Keeping the Love Alive || Eric & Elaine

When you are a photographer, often times you find yourselves enveloped in intimate moments between couples. Photographing honeymooners, Bride & Groom, vow renewal ceremonies, or even just a couple vacationing, we are welcomed into a space, with oftentimes new friends, that gives you a close glimpse into that relationship.

We are so lucky to be able to experience that love and intimacy on a daily basis, because it helps keeps us grounded and thankful in our own lives. 

I had the pleasure of photographing a couple last week at the Kahala Hotel & Resort in Oahu. Elaine told me that she didn't get pictures with her husband of over 20 years as often as she'd like and wanted to plan a fun beach photo session for the next afternoon.

After 24 years of marriage, Elaine and Eric were just as fun, playful, and starry eyed as when they were kids. In fact... they still looked like kids! Elaine showed me a picture from when they first got married, and it was eerily identical to some of the pictures we had been taking. The scariest part is, they hadn't aged a day!

I had to ask Elaine, how do they keep such a youthful playfulness with each other, which she confided in me all her secrets. But most importantly, they set aside time to do fun things with each other. Whether it be sparring in their martial arts class, a birthday trip every year for the two of them, or a sunset beach photoshoot in Hawaii, these two really know how to keep the love alive.

Written by Julia J. (Pacific Dream Photography at The Kahala Hotel & Resort)

Visiting Hawaii || Trip of a Lifetime

Many of the people who visit the Islands of Hawaii are first timers. Many are celebrating something special, and some just finally made the time to take the long vacation out. When most first experience Hawaii, its almost like experiencing a different country with a culture, traditions, and even a language that is completely foreign. Steve and Elen were first timers to Hawaii, and they dove right in. 

Steve and Elen searched out the local cuisine, drove through the beauty of the aina, and even went to a luau to experience the culture of the Hawaiian Islands. Visiting us from Connecticut, and leaving their 6 boys behind, I can imagine that these two felt a renewed sense of youth and wonder exploring our island of Oahu. No doubt, a Hawaii beach photo session would allow them to continue to experience it for years to come.

Elen and Steve were guests at the Kahala Hotel & Resort on the south shore of Oahu. Lucky for them, it is one of the most beautiful sites on the island for a couples photography session. We spent a short half hour session with them walking the white sand beaches, and capturing their radiating love.

Its easy to fall in love with the island and not take the time to capture your Hawaii memories. In our experience, vacation passes way too quickly, so why not hire a vacation photographer to help you remember your visit and live it over and over in years to come. One thing I do know to be true, once you visit Hawaii for the first time, you will forever have an itch to come back. 

- Written by Julia J. (Pacific Dream Photography at The Kahala Resort)

Feeling Comfortable In Front of the Lens || Camera Shy?

When the camera comes out, so do the nerves. For some, getting in front of the camera can be slightly uncomfortable. At Pacific Dream Photography, our goal is to give you a stress free enjoyable experience. Remember, our aim is to capture effortless photos. Here are a few helpful thoughts to consider before your Hawaii Photo Session. Use these tips to dismiss nerves and gain an extra boost of confidence.

When you begin your lush Photo Session under the blue skies of the Pacific, it's natural to focus on posing. You may ask yourself, where do I stand, or where do I place my hands? To capture photographs that show off your personality, it's our job to help you relax your thoughts and loosen up. It's your job remember that your Pacific Dream Photographer is here for you. The camera is our tool to capture and create timeless keepsakes that will last a lifetime.

To create these special moments, we begin by taking you to a beautiful location. As you arrive at your first location, engage in your thoughts and surroundings. Simply, focus on the beauty around you. Most importantly focus on treasured loved ones. Just have fun with the flow of the session and everything will fall into place. Chances are, you may get to witness an Out of this World Hawaiian Sunset, while taking photos and creating memories.

The key to feeling comfortable in front of the lens is staying genuine to you. Choose an outfit that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Take a look at our Blog for Simple Outfit Suggestions. Don't worry too much about making mistakes. It's our job to provide you with a smooth experience. If we encounter a few silly moments, it's better to laugh them off and be present in the moment. It's those fun moments where we come across your bubbly personality and snap stunning photos. 

