment around. Mine gets all sorts of rough treatment, but is holding up well so far. Yours is clearly getting some great photos.

      Liked by 1 person

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  14. Terri Webster Schrandt

    Looking forward to reading more! I just bought a Panasonic Lumix FZ300 at Christmas (recommended by another blogger) and am loving it! Here is the link to the WPC if you care to take a look https://secondwindleisure.com/2017/01/20/weekly-photo-challenge-gracefulness-defined/ (used to camera to capture the image of the egret). My pingbacks aren’t working for some reason so I’m not showing in the grid for the moment. Anyway, nice to meet you, Graham!

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    1. Graham Post author

      Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy your camera as much as I do mine. I’ve been using it a couple of years now and it gets some rough treatment, but it’s holding up well.

      Liked by 1 person

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