Most all of the beaches are photogenic, but the entire state is covered by salt air so do make sure you give your lenses and camera a good wipe down and cleaning. For a good idea how gunked up things can get, look at the windshields of the cars on the island – granted, this is much more abuse then your camera will get, but still…
Mauna Kea can be worth a sunrise/sunset image if you want to head up there. Compared to the "at sea level" temps, it will be cold up there - especially if you are just in shorts and an Aloha shirt and you get up there on a day with a touch of snow.
There are a few different botanical gardens/parks scattered across the island that can be interesting for a few shots, but they are extra humid.
Driving the Saddle road is something they advise against when you pick up your rental car. Main reasons are:
- The road is in poor conditions in places (huge pot holes)
- Single lane in places (total, not in each direction)
- Little, if any, cell-phone coverage if you have a problem
But shooting across the lava beds can be worth the effort if you want to get a feel for the expanse of lava flow the island is built on. Depending on the weather you can get a bit of drama as you shoot the approaching rainfall as it comes across the lava.
South shore has the black sand beaches and during the Winter months (Dec ~ Feb) you have a decent chance of seeing some Sea Turtles. You can walk pretty close to them but they are endangered species and protected so be careful on that front. The black sand beaches can be pretty too.
If you choose to take a coffee plantation stop, most of them are just tourist traps (heck tourism is the number one industry in the state, unless something changed since Statehood
) but you can get some vacation shots here or there at them. Same with what’s left of the sugar cane on the Hilo side of the island.
There are a few different waterfalls on the island, rainbow falls is one of the easiest to get to – do watch the speed limits as you drive through towns – but the falls are temperamental and at times can be magnificent and other times look like someone left a garden hose running just out of site.
Waipio valley can be nice if you want to hike some. Same can be said for the Volcano state park, but they have some places you can shoot without leaving the too far from the parking lot. I would, personally, avoid the sulfur vents – once that stuff gets in your sinus/mouth it sticks with you for a while – blech.
-- M.