PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB BASED ON MAUI
Since 1936
Our Member's Story
Photography After Sundown
by Herb Coyle
Howzit!
I’ve always believed that some of the most interesting photographs happen after the sun disappears—or before it ever comes up.
Traveling has given me countless opportunities to photograph some of the world’s most recognizable places, but I’ve learned that simply being there isn’t enough. The challenge is finding a different moment, a different light, or a different perspective that makes the photograph feel like mine.
Sometimes that means getting up while everyone else is sleeping. Sometimes it means giving up dinner, walking through the rain, scouting a location for hours, or having a German cousin hold an umbrella over me and my camera!
And sometimes it means simply wandering the streets before sunrise, when an entire village is still asleep, looking for something I can bring home to Maui.
These 16 photographs are a small collection of those moments. They were made in Europe and Vancouver, but more importantly, they represent the way I’ve come to approach photography: slow down, look for the light, look for something different, and be willing to go the extra mile to get the photograph I imagined.
I hope you enjoy the journey—and perhaps find a little inspiration to go looking for your own photograph.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Rainy Day Collaboration
Rothenburg was already beautiful, but the rain made getting the photograph a little more challenging. With the help of my German cousin, Norbert, who patiently held an umbrella over me and the camera, we managed to capture this image. Sometimes a good photograph really is a team effort.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM,1/1000 second at f/8.0, ISO 1250 (2019)
Copenhagen - First Impressions
Copenhagen was my first experience in Denmark, arriving after an ocean crossing from Miami. After days at sea, stepping into a new city with a camera in hand was exciting. This photograph became part of my first visual introduction to Copenhagen—and a reminder of why I love arriving somewhere new with a camera.
Canon EOS 6D, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 2 seconds at f/11, ISO100 (2015)
Santorini - Before the World Wakes
Santorini is often photographed at sunset, but I wanted something different. I was out before sunrise, wandering through the quiet streets of Oia while most of the island was still asleep. The blue domes, soft pre-dawn light, and almost complete silence created a scene that felt entirely different from the busy Santorini most visitors experience.
Canon EOS R6, EF24-70mmf/2.8L II USM, 46 seconds at f/16, ISO 100 (2022)
Santorini - Searching in the Early Morning
This photograph was taken only minutes after the previous image. I kept wandering, looking for another composition to bring home to Maui. At that hour, there was almost no one around—just the occasional tourist checking out of an apartment. I watched a strong bellman carry their luggage up the steep stairs to an awaiting taxi bound for the airport. For a brief time, I also crossed paths with a very quiet German photographer who, like me, was searching for that perfect composition. Other than those few people, we seemed to have Santorini almost entirely to ourselves.
Canon EOS R6, EF24-70mmf/2.8L II USM, 46 seconds at f/16, ISO 100 (2022)
Eiffel Tower - Under a Full Moon
This photograph took some planning. I spent much of the day scouting locations and watching for the right alignment, waiting for the opportunity to photograph the Eiffel Tower with a full moon. When the composition finally came together, the waiting was worth it.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM, 0.5 seconds at f/16, ISO 5000 (2019)
Eiffel Tower - A Different Perspective
While aboard a riverboat cruise, I spotted an opportunity to photograph the Eiffel Tower from a completely different perspective. I left the ship during dinner because I had a photograph in mind—and I had to make sure I was back before the ship left port. Sometimes dinner can wait.
Canon EOS R6, EF24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, 1 second at f/8.0, ISO 100 (2024)
The Louvre - Rain, Rain and More Rain
Paris didn't exactly cooperate for this photograph. It was rain, rain and more rain. But instead of waiting for perfect weather, I decided to work with what I had. The wet conditions, reflections and evening light helped create a mood that a clear night simply couldn't have provided.
Canon EOS R6, EF24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, 1/400 second at f/4.5, ISO 20000 (2024)
Rome - An Unexpected Discovery
I was actually looking for a photograph of the Corte Suprema di Cassazione and the Ponte Umberto I when I happened to turn around. There, almost unexpectedly, was this incredible view of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Tiber River, and the Ponte Sant’Angelo, all beautifully illuminated against the evening sky. Sometimes the best photographs aren't the ones you set out to find—they're the ones that suddenly appear right behind you.
