On the West Side, a photographer finds sublimity within simplicity.

When asked to describe scenes she enjoys capturing with her lens, Michelle Mishina leans towards wide, wild spaces. “Personally, I prefer places that are removed,” says the Hawaiʻi Island-born photographer. After nearly a decade working in Los Angeles, Mishina recalls coming across a short video on social media. The visual was simple yet poetic, a field of grass undulating in the currents of wind. It stirred something deep within her, compelling her to return home.

Now based on O‘ahu, Mishina has found herself similarly stirred by scenes on the West Side. Its expansive remoteness allows her to breathe, and its light reminds her of days growing up in northern Kona: The long drives along the coast, the sun-beaten landscape, the wind coming down the mountain slopes.

Then there’s the community’s refreshing absence of artifice. “It’s this lack of self-consciousness, of watching who is watching you,” Mishina says. “People are just living life with an appreciation, a gratitude for where they live. It all feels natural and real.”

Learn more, visit: michellemishina.com

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