Daredevil photographer risks his life to capture stunning photos of deadly lava waves as they gushes out of volcano on Hawaii
Photographer's camera bag began to melt from the intense heat coming from the lava
A PHOTOGRAPHER battled intense heat and danger to capture stunning images of lava pouring out of a Hawaiian volcano.
New Orleans photographer Daniel Sullivan spent two hours trekking up the Pu'u'o to watch the lava flow from the volcano cone in Kīlauea.
The determined photographer said the intense heat meant blisters formed on his hands.
He said: "“I hiked in with a friend of mine whose house had been burned down by the lava flow of 1989 which destroyed the entire Hawaiian village of Kalapana."
The photographer, who is now based in Maui, said it was one of the most intense experiences of his life as he and his friend battled the intense heat.
He said: "We walked through the spot where his house once stood, now a barren field of lava. We hiked about two hours to reach this new flow of lava. By hiking out to the lava flow I was able to get so close that when the winds shifted the heat in the air burned my hand and blisters formed.
“The heat from the ground quickly melted the strap to my camera bag when made the mistake of putting it down. You have to be very careful hiking on the lava because the tubes or tunnels underneath can collapse.”
After the harrowing and hot journey, the photographer then decided to photograph the volcano from a doorless helicopter.
Mr Sullivan recalls an incident several years ago where two hikers fell into the large crater at Kīlauea.
They had to be rescued by a helicopter with a rope but sulphur fumes were so heavy that the pilot couldn’t see them.
The pilot kept dragging the rope until he felt a tug and proceeding to pull the pair to safety.
It was Mr Sullivan’s first time photographing lava but he has recently launched a photography tour company and plans to take groups of people to view this particular area and other Hawaiian Island.
He said: “I started a photography tour called Unforgettable experiences here in Hawaii, where I take people on doorless helicopter flights over the lava and midnight hikes to the lava, as well as photography trips here on Maui to waterfalls and cultural landscapes.
“Photographing the lava is a chance to see the earth forming right before your eyes and geological time sped up. It's fascinating and beautiful. At night all the colours of the lava really become brilliant. Once you see the power of nature it is easy to understand why the Hawaiians revere the goddess of lava and volcanoes Pele' so deeply.”
Mr Sullivan has lived on Maui for the past 12 years, where he has his own photography gallery, Indigo Paia.
Photographs of the active volcano on Hawaii's Big Island have also been captured.
In the images, the lava can be seen erupting from the vent on the volcano in May before making its way to the sea in late July.
Visitors can hike about 10 miles round trip to see the lava, or take a boat or helicopter tour to see the flow.
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