Fire and Flight

Written By Ray Hennessy
 

Photographer: Liron Gertsman

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1/2500 • f/16 • ISO 2500 • Canon R5 • 254mm • Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM

In August 2025, I visited Kilauea Volcano on the island of Hawai’i, with the goal of photographing birds against the backdrop of an erupting volcano. Timing a volcanic eruption is never easy. After 10 days of scouting and waiting, the volcano finally came alive on my birthday- August 22nd. In the background of this image, multiple volcanic phenomena are visible: the white plumes on the left are mostly water vapor and carbon dioxide, the blue gases at the top right are sulfur dioxide, and the brown clouds are volcanic ash. Most striking of all, the glowing lava fountain can be seen. The White-tailed Tropicbirds nest in cracks along the crater walls, perfectly protected from predators. They use the thermals generated by the volcano’s heat to gain lift as they fly to and from the ocean to gather food, returning safely to their nests in this extreme yet beautiful environment.

 
Ray Hennessy

Starting in 2007 my fascination with nature photography began.  In the years since, wildlife photography with a focus on birds has gone from a very passionate hobby of mine to become my career. I spend much of my free time in natural areas searching for birds and any other wildlife that comes along. I concentrate on using creative natural lighting and interesting compositions to capture unique images of common and rare wildlife. My favorite style is a more scenic photo that includes some of the habitat wildlife lives in. I also enjoy passing along the knowledge and experience that I have gathered over the years to other photographers who are eager to learn.

www.rayhennessy.com
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