Kapalua Maui family portraits are some of our favorite to photograph. After the wildfires on Maui occurred, an anonymous donor purchased two sessions. She asked us to gift them to two families who lost their homes. We were put in touch with Steph and her family through a mutual friend. Our team were able to capture their beautiful Kapalua Maui family portraits at sunset.

I was hard pressed to choose just a few to share with Steph and family. I ended up delivering practically every image in their gallery. With so many smiles, it was too hard to narrow images down! Family portraits on Maui should all be this genuine and full of love and smiles. It’s sessions like these that make me appreciate even more what our team have the privledge of capturing.

Wondering how to make the most of any family photoshoot? Here are a few of our top tips!

• First and foremost: dress for comfort! This means mom, dad and kids. Don’t make the fam wear anything they wouldn’t think of wearing otherwise. If this means staying casual, do it. We want you to look and feel comfortable. Oftentimes, this means forgoing too many accessories (especially for younger kids) and focusing on practicality. If kids are loving the beach, there’s always a chance to change in to swimear for another outfit look and the same level of freedom and movement!
• Keep expectations realistic. Our team don’t expect any child to look and smile at the camera at all, much less right of the bat. Why? We’re strangers, it’s a new space, and some kids just aren’t feeling it. We are used to working with kids of all comfort levels, so if yours is more reserved (even if just in this moment), let it be. This is THE perfect time for sweet portraits snuggling mom and/or dad, or simply taking in the scenery. We have a very high success rate winning kids over eventually – the best thing to do is to let this happen organically. If you think your child might be slow to warm up, we recommend a 45 minute session to give a bit more time.
• Come prepared. This may mean busting out a snack mid-sunset session for kids to munch on while mom and dad get some well-deserved portraits alone. Towels and a change of clothes means less worry about getting sandy for dinner afterward.
• Keep scheduling in mind. Sunrise will be MUCH easier if booked in the first 1-2 days of your stay. If coming from the mainland, the time difference *will* have you up early. Consider this when scheduling your session.

Our Maui family photography team photograph family sessions at the beach in Wailea/South Maui, Kapalua/West Maui, as well as on Oahu, Big Island and Kauai. Inquire today so we can begin to capture each milestone in your family’s story!