Have you ever heard the saying Practice makes Perfect? The commonly used quote is spot on. When choosing your Island Inspired Outfit, try different poses in front of the mirror. Decide which side works best and which poses work well for you. Having an idea of how you look can ease your mind and ultimately help you feel comfortable in front of the lens.

As Professional Photographers in Hawaii, we have a couple tricks up our sleeve to set the most flattering camera angles. One simple tip is to turn your face slightly to the side. This will create natural highlights and give your face a slimmer appearance. Always remember to smile! A smile doesn't just affect your emotions, it affects your entire look overall. Allow yourself the freedom to laugh and share your beautiful smile. Even if you’re still feeling a bit nervous, a smile will give you that extra boost of confidence. 

Present your photographer with some of your ideas, such as poses or locations. At Pacific Dream Photography, we are always open to new thoughts and ideas. 

We hope this helped you relax and mentally prepare for your Tropical Hawaiian Photo Session. Not only do we hope your mind is at ease, but we look forward to capturing your confident smile in each and every photo. From all of us at Pacific Dream Photography, Hauʻoli kēia hui ʻana o kāua! Pleased to meet you.

- Written by Julia P. (Pacific Dream Photography at The Grand Hyatt Kauai)

A Getaway to Remember || Big Island Engagement Photo Session

There's something about the Hawaiian Islands that bring out an array of emotions for those that experience the beauty of what it's magic has to offer. Often times, we see couples escape here to the islands for a memorable trip of a lifetime, and at Pacific Dream Photography, we are here to capture those special moments that you'll hang on to forever.

Upon meeting Matthias and Jasmine, their energy and love for one another beamed through their radiant smiles. The two had traveled from Germany to spend a week on the Big Island of Hawaii for a relaxing yet adventure filled trip. Little did Jasmine know, Matthias had planned his marriage proposal for Jasmine and a Hawaii photo session with Pacific Dream Photography to commemorate it.

On a warm sunset session with Pacific Dream Photography, Matthias and Jasmine let their love shine through our lens with a sunset to compliment the two on their engagement. From all of us at Pacific Dream Photography, congratulations to the beautiful couple! A Hui Hou! Until we meet again.

- Written by Samantha (Pacific Dream Photography at the Fairmont Orchid) 

Group Portrait Photography || Tips from a Professional Photographer

Group portraits are a fantastic way for friends and families to spend quality time together and capture unforgettable memories. Whether you're taking a much-needed family reunion trip to the islands or looking to update your photos of friends and loved ones, who wouldn’t want group photos on a lush beach in Hawaii to remember your time in paradise? Capturing photos of a large group can be a difficult task, but fear not! With some helpful tips; let our artists at Pacific Dream Photography make your group photo session a success by providing you with ever-lasting commemorations.

A relaxed photo is important, but a little direction is always a great key to ensuring a successful photography session. Most of the time a group will pose themselves naturally with tall people in the back and short people in the front. But if needed, feel free to take control of your group and position others in visually ideal positions.  Here at Pacific Dream Photography, we like to make sure our subjects feel comfortable without feeling too forced, so loosen up and don't forget to take in the beautiful scenery!

When posing your group, place people according to families and couples. This makes it easier for everyone, as they are able to locate themselves easily when looking through their photos. If you'd like the session to be centered on two specific people, place them in the middle of the group.

It is very important to make sure that everyone's faces are visible. If they cannot see the camera, they will most likely not be seen in the photo! As a professional photographer, it is our job to scan the group and make sure that everyone is clearly visible. If one or more subjects are looking away, it may take away from a potentially perfect photo.  

To avoid awkward spacing in group photos, use a wide angled lens and tighten up the frame. Closing in any unwanted gaps between individuals is a great way to unite your group. One effective technique is to tell your group to lean their heads in close together. Allow your subjects to hug and hold each other and be ready to capture big smiles at any moment. 

As professional photographers in Hawaii, we take pride in sweet moments with family and friends. Your group will thank you for a great time and stunning group portraits.

