What Time of Day is the Best to Book a Hawaii Photoshoot ?
Sunrise OR Sunset ?
Your flight is booked and your dream vacation of visiting Hawaii is now a reality ! Thoughts of soaking up the warm sunny beaches, cooling off in waterfalls, and sipping Mai Tai’s now take priority of your daily thoughts rather than what needs to be written down for this week’s grocery list. You are beyond excited ( as you should be ! ) and counting down the days until you are in paradise. Though when you are not partaking in the activities listed above what else should you plan to do ?
For most Hawaii truly is the dream vacation - something that has been on the bucket list for a while. It’s certainly not a destination you can travel to by jumping in your car and driving across the ocean to ( though if that were a possibility I would hate to think how long that might take ). It is a minimum five hour flight with a solid amount of planning involved. So with such a grand trip why not properly document your time here with a photoshoot with your loved ones ? I’m sure your GoPro will get some heavy duty use and your cell phone will be out ready to snap away like a wild west cowboy though with those two options it will still not be the whole family together .. Someone will be designated to be the honorary photographer who will be missing in those shots. Practicality reasons it makes sense to have some of those type of captures but how amazing would it be to have some photos of the whole family together also included in the mix ?! Photos of you with your loved ones toes in the sand or splashing together in the bright blue water. Photos that will not solely live in your cell phone’s photo album that include EVERY family member. Sounds pretty grand doesn’t it - So let’s make a Hawaii photoshoot happen !
Now that you have either decided on going forward with booking a photoshoot or are semi sold on the idea it’s time to go over some session details such as what time of day to book your session. When most think of Hawaii sunset is something that sounds pretty magical . It is BUT if you are traveling to Hawaii there is a little more to our sunsets than just some pretty colors. Cue a wind machine. Though quite literally. Maui specifically is known as the trades wind island which means we have wind on a daily basis year round from noon through the evening. I don’t mean a small slight breeze - We are talking a minimum of gusts that range from 10MPH-40MPH ( wind though can be present on all of the islands ). Okay a that news may sound a tad worrisome though is it the end of any gorgeous beach sunset hangs ? Absolutely not. You can still very much enjoy a beautiful Hawaii sunset but might be best for anyone with longer hair to tie it back and maybe not wear the short dress made of a material that can easily blow upwards. Your Hawaii sunset daydreams can still come true but now you are prepared for those gusts of wind rather than finding out when you arrive on island. Though what does this mean for a golden hour into sunset photoshoot ? It means expect wind and just go with the flow. Beautiful photos are still possible with wind present but you do have to be willing to let go and not have any set expectations other than trusting your photographer. If you try to do the same poses you do back home for sunset or try to fight the wind the shoot is going to be rough. Us Hawaii photographers are used to this wind and know how to work it if you just relax and let us work our magic. Though one thing where we do very much work our magic when it comes to the editing process is a heads up that beaches are a lot more crowded in the early evening timeframe. This may not always show in the work a photographer displays with angles that they shoot or editing to turn that family of 10 in the background of the shot into bushes but it does require some maneuvering during the actual photoshoot for everyone. Please note for my services I do not offer photoshop where certain locations are going to display others in the background such as popular locations here on Maui or Oahu with how urban it can be. Overall golden hour into sunset is still a stunning time just a little more involved to get those dreamy captures.
If the above news about the winds made you a little concerned I have good news ! Morning photoshoot. Not a morning person back home ? No worries because here on island the time difference is going to work in your favor ! Mornings here in Hawaii are equally gorgeous and the calmest time of day. This means no strong trade winds to worry about AND much emptier beaches. It’s a double win. A morning session also gives you the rest of the day to spend adventuring around the island or putting up your feet poolside to relax. Though I do like to give a heads up morning start times are around 6:50AM-7:20AM for the time our session will begin which allows the sun to peek up but still beats the harsh lighting and the Hawaii heat. If you would like to have a more mellow laid back experience with nature book a morning photoshoot. Also please do not feel you need to wake up earlier than the chickens here on island do to get super dressed up. Come to the session with an outfit you love on or a swimsuit on ready to just be yourselves. If you just want to wake up your kids have them throw on a suite and a suite coverup 100% okay to do. We can take photos of you all taking in Maui’s beauty together on the beach looking for seashells or even playing in the water. Keep it low key and enjoyable. What better way to start off the day than your toes in the sand here in paradise ? Also a little tip kiddos are less exhausted in the morning than they are after a day of exploring/with the time difference from back home kicking in. In addition to that heads up if your spouse is anything like mine I know my husband is all about getting a nap in after driving around the island and the thought of exploring then taking part in a photoshoot would not win me wife of the year award in our household. It is completely up to you but if you can’t tell myself/many other photographers here favor the morning with how much more of an ease it is.
Overall sunrise or sunset Hawaii is so special that your family will shine in any part of the day. Though hopefully this post helps to share a bit of information that can assist in deciding which time of day you would like to book for. The most important tips though are :
Come as yourselves - No family is picture perfect 24/7 and who would want to be that sounds exhausting ! Show me what makes your family YOUR family by dressing in what you love ready to just enjoy Hawaii all together.
Be ready to just go with the flow and let those gorgeous photos take place. I have you covered on poses, prompts, etc. just arrive ready to trust me.
ENJOY YOURSELVES - You are in Hawaii ! If dad, oldest child, youngest child, etc. are camera shy or not a fan of photos that is absolutely okay ! To let you in a secret I love snapping photos but I’m not a fan of being in them either where taking part in our own family photoshoots puts me out of my comfort zone. This is why my sessions are always geared to be laid back and stress free for everyone. I do not want the thought of a photoshoot to make any family member cringe. Come expecting it to be very chill and to have lovely photos of you all here on island.