The best time to schedule a photo shoot on Oahu is sunrise or sunset…

An early sunrise photo session on Oahu, backlit only with natural light, no flash.

The soft and warm light during sunrise and sunset can create stunning and dramatic images, making them an ideal time for portrait photographers. Here in Honolulu, the colors in the sky are breathtaking, ranging from deep oranges and reds to soft pinks and purples, while the angle of the light can create interesting shadows and highlights, adding depth and texture to the photo. Additionally, there are typically fewer people out, especially during sunrise, providing a more peaceful and uninterrupted photo shoot for the people I photograph and making it less stressful for everyone. This is very helpful in capturing environmental portraits without the distraction of crowds.

Sunrise backlit my subjects. I added a small flash to give them a pop of light to separate them from the background.

One of the unique challenges for portrait photographers is capturing the perfect shot during specific times of the day. As the lighting conditions can change quickly, it is crucial to adjust the exposure settings accordingly. This can be an exciting and rewarding experience for photographers who wish to improve their skills. However, it is essential to practice new techniques on a family member or friend before trying them out on a client’s photo shoot. This will help avoid any potential disasters!

Elopement at Kualoa Beach Park on the windward side of Oahu. Two flashes, one on each side of the bride & groom to brighten their faces.

Having a photo shoot at noon can be pretty challenging for any amateur or pro photographer when it comes to capturing beautiful photographs. However, many people who visit Oahu for an environmental elopement, engagement, or wedding photo shoot have a hectic schedule, making it tough to schedule their session during sunrise or sunset. 

Noon, the worst time of day, is when the sun is directly above us. This causes “raccoon eyes,” where shadows cover the subject’s eye sockets and create long shadows that appear below their chin. Nonetheless, this problem can be resolved using a flash or bounce card or, better yet,  finding a shaded area. The latter is particularly crucial. You would be surprised to see the stunning portrait of a bride and groom that can be created with the use of a small flash and some shade.

Fashion photo shoot at Makapuu Beach Park, natural light no flash.

I’m a photographer based in Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of Oahu & there is no lack of sunshine here, so doing a photo session at any time of the day is absolutely possible. Hiring a professional photographer who knows what they’re doing is crucial to getting beautiful memories that will last a lifetime.

In summary, any time of day for your photo shoot is possible at the right location, which I can help you find. Sunrise and sunset would be the best times of day to schedule a photo shoot, but absolutely not necessary. I have the experience & I can promise you a beautiful gallery of images for you and your ohana. 

Aubry and Becca’s elopement

Imagine a sunny, beautiful day on the picturesque shores of Oahu. The gentle waves crashing against the sandy beach create a serene backdrop for an intimate elopement ceremony. This is the setting where Aubry and Becca decided to exchange their vows, surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Waimanalo Beach Park, known locally as Sherwood Beach.

Elopements have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering couples a chance to escape the stress and expectations of traditional weddings. It’s a chance for them to focus solely on their love and commitment to one another without the distractions of booking a venue, meals, centerpieces, music, & who should be invited. The biggest drawback to a traditional wedding is cost. According to The Knot, an average wedding ceremony & reception in 2022 can cost as much as $30,000. Brides Magazine estimates for 2023 are $29,000-$35,000.

For Aubry and Becca, this sunny day on Oahu’s North Shore was more than just a destination elopement; it was an opportunity to express their deepest emotions authentically and intimately. With only their closest loved ones present, they could create cherished memories that would last a lifetime.

Waimanalo Beach Park served as both witness and participant in this special occasion. As the warm sun kissed their skin and the gentle breeze whispered through their hair, Aubry and Becca exchanged heartfelt vows that echoed with love and devotion.

Their decision to elope allowed them to break free from convention and create a wedding experience that truly reflected who they were as individuals and as a couple. It affirmed their unique journey, celebrated in an idyllic location that perfectly captured their love story.

Elopements like Aubry and Becca remind us that love knows no boundaries or traditions. They inspire us to embrace our desires for genuine connections and meaningful experiences. Elopements allow couples to create unforgettable moments explicitly tailored to them, whether on a sunny beach or amidst towering mountains.

As your Honolulu elopement photographer, I will be there to capture the memories of your special moments and emotions and guide you toward creating your magical day. Bask in the beauty of nature while declaring your love for one another. Let’s create memories of a lifetime together on the beautiful island of Oahu…Aloha

Until now, I’ve never been remotely interested in environmental fashion photography, and learning about this genre of photography has been a slow transition. I understand fashion photography is all about clothing rather than the subject, but I have always been a beauty and glamour photographer and have always put more emphasis on the beauty aspects of the subject in front of my lens. Clothing has always taken a backseat to the main subject.

In exploring the world of photography, I have gravitated towards a style that falls between fashion and glamour. This has been an exciting journey as I experiment with different poses, primarily with natural lighting and some flash. My models have brought outfits to create truly stunning images.

I appreciate how fashion photography allows me to showcase clothing and accessories artistically, while glamour photography lets me capture the confidence and beauty of my subjects. It’s quite a delicate balance, but I enjoy the challenge of finding the perfect mix, but I am still learning & experimenting.

I have been exploring different photography styles lately and want to pursue a more environmental, editorial fashion style. I love how fashion photography can tell a story and convey a mood. This style allows me to be more creative with my images, especially outside of a studio. I am excited to experiment with different lighting, poses, and wardrobe choices to create a unique, eye-catching style.

My growing fascination with environmental editorial fashion photography and how it conveys the essence of a moment that tells a story through images is truly captivating. I’m eager to delve deeper into this style and discover the unique and creative images I can produce. Here are a few images from my last photo shoot with Rey, owner of Kimi Collective Swim, clothing & wearable art.