- Written by Julia P. (Pacific Dream Photography at the Grand Hyatt Kauai)

8 Must-Know Tips About Photographing Kids || Hawaii Family Portrait Photography

Photographing children is something that many photographers avoid. While it can be a challenge, here at Pacific Dream Photography, we have a blast! We are going to share a few pointers on how to take the stress out of photographing children. These simple tips will help you achieve natural effortless photos. 

1. Be Prepared. Preparing for a session makes all the difference in the world. If an infant or toddler is joining the session, it's important to bring a few toys to keep them engaged. Bubbles are a great way to keep kids occupied during the shoot and will result in giggles and smiles all around. The right lens also plays a huge role when photographing kids. Having the right equipment and settings will result in better photos.

2. Have Patience. Photographing children requires patience and time. Some kids love having their pictures taken, while others may be camera-shy. Just roll with their behavior and don't force anything. Kids will have a great time if you simply hang out with them. Engaging with the child and building their trust will allow them to warm up to the camera! Ask questions, tell jokes, and find out what they are interested in. Be ready to snap pictures at any time. You never know when they might do something unexpected resulting in a fabulous photo!

3. Smiling Is Not What's Most Important. The goal is to allow kids to feel like they are right at home. When kids are comfortable they will share their personality with the camera. Kids possess an array of emotions, quirks, and funny faces. Sometimes asking kids to smile will result in the typical forced "picture day face." Here at Pacific Dream Photography, we like to capture authentic timeless moments. After all, real life moments are the most memorable ones.

4. Get On Equal Ground. This tip might require getting a little dirty (or sandy!), but thats okay! Remember you are working with kids! Standing over them will make them look even smaller, so It's okay to get down on your knees or even on your stomach! Getting down on their level will make you instantly more approachable. Photographing the world from a child's perspective can create stunning images with different angles. 

5. Give Them a Sneak Peak! Children love to interact and see whats going on behind the camera. Sharing the images that you are taking can be very beneficial. It allows the child to be a part of the shoot rather than just the subject. Building a bond with the child will help you achieve more ideal results.  

6. Get Close. Don't be afraid to get close to your subject. It is important to fill the frame with the child. Capturing their facial expressions will result in extreme cuteness! Choose the right backgrounds, making sure there are no distractions around the subject. Ideally, the background should look blurry and soft. 

7. Get The Parents Involved. It's all about the family! During a session, parents are the key to a great shoot. Include the parents in the pictures. This will allow the child to relax and feel comfortable. Not only does this create beautiful images of the child, it creates memories for the whole family. 

8. Be Funny. It's okay to be silly during a session. Don't be afraid to make funny faces, dance, make silly noises, and have a great time. Don't worry about getting the perfect image, candid shots are a better option when photographing kids. Most importantly, have a great time! When the photographer is having fun, the child will have a wonderful time.

- Written by Julia P. (Pacific Dream Photography at  Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa)

Cherish Your Memories || Family Photo Session in Oahu

We had the pleasure of shooting a beautiful family photo session the other day at the Kahala Resort. With photographing kids, it gets a little difficult to capture that "perfect" picture family photo. However, we'd like to tell you why the perfect picture isn't always so "perfect." 

Since they had never had family photos taken, the family was fine with going with the flow and having us capture the kids in their natural element. Their Hawaiian family session turned out to be so much fun for all! The kids played and laughed while their personalities shone bright through our lens. We loved all the silly expressions that Roman made for the camera and although Riley was camera shy, she loved looking at the pictures after their session. 

Often times we welcome returning families back to the islands as a place for escape from the busy schedules of every day life.  And if we've learned anything, these precious moments as kids fly by. As professional photographers in Hawaii, we take heart in knowing that these are the pictures that you will look back at to remember who your kids were at this beautiful time.

-written by Julia J. (Pacific Dream Photography at The Kahala Resort)

Romantic Honeymoon in Kauai || Capturing Memories That Will Last Forever

The beautiful beaches of Hawaii lay claim as a top destination for honeymooners from around the world. This tropical paradise of palm trees, volcanoes, fruity umbrella drinks and cool salty waters offer plenty of rest and relaxation. This R&R is much needed after the stressful days spent planning and leading up to a wedding. Hawaii is definitely one of the most romantic destinations for honeymooners to enjoy this special time in their lives. 

