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Golden Maui Maternity Portraits
Ever wonder where those who used to live on Maui, go on vacation or for their baby moon? Yup…still Maui!
WHO: MELODY + JEFF | WHERE: WAILEA, MAUI, HAWAII | WHY: BABYMOON
Ever wonder where those who used to live on Maui, go on vacation or for their babymoon? Yup…still Maui!
Enter Melody + Jeff. Two lovebirds who currently live on the West Coast and fell in love after years of working together with children. If that isn’t a qualification for an “already awesome parents” award, I don’t know what is!
Melody is originally from Maui, but hadn’t been back for a visit for quite some time (and I mean QUITE some time!). So for these two, it was almost as if it was their first time all over again. But this time…it was for their very first baby moon - and they were just “over-the-moon”!
To say our time together during their Maui maternity portraits wasn’t well spent, would be a lie. I had a blast - even when the ocean decided to creep up on us a few times unexpectedly! Thank you both for being so genuinely you & letting down your guards on your first professional Maui photo session ever! You’re both naturals and I can’t wait to meet your little one next year <3
Gorgeous Haku Crown by: @Petite.Maui
Furry Family Portraits
I can’t tell you how lucky I feel when my clients return back for more maui portraits. From Engagement to Honeymoon to Maternity to Family to ??? I feel blessed beyond words. And this family is absolutely, no exception. Just check out all the fun, love & warmth during our session in Makena…
What do you do when you just can’t stand to be away from your beloved pooch back home? You bring him on vacation with you to Maui!
The last time I saw Karen + Brendan was back in January for their maternity photos. Much to my delight, they contacted me upon their return to Maui to this time, capture their TWO little ones during a Family Photo session! Everyone…meet 6 month old Jay and his adorable older (and furry) brother, Nacho (give him a follow on Instagram @nachopup. He’s quite the adventurer (just like his Mom + Dad!).
I can’t tell you how lucky I feel when my clients return back for more family portraits on Maui. From a Maui Engagement to a Maui Honeymoon to Maui Maternity Photos to Maui Family Photos, to ??? I feel blessed beyond words. And this family is absolutely, no exception. Just check out all the fun, love & warmth during our session ;-)
Mahalo Karen, Brendan & Jay (and Nacho!) for being so beautiful (and well behaved) inside & out. I’m so lucky to have you in my photography life!
Romantic Maui Anniversary Photos
With visions of warm colors, breathtaking scenery and tons of love for one another, A+M arrived at our Maui photography location and were so excited to start shooting! If you want these dramatic colors and skies…that’s what you’ve gotta opt for! And believe me, it’s worth it every time…take it from this Maui photographer.
WHERE: MAKENA, HAWAII | WHO: AMBER & MIKE | WHY: ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS FOR LOVE!
Where do I even begin with how sweet and fun these two were?!
With visions of warm colors, breathtaking scenery and tons of love for one another, Amber & Mike arrived at our Maui Couples session location and were so excited to start shooting! What time was it? SUNSET. Yup! If you want these dramatic colors and skies…that’s what you’ve gotta opt for! And believe me, it’s worth it every time…
After 5 years and two children, these two wanted to celebrate each other and their accomplishments on Maui, they’re most favorite vacation spot ever! Can you blame them?
Cheers to these two for loving hard, laughing even harder, and making me laugh the hardest ;-)
Oahu Ocean Maternity Adventures
Weather reports across the Hawaiian Islands were going bonkers. Tropical Storms or Hurricanes? How many are to the North and South? Will they miss us? A North-Shore Oahu Maternity photography session adventure for the books!
Weather reports across the Hawaiian Islands were going bonkers. Tropical Storms or Hurricanes? How many are to the North and South? Will they miss us? Luckily they both did, and simultaneously (phew)! But not without gifting us with some turbulent, milky waters, and lots of cloudy skies and rain showers.
Insert Vivian & Louis. 30 weeks pregnant and as adorable as ever…vacationing on Oahu. They found my underwater Maui maternity photos so breathtaking, that they just had to fly me over to Oahu to capture these once-in-a-lifetime photos…so off I went!
I swear, my full-time job isn’t being a Photographer - it’s being a Weathergal! The amount of time I spend checking the weather, analyzing ocean conditions, wind & sun direction, is just bananas! It’s part of my job, and my life as a surfer. But when it comes to working around Mother Nature for scheduled maternity photo sessions? I should seriously start my own reporting station! (Past clients…you know this and thank you all for sticking through the “storms” that may or may not have happened. You all rock!).
Shoot time: Sunrise.
Forecast: Ocean conditions: Murky all over the island, NSEW. Currents: Even more bananas. Swell: 5-7 ft faces. Weather: 60% chance of rain.
Actual Session Conditions: Ocean: Murky & 2-5 ft. Currents: Still bananas. Weather: 0% chance of rain.
So what did we do? Shot at my favorite North Shore Oahu location for the land portion, then travelled 10 minutes to another location for calmer waters & stunning backdrops. The result?
This.
Mahalo Vivian & Louis - you two were beyond “great” xo
The Most Beautiful Maui Babymoon Portraits
First off…I just LOVE underwater maternity sessions here in Maui, Hawaii! They literally feed my soul - they honestly and wholeheartedly “complete me” <3
WHO: Sarah + Kuali’i | WHERE: Lahaina, Hawaii | WHY: 7 month Maternity Shoot
First off…I just LOVE underwater Maui maternity sessions! They literally feed my soul - they honestly and wholeheartedly “complete me” <3
So when I met Sarah & Kuali’i via Instagram, I just knew that our session was going to completely rock the casbah for so many reasons…
We started on land as all my MAKAI Land & Ocean sessions do, then we slowly worked our way into, then under the water, because the clarity was THAT good at Sunset!
