By Rebecca Drew
BREATH-TAKING photographs reveal the vibrant impact of red-hot lava hitting the surf.
The series of explosive snaps show the lava pouring from the land into the ocean whilst waves lap against the flow. Other shots show streams of orange lava glowing underneath the surface.
One night time shot even shows individual spouts of lava sprinkling into the air appearing to resemble a fountain.
The stunning shots were taken in Hawaii by photographer Nick Selway (33) who is originally from Washington but moved to Hawaii after college. Nick has been described as a âdaredevil photographerâ by others.
âI moved to The Big Island of Hawaii when I was twenty-one-years-old and became obsessed with capturing beautiful moments of the Kilauea Volcano, lava and its flow into the ocean and still do it today,â said Nick.
âWhat youâre seeing in many of the shots is lava exploding as it hits the ocean fifty to two-hundred feet in the air and lava dripping onto newly formed black sand beaches.
âWhat I love about lava photography is that I get to be out in nature capturing incredible moments that most will never see for themselves and then later being able to share those moments with people from all over the world who appreciate mother natureâs beauty like I do.
âThis lava flow that is currently hitting the ocean is called Kamo Kuna Lava Flow and it started in July 2016 and is still currently flowing as we speak.
âIn the thirteen years of photographing the lava, this flow has been the most dynamic and epic for photos hands down.â
Nick currently owns two galleries with his friend and business partner CJ Kale.
Nick says that there are lots of problems to overcome when shooting lava.
âWhile shooting lava, Iâm normally standing on the edge a thirty to eighty-foot cliff that is very unstable all the time,â he explained.
âI have to be aware of surface flows around me and make sure I donât get trapped in between two flows.
âThe number one danger while shooting lava is not the lava itself, itâs the sulphur dioxide and gasses and steam plume that the lava produces as its hits the ocean.
âI always have to be downwind from it as its very toxic and could seriously hurt or even kill someone if inhaled too much.â