OK, I admit it, this week’s photo challenge is a tough one for me. There are several types of refraction, but the only type of refraction that I have any representative images in my library is that of the simple rainbow. From the challenge post, “For this photo challenge, show us what ‘refraction’ means to you. It could be an image taken in a reflective surface, it could be light bent from behind an object, or it could mean remedial math homework: the choice is completely up to you.” You can view this week’s challenge post here.

In the opening example, a weak rainbow makes an appearance in the midst of a squall off the Na Pali Coast on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. Hawaii is known as the “Rainbow State” as the ever present sunshine and mist on the island are all the components needed to create a rainbow.

My next example is also taken along the western coast of Kauai. If you look closely at the cliff behind the Barking Sands military base, you will notice a weak prism effect. Actually, I don’t remember seeing the rainbow effect when I was taking the photo, so this rainbow may be an example of an aberration in my camera lens.

I debated whether or not to include the last photo in this collection. It’s one of my favorite, and I’ve featured it as recently as last week in the “Dreamy” photo challenge. It is, however, my best example of a rainbow, so I felt I must include it.

A sailboat skirts a rain squall just off the Na Pali Coast at Kauai, Hawaii.

John Steiner