Kehena Black Sand Beach (Patreon)

These feelings of utter freedom, of exploration, of gratitude, and appreciation for nature all come flooding back every time I look at these photos. 

For a lover of being naked in nature, it doesn’t get much better than this- nude beach with black sand at sunrise, in a remote area with very few people.

This is Kehena Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. It’s located in the southeast corner of the island in the area of Pahoa.

Nudity is optional, and seems to be very accepted. There were a few adults there while we were, along with a couple kids (who had to be edited out of a few shots). Everyone kept to themselves, and I think the 3 of us were the only naked ones. We didn’t get a single creepy vibe from anyone.

The path getting there is not for the faint of heart. It was a HIKE! Albeit short, it is wet and steep (and dark prior to sunrise) so being sure footed is a must for safety.

Above is the trail.

Below is a view from the top of the trail.

The sand is not soft, as it’s broken down lava rock, which is the reason it’s black. My feet did get used to it after a bit.

This morning was so magical. It was warm, gorgeous, quiet, and I got to spend it with two friends, both of whom let me photograph them and they photographed me. Many of my photos have fond memories attached and I have to say, the memories of this day are tip-top!

Behind the scenes shots of me photographing Kristen:

Profesional, though barely edited shots:

BTS of me photographing Amanda, then edited (not fully!) shots after: