Oahu based family and wedding photographer providing family photographer for all Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaii Beach Family Photography | Laie, Oahu | Sam and Melissa

02.13.14

Sam is a firefighter on windward Oahu and he and his wife, Melissa, are also avid supporters and promoters of doTERRA Essential Oils and Products. They were chosen to be featured in a national doTERRA magazine and set out to find an Oahu photographer that not only could capture beautiful photos for their magazine feature but also photos that that they could cherish and display in their family home. When Sam emailed me, he said they had scoured the internet and searched through numerous portfolios when they found me. They lived in Hau`ula and really wanted to stay close, for convenience and sentimental reasons. The area is so beautiful with the most gorgeous stretches of beaches on Oahu, we actually had some difficulty in choosing a location. It took quite a few emails and we didn’t finalize it until the night before! Too much to choose from, they’re all amazing.

I knew from our session planning that Sam and Melissa had four young children ages 7 and under. Recently, my family sessions have been filled with children on the shy side, and it takes some time and silly fun to win them over their reluctance in front of the camera. So, four kids under 7? I was expecting anything but easy, but all I got was easy fun. I met them at a family member’s house and a string of increasingly adorable and cherub-faced children traipsed out of the house and flashed me welcoming smiles as they piled into the van. Once at the beach, they eagerly swarmed around me with curiosity and sweetly helped me carry my gear.

Best part of my job is getting to spend an afternoon at the beach getting to know people. I learned that Sam works with one of my high school classmates, Jay. Melissa was so photogenic, every picture was perfect so I suspected she must have done some modeling. She smiled shyly and said “No, but our dad is a photographer.” Ah, that explains why they were total pros in front of the camera. I wonder if my girls will pick up a few things too. We chose to stay close to home and it really felt like a family affair. Melissa grew up in Laie and has five sisters. One of her sisters, Michelle, came with us and was a star at grouping the kids together and keeping them entertained and energetic between photos.Another sister, Kallie, stopped by as we were finishing up…right about the time that Sam could no longer resist the call of the ocean and went for a swim…collared shirt and all. You just can’t put a local boy that close to the waves and expect everyone to stay dry.

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I love this stretch of sandy paradise and hope I get to shoot there more. It was a bit of a drive for me, almost an hour one way, but I would do it in a heartbeat. So, let’s schedule one!

As we were hosing the sand off our feet at the end, I was talking with Melissa and she asked “do you use oils?” Like a complete dork, thinking along the lines of canola and vegetable oil, I asked “you mean, like to cook with?” Oh, boy, Keao. She had brought me a little box of essential oils and she sent me a long list of all they ways they could be used. I can’t wait to try them (just not to cook with=). And if you’re curious, you can check out their website.

On your dream Oahu vacation or are you fortunate to call Hawaii your home? Now is the perfect time to book family photos here in island paradise. Keao is a Hawaii family photographer available on the islands of Oahu and the Big Island. She loves books, chewy chocolate chip cookies, is unable to keep from rambling when writing, and would absolutely love to tell your story next. If you would like to schedule a family photo shoot or book one of her amazing wedding packages, fill out the contact form found above in the menu. Mahalo!!

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Hawaii Family Photographer | 1st Birthday Photo Shoot | Jasmine

01.26.14

Last weekend, we spent our Saturday afternoon in Hau`ula enjoying Hawaiian food and Hawaiian music goodness at Jasmine’s 1st Birthday luau. Her parents, Shannon and Ka`ala, are dear friends of ours. Shannon is a broad-shouldered surfer from Florida who runs his own flourishing IT company. Ka`ala is gorgeous and intelligent, a successful lawyer but still a country girl through and through. She grew up in Hau`ula and lives there now with Shannon and their beautiful little girl. Shannon assimilated perfectly to country life. He’s always inviting everyone over for beach BBQs and promises of home-made shave ice.

We’ve known them for years but they really became a fixture in our lives when they joined a mission team that Scott led into Japan. They have such a heart for ministering to others. They share a great sense of humor and they constantly crack us up. We ended up getting married just a day apart. Ka`ala and I are both part-Hawaiian (although you might be squinting at my profile picture in doubt) and one of the sweetest traditions we have is that the bride dances a hula during the wedding reception. I decided to cheat a little and outsource. Let’s spare my friends from having to watch me dance. Not when I have this amazing friend who is an incredible hula dancer. So, we asked Ka`ala to dance to one of our favorite Keali`i Reichel songs for our wedding. Let’s not forget that our wedding was the day before her own wedding and she had more than enough on her plate. But she didn’t hesitate and it was one of those moments on our wedding day that I truly cherish. They’ll do anything for their friends. And the next day, we got to sit as newlyweds and watch as the two of them wed. Scott returned the favor a little by emceeing their wedding.

Six and half years later and Scott is the emcee again, this time at the first birthday luau of their daughter, Jasmine. Jasmine with her chubby-so-cute-I-can’t-take-it cheeks and sun-kissed light brown hair! She’s already showing off her smarts. She loves books and often goes around in circles having everyone read her a different book. She wasn’t just walking by her first birthday, she was running! She’s got places to go and people to see!

In anticipation of her first birthday, Shannon and Ka`ala scheduled family photos with me. We chose a location that really fit them and Ka’ala did an amazing job picking out outfits that matched the beauty around us. We first started off with photos at their home and Jasmine broke out into a ridiculous smile when a truck pulled up and it was Ka`ala’s sister, Racine. Jasmine and Aunty Racine are best buds. The two of them get all crazy and crack each other up with their wild antics. That’s it, Racine, you’re coming with us!!

Oahu Family Photographer black and white north shore

Aunty Racine works her magic and sets everything up for the perfect photo

After reading her way through the Canterbury Tales and Moby Dick, Jasmine was ready

to start her first professional photo shoot.

She really wasn’t digging the wet sand on her toesies.

When planning your baby’s 1st birthday, I recommend scheduling their photo shoot for at least 2-3 months prior. I love when families are able to use their photos in tons of different ways. Ka`ala used photos from their session for everything, from a butterfly-themed invitation to banners and displays during the party. They were a perfect ending to the slideshow that played at the end of the party.

On your dream Oahu vacation or are you fortunate to call Hawaii your home? Now is the perfect time to book family photos here in island paradise. Keao is a Hawaii family photographer available on the islands of Oahu and the Big Island. She loves books, chewy chocolate chip cookies, is unable to keep from rambling when writing, and would absolutely love to tell your story next. If you would like to schedule a family photo shoot or book one of her amazing wedding packages, fill out the contact form found above in the menu. Mahalo!!

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