Creating memories from the heart ❤️…Aloha

It’s the journey, not the destination. I’ve said that before & it still holds true today. I genuinely believe that everything happens for a reason & it’s fair to say that I’m scared shitless & ecstatic all at the same time! Lol! Photography has been my escape, my creative outlet for the last 20 years & still is today. 

I’m constantly trying to reinvent myself with my photography. In the last four months, I’ve made three changes to my shooting style. The first thing was to ditch the flash & shoot my portraits with natural light. I gotta say that my #1 pet peeve was whenever I saw a picture with a blown-out sky, I’d cringe!!! I now have about a dozen natural light shoots tucked under my belt & feel more comfortable with that style of shooting, but to some extent, it still erks me when I have to blow out the sky! Lol! That’s definitely the seascape & flash photographer in me talking.

I’m learning to shoot in a way that just clips my highlights with the “blinkies” & pulling back with my exposure compensation. In-camera on the back of my LCD, my subject will be darker than I’d like them to be, but I know I have a lot of leeways to bump up the shadows at least three stops in post. It’s blowing out my highlights is my worst fear! The dynamic range in todays cameras is soooo good! Even with watching my clipping the highlights, I still need to compromise & have to settle with a blown-out sky, and it’s just unavoidable. It’s started to become a “normal.” & I do understand why it has to be done. The issue is not really a problem until I show my subjects the back of my camera & they’re underwhelmed! Happens all the time until they see the final edits. They don’t see what I see! LOL!!!  

Recently I’ve been shooting with a fixed lens and camera combo at 28mm. Traditionally 28mm is not a portrait lens. In fact, it’s a focal length that I’ve never considered carrying with me on any of my portrait shoots. With that said, A big Mahalo to Nicole for putting up with me to do this test photo shoot! I did this one successful portrait photo shoot with her & the 28mm & very surprisingly, it’s worked out! I did find that even with the “blinkies” just barely flashing, I still have blown-out spots inframe when looking at it on my big monitor back at the office, so I need to take this into consideration. I have two photoshoots scheduled for this coming weekend, both on the east side of Oahu, and I’m planning to pack only my newly acquired point & shoot camera rig. Going to try to incorporate an ND filter with my tiny camera rig & see how that turns out.

Another thing that I’ve been trying to work on is lightening my overall camera gear load & bag. It’s all the little things that count. On my Sony A7IV, I’ve removed my L-Bracket, granted it weighs almost nothing & replaced it with a tiny Peakdesign anchor mount, but every once counts! A lot of people don’t realize this, but the weight of an empty camera bag needs to be taken into account for weight. A good ultralight rain waterproof jacket is perfect for those passing showers in the mornings while doing a couples or engagement photo shoot. With my point & shoot camera, I don’t have any options to bring any extra lenses, which is a good thing!

On paid shoots, yes, I’ll bring my Sony A7IV with at least two other lens options & my point & shoot that’ll cover the wider shots. With all that said, I have 1 EDC sling bag coming just for my everyday carrying stuff & a 7Liter Wontencraft Pilot sling over the shoulder bag. It’s basically the smaller version of the 10-liter bag that I already have & using for work. I know, I have a bag problem, it’s sad but true! LOL!

So the images on this blog post were taken with my point & shoot with a fixed mount 28mm lens. I think it works. What do you think?

Creating memories from the heart ❤️…Aloha

This was a learning process, I reached out to a few friends for lens recommendations for natural light environmental portraiture. They gave me all different combinations of lenses. I didn’t think any of them would have the exact same lens setup in their bag & I was right. I noticed that they all had a prime or zoom setup, a wide 16mm-35mm range for family portraits & a telephoto 70-200mm range for more intimate tight portraits. Some preferred zoom & others, like myself, had prime lenses. I’m a prime lens guy & have never been much of a zoom person.

For the 1st photo shoot at Sandy Beach, I brought my 24-70 f/2.8, 85mm f/1.4 & a 135mm f/1.8. I love the 135mm, it has a look I can’t get from any of my other lenses! The 85mm never came out of my bag. For this style of shooting, the 24-70mm just didn’t click with me, I used it just for a walking series of shots & threw it back into my bag & kept the 135mm on for 98% of the shoot.

Sony A1 | 135mm f/1.8 | Shot at f/2 | Shutter speed 1/320 | ISO 200

Sony A7IV | 35mm f/1.4 | Shot at f/2 | Shutter speed 1/200 | ISO 125

For the next couple’s photoshoot behind the Kahala Resort, I ditched the 24-70mm & 85mm, replaced both lenses with a 50mm & kept the 135mm. This combination worked out so well for me, my dynamic duo! I started out the photo session with the 50mm & kept it on for about half the shoot. It’s a very versatile lens to grab a wide if I have enough room to backup & I’m able to get in tighter for a close-up shot. I’ve always loved my primes, even with my high-production photo shoots. My only issue with the 135mm is that it’s HEAVY, a little over 2 lbs + 1.4 lbs for the camera body!!! I need to pack my leather cross-body Lucky Strap. I have a dual camera strap, but with all the crazies out there, I didn’t want too much gear visible, just a small safety precaution. I’d rather stay low-key than be seen as a potential target for thieves.

I think my bottom line for lens selections for an individual or couple photoshoot will be a 50mm & 135mm. If I’m photographing a family, I’ll throw in my 35mm in addition to my base kit of a 50 & 135.

Another thing I’m very diligent about is the safety of my client. I love the ocean, & I’m always working near the shoreline, I’m constantly thinking of where I’m placing them, where the waves are breaking & always, always, always scanning my surroundings for potential trouble, a homeless person & or suspicious-looking peeps. The Oahu photo shoot experience is just as or even more important than the images I create with the people I photograph.

Creating memories from the heart ❤️…Aloha