Canon EOS R6, EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM, 30 seconds at f/18, ISO 400 (2022)
St. Peter's - Looking Through the Bridge
This was an intentional photograph. I wanted to frame St. Peter’s Basilica from beneath the Ponte Sant’Angelo, using the bridge itself to create a natural frame and a different perspective of one of Rome’s most recognizable landmarks. Sometimes the best way to photograph a familiar subject is to stop looking at it from the obvious place.
Canon EOS R6, EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM, 30 seconds at f/18, ISO 400 (2022)
Milan Duomo - 4:00 a.m.
At 4:00 in the morning, Milan was almost completely quiet. It was just me, the Duomo, and the occasional drunk tourist finally making his or her way back to a hotel. The empty square and deep blue sky created the peaceful atmosphere I was hoping for. Getting out of bed was the hardest part.
Canon EOS R6, EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, 1/400 second at f/6.3, ISO 20000 (2024)
Ponte Vecchio - After Dark
I photographed the Ponte Vecchio at night from the Ponte alle Grazie bridge, looking for a view that captured the warmth of Florence after dark. The lights along the buildings and bridge reflected across the Arno, transforming a familiar landmark into something much more dramatic.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, 1.3 seconds at f/22, ISO 2000 (2017)
Ponte Vecchio - Dawn and a Little Hurry
For this photograph, I was on the Ponte Santa Trinita waiting for the first morning light to begin touching the Ponte Vecchio. I was rushing to capture the scene before the weather changed—and, sure enough, the rain began to arrive. Sometimes you don't get much time once the light is right.
Canon EOS R6, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, 30 seconds at f/4.5, ISO 100 (2022)
Venice - Searching for Romance
Venice seems almost designed for romantic photographs, but finding a moment that feels genuine rather than simply postcard-perfect takes some patience. I wandered and looked for that combination of light, architecture and atmosphere that would capture the feeling I had hoped to find in Venice.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM, 4 seconds at f/8.0, ISO 100 (2017)
Budapest - Parliament on the Danube
Once again, I gave up dinner for a photograph. While our riverboat was preparing to depart and begin sailing along the Danube, I headed out to find the right view of the Hungarian Parliament Building. The opportunity was too good to pass up—and dinner could wait.
Canon EOS R6, EF24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, 1/4 second at f/5.0, ISO 100 (2025)
Budapest - The Chain Bridge
The Chain Bridge was almost an afterthought. On my way back to the ship, I saw the opportunity and decided to stop for one more photograph. It became a favorite kind of image for me: something I hadn't necessarily planned, but couldn't walk past without taking the shot.
Canon EOS R6, EF24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, 1 second at f/5.0, ISO 100 (2025)
Vancouver - A World Cup Moment
The giant soccer ball in Vancouver was a must-get photograph. The FIFA World Cup was beginning, and the ball was impossible to ignore. Sometimes photography is simply about recognizing the moment you're in and saying, “I have to get that shot.”
Canon EOS R6 Mark II, EF24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, 120 seconds at f/16, ISO 50 (2026)
The Last Frame
Looking back at these photographs, I realize that the places themselves are only part of the story.What I remember most are the moments surrounding each photograph—the early mornings, the late nights, the rain, the unexpected opportunities, the rushed walks back to a waiting ship, and the occasional decision to skip dinner because there was a photograph waiting to be made.Photography has taught me that sometimes the best image isn't the one that's easiest to make. It's the one that requires you to get up earlier, stay a little longer, look a little differently, or simply say, “I have to get this shot.”And perhaps that's what I enjoy most about photography. Even after all these years, I can still see something that makes me stop, reach for my camera, and wonder:
“What if I tried it this way?”
That’s what keeps me looking.
Mahalo for taking this journey with me—and keep looking. You never know where the next photograph will find you.
Herb