Thankfully they both were even more experienced in the water than we had initially discussed (to book my water sessions, it’s a “must” that my clients are experienced to expert swimmers. Hawaiian oceans are no joke!). Kua, who is originally from Maui, also paddled for Hawaiian Canoe Club like myself, so naturally, we had ALOT of mutual friends and tons of experience with the ocean and it’s conditions. Sarah is a beautifully talented dancer and hair/makeup artist, so believe me when I say, this girl worked it in the water! Her toes? ALWAYS POINTED 😉. Her swimming abilities? Flawless.
The finished product was exactly what I had hoped for and so much more. See for yourself…
What to Wear For A Family Photoshoot in Maui
What to Wear For A Family Photoshoot in Maui
Figuring out what to wear for your Maui family photography session is difficult...that's why I'm here to help you slim down your options, OR create some more fabulous ones!
I love color & accessories, just keep the patterns to a minimum. This goes for your kids too. If you or they are uncomfortable in their clothing, it will show in the photos. Choose clothes for everyone in the same color palette (see optimal palettes below…). The goal is for you guys to look great, but we want the focus to be on you, not your clothes. The outfits should blend together and blend a bit into the background.
Keep it fun! If you want to bring two outfits for everyone, bring two. And if you have little kids, we know how they like to get dirty, so bring some back ups.
But no matter what you wear, be confident that I’ll make you look fantastic…it’s my job.
BASIC TIPS
The most important rule is to BE COMFORTABLE! But more importantly, be you! I am going to create art that will hang on your walls for years and I want your family to look like themselves. This goes for your kids too. If you or they are uncomfortable in their clothing, it will show in the photos.
I love color and accessories, just keep the patterns to a minimum ;-) Try to have only 1 patterned outfit for every 3 people for family shoots. Then dress everyone else with color coordinating looks.
Try to coordinate outfits without looking overly “matchy”. Avoid wearing same colors and instead, find a color palette you love and piece together items from that palette that are complimentary to one another (see examples below to help get you started!).
Ladies - long maxi dresses are your best bet for EVERYTHING. They’re literally flattering on everyone! Plus they move so beautifully! When in doubt…maxi dress it out ;-)
But keep in mind…beaches tend to be windy! So those cute dresses, shirts & skirts with all the multi layers and ruffles, won’t work well on the beach. All these layers will drive you craaaazy as you try to make them stay still & flat (plus they’re distracting to the eye). So keep it simple…
I like my Maui family photo sessions to be fun and have an element of freedom, so please dress your children in clothing you don’t mind them playing in. And that goes for you too! *Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes or backup shirt/bottoms for littles ones & a towel - sand, dirt & shoreline fun are inevitable!
No visible logos or branding on the clothing itself.
Dress babies as babies. For anyone under 2 years old, steer clear of collared shirts and jeans, as they tend to make the little ones look a lot older. Try onesies for boys and sweet little dresses for girls…
In general, shoes aren't necessary for any of my sessions. You can bring standard rubber sandals for walking to/from our location or for walking on any rocks/stones.
Still need some more inspiration for your wardrobe? Visit my ‘What to Wear’ Pinterest Board!
WHERE TO SHOP:
For Mom: Old Navy, Forever 21, Asos, Lulu’s, Nordstrom Rack
For Dad: Old Navy, Zara, Gap, Target, J.Crew
For Kids: Target, Baby Gap, Old Navy, Pop Real, Bitsy Bug, My Modern Kid
COLOR PALETTE SAMPLES
FOOL-PROOF PASTEL COMBOS & INSPIRATION
(NOTICE THE 1 PATTERNED OUTFIT & HOW THE OTHERS COMPLIMENT IT IN A SIMPLE WAY…)
LOVE NEUTRALS?
THE BOLD + THE BEAUTIFUL
Golden Hour Family Portraits
From my time with Traci & her beautiful family, a collection of natural light photos at sunset, in a dreamy placed called Maui, Hawaii.
When a fellow photographer asks you to capture their family during their Maui family vacation - I’ll be honest…it’s such an amazing feeling! Us photographers are all pretty critical of our own work (and I’m sure other’s as well!), so it’s a HUGE compliment when someone searches high and low and chooses you! Seriously, it is.
Traci of Traci Merrit Photography based in Granite Bay, CA, is nothing short of sweet. And I don’t use the word short out of context…because her and her husband Josh are both on the taller side, super athletic and are the most adventurous parents ever. Just ask their two little ones, Kylie & Zoe. To say I had a blast during this session is an understatement - and I’d do it alllll over again if they come back! Or perhaps next time I’m in Cali? ;-)
From my time with Traci & her beautiful family, a collection of natural light Maui family photos at sunset, in a dreamy placed called Maui, Hawaii xo
Underwater Maternity Dreams
It’s her first pregnancy and she’s known from the beginning that she wanted to do an underwater maternity shoot with gorgeous crystal clear water on Maui…
WHERE: MAUI, HAWAII | WHO: SOON & NICK | WHY: BABYMOON
It’s Soon’s first pregnancy and she’s known from the beginning that she wanted to do an underwater Maui maternity shoot with gorgeous crystal clear water…and where else than on Maui!
Now, let’s be clear (no pun intended), finding clear waters on Maui for an underwater photography session isn’t always guaranteed, but at Sunrise & at some of my personal favorite locations, our chances can be higher than usual, giving us those breathtaking & dream shots!
Luckily on the morning of our session, the water Gods were watching over us, as were the weather Gods! But really, clouds don’t scare me…they offer more dramatic skies and that’s kiiinda my thang ;-)
Did I mention these two lovebirds were just as beautiful as the Sunrise & Ocean itself? Soon & Nick, you two were made for each other…and your little one? Easily the luckiest!
A big mahalo to these to magic makers <3
