St. Regis Princeville | A Tropical Paradise

If you could take a vacation, where would you go? If you ask us, stay at the St. Regis Princeville located in Kauai, Hawaii. The St. Regis offers a vacation experience like no other. Between the lush scenery, impeccable dining options, and luxurious accommodations, the St. Regis provides a captivating reality. Here are the top six reasons why you must stay at the St. Regis Princeville.

• Location: The striking St. Regis Princeville is located on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, also known as “The Garden Isle.” The tropical paradise is found among the blue waters of the Pacific. Kauai has something to offer everyone. The island is known for its natural hiking trails, pristine beaches, tropical fruits, native plant life, and gorgeous coastline. The St. Regis Princeville overlooks the dramatic Hanalei Bay. One step out the door, and you’ve found yourself by the seaside under the Hawaiian sun.
• Dining: The five award winning restaurants at the St. Regis Princeville are known for their culinary indulgences. The elegant dining venues offer the finest Hawaiian inspired dishes around. What better way to spend your Hawaiian vacation, then treating yourself to something amazing?

• Atmosphere: The staff at the St. Regis Princeville takes warm welcomes to the next level. As you walk through the doors of the hotel, you are greeted with fresh Hawaiian lei. Listen as you hear the staff greet you with a friendly “Aloha,” the Hawaiian word for hello. Throughout your entire stay on Kauai, you’ll be treated as family, or as we say Ohana.
• Relaxation: The flawless resort offers one of the most relaxing stays around the world. While Kauai offers adventurous activities such as, water tubing, horseback riding, hiking, and boating, the St. Regis makes the perfect place to come back and relax. You may enjoy the tranquil pool, overlooking the ocean or rest on a comfortable lounge chair. You may also try some local cuisine at the Nalu Kai Grill and bar, located just beside the pool.
• Photography: Our top reason why the St. Regis Princeville is the number one place to stay is that we offer complimentary photo sessions on the property. Our photographers capture the most beautiful memories of your trip and the photos are ready as soon as the next day. With this being said, we hope you’ve already booked your tickets to Kauai and picked a date for your complimentary photo session. We look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful island of Kauai and the stunning St. Regis Princeville resort.

Written by Julia P. (Pacific Dream Photography at the St. Regis Princeville)

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)

Tips for Photographers || Posing

I’ve been a wedding and engagement photographer now for over 8 years and the one question I get from many photographers is how do I pose my subjects? It’s simple, you don’t. Ok, well kind you kind of do. Let me explain.

I have a few “poses” I default to. Holding hands, getting comfortable in each others arms, looking back, walking, etc. I try not to get too hung up on the technical of posing. If your subjects are uncomfortable, it’s going show. So what’s the key to getting those natural candid/relaxed looking photos?

If you follow these 5 steps, you will be on your way to delivering comfortable natural poses and photographs for your clients.

Step 1. Exposure

Believe it or not, the first and most important step to getting couples and families comfortable in front of your camera is knowing how to operate a Dslr timely. Know it like the back of your hand. Exposures, ISO, Fstops, shutter speeds, shooting fully manual or shooting aperture priority. Know what you’re doing! Clients always feel confident when you’re confident behind a camera. You need to get to the point where it’s not a challenge to operate your camera. This gives your attention to the clients and makes them feel they are with a pro!

Step 2. Before you even shoot

Getting comfortable and acquainted with your client before you even pull the shutter. Be outgoing, genuine and interested in their lives. Ask where they are from, what brings them to wherever you’re shooting. Connect with them. I always try to connect with sports. You’d be surprised how many women love it when their husband/fiancé is involved in the shoot because to be honest, usually the wife has to drag the whole family to get their photos taken. When they see their husbands at easy (probably easier for me cause I’m a guy) it makes them think “cool, we’re all having a good time.”

If you’re not a guy, or can’t connect with the husband, try connecting with the kiddos or the wife/bride. Get personal without prying of course and let them get their minds off of the photo session for a bit. It’s always intimidating having a lens stare you down!

Step 3. Get them Comfortable

Have 3-5 poses you know down pat, but don’t let the pose rule over comfort.

For different scenes and settings I have a few different poses I default to, but my aim is getting couples comfortable in front of the camera. When couples or families are comfortable, it always provides better photos. I already know my cameras settings, so that doesn’t get in the way of anything. I’m having fun, cracking jokes, shooting and working fast! It’s a rush and I love it. I’m in the drivers seat and my client trusts me. They already feel good and know their images are turning out great. The laughs and smiles are real and genuine, not forced or unnatural.

Step 4. The experience

People will always forget what you said but will remember how you made them feel. This is probably more important than the photos themselves. I’ve never been one to get so technical I lose the subjects. Keeping the flow of the shoot is key. I hate downtime. If I have to figure out a shot, look for a location, guessing, or not sure. This always gets in the way of delivering a positive experience.

I have a few jokes on hand if I need folks to crack a smile. Most of all have fun and include the client. They love that!

Step 5. Find your groove

Posing like a lot of things is preference. Hands are something that can really bother me. If the hands look claw-like or stiff it throws the whole photo off (for me). That’s my pet peeve. For someone it might be posture or something else.

My rule of thumb (pun intended) is if the hands and fingers (and thumbs, kidding) look good, and we’re having fun we’re good to go!

Find your grove, practice, practice, practice then practice some more! The key is to avoid those awkward moments “what now” kind of feelings in a shoot!

- Written by Brent S. (Pacific Dream Photography at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel)