6 Tips for Great Family Photos | Photographer Tips

The Hawaiian Island of Kauai is one of the top destinations in the world. From its vibrant underwater world, to tropical landscapes, the islands of Hawaii are simply captivating. With so many family friendly activities Kauai is a dream vacation for families. What better way to treasure your Hawaiian vacation than with timeless family photos? Photos are a way to help keep your family memories alive. Here at Pacific Dream Photography, we have lots of tricks up our sleeve. After all, nothing beats reminiscing about some of the best memories as the years go by. Here are 6 tips for taking great family portraits.

Bend It The number one obstacle we face while photographing families or people in general is stiffness. As soon as the camera comes out, so does the stiffness. It is our job as a photographer to make sure our subjects are as relaxed as possible. This creates natural photos. Ask your subject to shift their weight on to one foot, away from the camera. This creates a natural look, as well as a flattening angle. Ask you’re subject to place one hand in their pocket. This creates a relaxed look.  The best way to show someone how to pose, is to face your subject and do the pose yourself.

Let the Kids Be Themselves It is very common for parents to tell their kids to put on a big smile and be on their best behavior. While this can be a good, our goal to capture natural photos. The best way to capture natural photos is to let the kids enjoy themselves and have fun. When kids are having a good time, their personality comes out. That’s what we like to see. Let the kids be kids, and be ready to capture the moments.  

Lighting Matters Lighting can make or break any family photo. At Pacific Dream Photography, we book our sessions at sunrise or sunset photo sessions to ensure the best lighting. It is important to make sure that there isn’t too little or too much light on your subject’s faces.  You may have the perfect family or an incredible backdrop, but without the right lighting, you can still be left with a dull photo. The right quality of light will bring your photo to life. 

Wardrobe It is important to inform your family on what to wear. The right clothing can change the whole look of a session.  By choosing simple, classic clothing, your images will give a timeless feel. After all, your family will look at these photos for years to come. Inform your family on coordinating colors, but not matching completely. Clothing that fit into the right color scheme are much more exciting than white shirts and blue jeans.  Tell your subjects to limit patterns and logos, as this may aid in distraction. 

Get Close Even though they are a happy family, they probably aren’t getting close enough. Closing gaps between heads and shoulders completes the overall composition of the photo. Laugh, joke, and have fun with this. Get the siblings together. Better yet, tell the family to give each other a big group hug.  

Have Fun Keep the energy up! Create some fun shots near the end. Families love to laugh and have a great time. Tell your family to jump in the air, make funny faces, or squish together. Ask the siblings to get on each other’s backs and race down the beach. This creates candid photos and lightens up the overall mood of the shoot.

As Hawaii photographers, it is our job to create timeless family photos. Use these tips at your next photo session and your clients will be in for a treat! For even more tips, check out our older blog post on posing here.

Michael W. (Pacific Dream Photography at the Grand Hyatt Kauai)

Keys to a Successful Photo Session || Lighting

Wow, It’s already summer break! The kids are out of school, time for relaxation and quality time with family and friends on a tropical beach somewhere. After all, what better way is there to spend your summer vacation than on a beach in Hawaii? Even more importantly, what better way to remember your summer vacation than a Hawaii family photo session? Here at Pacific Dream Photography, it is our pleasure to be able to capture your families’ long awaited vacation. 

To ensure beautiful lighting during your beach photography session, we recommend scheduling in the early morning or late afternoon. Your lighting plays a bigger role than how bright or dark a photo is, but rather it is the key to color, mood, and the overall feeling of your collection. Take a peek at these shoots from our St. Regis location in Princeville. Although all of the shoots are in the same location, they all look completely different due to being captured at different times of the day.

So what is the best time of day? Sunrise or Sunset? Sunset shoots are most popular, however, what some people don’t realize is that sunrise sessions result in beautiful dreamy images as well! But wait, it’s summer and summer is for sleeping in late. Isn’t that what summer is all about? Not exactly, waking up to the golden sun rising among the gentle blue ocean is one of the best ways to start your day and why not capture it on camera. During your 45-minute Hawaii photo session, we are able to take stunning images of your family among a variety of rich colors melting together.

As professional photographers, we refer to the best lighting of the day as the “golden hour ." The “golden hour” is a critical key element to the perfect photo session. During this time the sun produces a soft light, which is much more flattering than the harsh mid-day sun. This is one of our “secret ingredients” to capturing beautiful photographs.

Taking advantage of this lighting at the beginning of the day comes with many added benefits. To name one, there are generally fewer people outside at sunrise. This results in a peaceful, intimate portrait session. If you are having trouble convincing your significant others to wake up early, just take a look at some of our previous sunrise sessions. From there, it shouldn’t take much more convincing. Of course, whatever time you decide will result in captivating photos to cherish forever, but if you’re up for that morning glow you won’t regret it.

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

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)

Tips for Choosing Your Favorite Photos || Kauai Family Portrait Photography

You and your family just had a fabulous photo session with Pacific Dream Photography and now, it's time to choose your favorite photos! By the next day, our team of photographers have your images professionally edited and ready to be viewed. For some, this is the most exciting part of the photo session. This is where the session comes to life as you get the opportunity to reflect on precious memories from your unforgettable trip. Although looking through many amazing images can be fun, it can also be a bit of a challenge narrowing down your favorites when there are so many great ones to choose from! Fear not, here are five timeless tips that will help ensure you with a collection you'll be forever ecstatic about.

1. Choose The Images That Reflect You and Your Family

This is a very important step when selecting your favorite photos. This is what makes your favorite images stand out from the rest. The best images are the ones that tell a story while allowing your personalities to shine through. 

2. Eliminate Photos That Are Similar

You may have photos that look similar. You don’t want both, but you would like to choose one. So which photo should go and which photo should stay? Choose the photo that speaks to you. Pick the photo that allows you to achieve what you hoped to gain from your shoot.

3. Don't Miss Hidden Treasures

Maybe you’re in love with the facial expressions in a photo, but there’s something a little off. Maybe it’s a small spot on your hubby's shirt, or a tiny distraction in the background. Don't be afraid to let your photographer know! With a little magical editing, the photo might end up being your absolute favorite. Look for photos with genuine emotion. Some of the best images aren't posed, but suggested by life itself.

4. Go With Your Gut Reaction

Going with your gut reaction is one of the best options. Ask yourself, does this photo draw my attention? What makes this photo stand out from the others?

5. We Have Tricks Up Our Sleeve

At your viewing party, it is time to sit back and relax. Here at Pacific Dream Photography, we have a couple tricks up our sleeve that allow us to help you pick your favorites. As Professional Photographers, we have the tools to help you choose the best. We wouldn't let you leave the islands without your favorite collection of your paradise getaway! 

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

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)

Sunrise or Sunset? || Couple and Family Photography Sessions at the Grand Hyatt Kauai

One of the most important options to consider when booking your reservation with Pacific Dream Photography is whether to choose a sunrise or a sunset time. For some of us, who aren’t early risers, the sunset time is an easy choice; although, the sunrise light is exceptional! Here at the Grand Hyatt, Kauai, there are advantages and disadvantages to each time.

The sunrise session is one of our personal favorites. The quality of light is gorgeous! You’ll notice a crisp quality of light, soft flattering skin tones, and a rose gold hue to the color, on some occasions. It is also important to consider the metaphors associated with a sunrise, for example: new beginnings. If you will be joining us celebrating something like an engagement or baby-moon, you might want to consider this time. It can also be a little more private with less people on the beach.

Typically, the sunset session is the most desired time. The light is rich and golden with saturated colors and strong contrast, making for striking imagery. The sun sets in the west and lights up a golden Shipwrecks beach cliff, creating a beautiful color contrast between the blue sky and ocean. The one possible downside to a sunset session is that there might be more people on the beach, and in the background of your photos.

So, choose wisely! You can’t go wrong with either choice; but we certainly want to capture you the way you’d like to be remembered.

- Written by Michael (Pacific Dream Photography at The Grand Hyatt Kauai)