Tickets are booked and you are planning your itinerary for must see’s and must do’s for your vacation to Hawai’i - Both an exciting and possibly overwhelming stage but all together definitely leans more towards excitement ! If you are on this post that means you are thinking about scheduling a photoshoot during your time in the Hawaiian Islands. Let me break down the above title : there is no bad time of year for a photoshoot in beautiful Hawai’i. It truly is as picturesque as the photos and videos you have seen. However, there are different lightening scenarios and weather patterns which is what I am going to dive into here that way you are prepared to book your photoshoot in paradise.

Summer : Starting off with the most popular time of year to be here when kiddos are off school and there is no better way to beat the summer heat than cooling off in the bright blue sea. Weather in the summer time frame typically is very calm with sunny skies and ideal ocean conditions. The last 2 years for Maui we have had some summer rainstorms blow in but in true tropical weather fashion they only last for 20 minutes or so. Now something that may throw a small curveball for photoshoots in the summertime are the start times. Hawai’i does not observe the time change that happens on the mainland but our lightening does still indeed change. During the summer months sunrise is at 5:50AM - This means if you plan to do a sunrise or morning photoshoot your start time will be around 6:20AM. Okay stay with me if you are a parent do not write off an AM session. When traveling one needs to remember there is a time difference AND this is HUGE for when you plan your activities for your trip. Having been a photographer on Maui for 7 years now I have hundreds of AM sessions under my belt where babies, toddlers, and even teens are good to go with the rising sun. With the time difference factored in and the change of routine/vacation excitement it is shocking how many non early risers are okay with early activities. Here are the perks of an AM photoshoot : easy check off of the “to do” list, emptier beaches, colorful skies, no or very little trade winds which will roll in every day after 11AM, and you are beating nap time/bed time + not having to rush back from an adventure to prep for a photoshoot. Only think I would suggest is if you have family members that are normally hungry when they wake up give them a quick bite to eat before your session and go for a nice yummy breakfast directly after. Now that we chatted about summer AM sessions let’s talk about the PM. The secret has been out that golden hour is a magical time for photos and I 100% agree ! One thing I want to reiterate is the important information about trade winds. Keeping in mind Hawai’i is an island chain out in the middle of the vast ocean we have trade winds that whip in on the daily. With Maui in particular they start around 11AM and last through the evening. They are fantastic for staying cooled off from the summer heat BUT with wind gusts ranging from 10MPH-40MPH not always the most ideal for photos. As stated on my other posts about photoshoots here gorgeous photos absolutely can still be snapped just be aware of the wind that will be present. One more factor with PM sessions in the summer are the beach crowds. Everyone wants to see the sun set on the ocean’s horizon so heads up to expect a decent amount of other people if doing a beach photoshoot and a lot of other photoshoots taking place. Again magic can happen but trust your photographer for how they maneuver you during the session and you can get those stunning Hawai’i memories you are dreaming of.

Late Fall/Winter/Spring : As the year winds down how special to squeeze in more memories in paradise. Fall here may not have the stunning changing leaves as the rest of the world has but we do keep the lovely green mountains + warm ocean water as a trade off. Fall follows summer with the lighting and weather patterns but your AM start times pushed back a tad and evening timeframes brought down earlier. The bigger changes begin as we enter Dec. sunrise sessions get the lovely start time of 7:20AM so a little less daunting to think about. Evening sessions are the same as fall with start times of 4:40PM or 5:00PM depending on the session package you select. Big factor with winter through spring is the weather - hello rainy season. Personally it’s my favorite time of year with the islands being so green, rainbows popping up almost on the daily, and also the famous whale season for Maui in particular. Downside it can cause for some rescheduling depending on the weather system that blows through. To prep for the unexpected if scheduling a photoshoot plan it for the beginning of your trip. This will allow some wiggle room for myself or whichever photographer you select to give alternate dates/times during the week before check in IF some rain is on the radar. Generally mornings are calmer as rain tends to blow in as the day progresses. However, something to keep in mind if you are wanting a sunset session winter has the most AMAZING sunsets ! They are incredibly colorful and have the best cloud formations so something to keep in mind when you think of the time of day for your session.

If you read all of the above then you are now well prepared for whichever time of year you are visiting Hawai’i. Whether you decide to go with myself or another photographer know that with this profession us photographers are here to answer any questions you may have about weather, lighting, photoshoot locations to avoid crowds, etc. so ask away ! If you are heading here in the fall you can view an early AM session below that took place in November here in Kihei, Maui. Have the most incredible time here in Hawai’i !