As a newly married couple, probably the last thing on your mind would be to have more pictures taken. You just spent your entire wedding day being photographed, right? Well, as Hawaii Photographers, we urge you to capture these precious moments on your honeymoon with a beach photography session! These first pictures as a married couple are ones you will cherish for eternity.

We have found that honeymoon couples tend to be much more relaxed, carefree and fun during their photo session. At this point they are basically professional models, knowing which poses work and which ones don't from their wedding photos. So, why not spend 45-minutes of your vacation taking pictures in paradise and creating memories you will treasure for a lifetime?

This couple is a perfect example of seizing this moment. They opted for a sunset session at the world-renowned Grand Hyatt on the island of Kauai. Proudly toting their new Mr. & Mrs. titles, this couple captured many sweet and tender moments at the water’s edge. From the Grand Hyatt and our team at Pacific Dream, we say "Ho'omaika'i 'Ana" (congratulations) and a "Hui Hou Kakou"  (until we meet again).

-written by Julia J.

Recreating A Picture || Photo Ideas for Anniversaries

If you cherish those precious moments in life, like we do, you probably have photographs spanning the years. Looking back on all the fond memories, do you have a handful of pictures in which you or a loved one is making that one goofy face or that same pose from year to year?

We recently had the pleasure to photograph Mark and Terrie Marino while they celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary here at the Grand Hyatt, Kauai. The Marinos took advantage of our professional photographers in the island of Kauai to do something very fun.

||    Scroll all the way down to see what we're talking about!   ||

For their wedding, they had an intimate ceremony on the beach, very little guests and a photographer. Unfortunately, a lot of the pictures didn’t turn out great back then, but they had one portrait of the two of them that they loved.

This is when we got really excited about this anniversary photo session. Terrie approached us and asked if we could recreate the photo of her and her husband on their wedding day and, of course, we said yes! They chose a sunrise time slot on the beaches of Poipu for their couples photo shoot.

They showed up to the session wearing nearly the same wardrobe, casual attire for Mr. Marino, and a bikini, and sarong for Terrie. The sun slowly crept up over the Shipwrecks cliff. What gorgeous light it created. We walked along the beach, getting to know each other, and trying their wedding pose at different locations.

It was easy to create great pictures with their fabulous chemistry. Mark and Terrie were so pleased they ended up going home with an entire collection of images. They spent the remainder of their visit relaxing in sunny Kauai and lounging by the pool.

-written by Michael (Pacific Dream Photography at Grand Hyatt, Kauai)

Photo Session for Solo Travelers || Vacation Photography

Once in a while, we have only one person show up for the beach photo session at our Hawaii locations. Some people just can't miss the amenity of the photo shoot we offer for the guests of the luxury hotels we partner with. 

The photos you are seeing here were from a Andaz Maui at Wailea solo female traveler. Solo travels are becoming increasingly popular, and we are glad to be able to provide them with beautiful memories of their vacation. 

When her photographer in Maui met up with her, she had 2 changes of clothes and a bathing suit. For a short photo session with more people, it's not entirely necessary to bring wardrobe changes, but for single subjects, there's definitely time to play around with outfits and props.

She shared with us that of all the places to go alone, Hawaii was the possibly the best destination as it's gorgeous, relaxing and most importantly, safe. She also wanted to get photos to show her fiancé (who had to pull the plug on the trip for work reasons) what he was missing.

During her viewing, she shared that she wore all the dresses and bathing suit that he had bought her specifically for this trip. She explained how she was nervous at first being alone for a photo shoot, but that her photographer made her feel comfortable as the session went along. 

The lesson? If you go to Hawaii by yourself (or any other beautiful destination), book a vacation photographer and get professional pictures for your loved one who missed out on the fun. Also, who wouldn't need stunning new profile photos for social media? 

In the case of this guest, she was able to gift her significant other 40 beautiful photos of her enjoying the beautiful resort and beach in Wailea, Maui.