Big Island Sunset Family Portraits - The McMurray’s
Playful Big Island Sunset Family Session - The McMurray’s
I had such a great sunset session with the McMurray family! My favorite way to photograph families with little ones is through a documentary style approach. When parents are playful and happy, the kids almost always follow their lead! We spent the afternoon running along the beach, playing in the water, and even got to see a turtle at the end of our session.
Hapuna Beach Sunset Engagement Session
Hawai’i Sunset Engagement Session at The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort
Katherine reached out to me wanting Hawaii engagement photos while her, her fiance and their family were visiting Big Island. They were staying at The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, so we decided to keep things easy and do our sunset session there. The sunset turned out to be an absolutely dream! They were so fun to work with and you could immediately tell they are so happy together. We all had a great time laughing, playing in the ocean and enjoying the beach. In addition to engagement photos, we also made time to get family sunset portraits so the whole family was involved and enjoying a great afternoon.
For newly engaged couples, I highly recommend making time for an engagement session! It’s a great way to loosen up and work out any nerves you might have leading up to your wedding day, plus you get a chance to see what it’s like to work with your photographer and get to know each other. My clients often also use their photos for save the dates and invitations, plus they’re a fun to print out and have at your wedding.
This session was so relaxed and fun to document! For any couples needing tips or help planning your engagement session, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Four Seasons Hualālai Sunset Family Photos | Big Island, Hawaiʻi
Big Island sunsets and a family vacation are a perfect match. This sunset family session with the Tharpe family at Four Seasons Hualālai felt more like a relaxed beach walk than a formal photoshoot—grandparents, parents, and kids all enjoying their time together in one beautiful place.
Four Seasons Hualālai is a wonderful location for extended family photos. With palm trees, open sand, lava rock, and ocean views all close together, it’s easy to get lots of variety without a lot of walking—great for families with little ones and grandparents alike.
We captured the full family, smaller groupings, and plenty of candid moments in between— we saw a turtle, the kids played on the beach, and other sweet moments that happen naturally when families are relaxed.
Sunset sessions are designed to feel fun and low-pressure. Kids don’t need to be “perfect”—they get to move, explore, and be themselves. As long as parents are relaxed and smiling, I can almost always get great expressions from the kids. It also helps if kids have already eaten and, especially for younger ones, if the day beforehand is kept simple so they’re not overtired.
Sessions typically start 40–90 minutes before sunset, when the light is soft, and the temperatures start to cool down. Family vacations fly by, but photos like these help you hold on to the memories you made.
Big Island Sunset Family Photo Session - The Snedeker Family
Kukio Beach on the Big Island is one of my favorite places for family photos, and this session with the Snedeker family was extra special. They were enjoying their vacation on the Big Island while celebrating a 60th birthday and a recent engagement—all in one trip! We captured a mix of posed portraits and candid moments, giving them plenty of memories to look back on from their trip.
If you’re planning a trip to the Big Island—whether to celebrate a milestone or simply create new memories—I’d be honored to be your family photographer and help you capture photos you’ll treasure forever.
Pauoa Bay Family Session - Maddy’s Birthday
I had the pleasure of photographing a sweet sunset family session in Waikoloa, Hawaii, to celebrate little Maddy’s upcoming 2nd birthday! We captured a beautiful mix of solo portraits of Maddy, candid moments of the whole family, and special shots of mom and dad each sharing time with her. Maddy was such a trooper and absolutely loved the beach! It was the perfect way to mark this special milestone for their family.
Kukio Beach Sunset Family Session - The Ridenour Family
Had the pleasure of capturing a sunset beach session with the Ridenour Family at Kukio Beach, Hawaii. They wanted to celebrate their vacation with a family photoshoot. Their daughter was so awesome and loved running around so it was a very fun and lively session. She was the star of the show! The sunset turned out beautifully and was so happy to capture these moments for them!
Intimate Big Island Elopement - The Matiases
The Matiases decided to have a small elopement ceremony just for them and their immediate families at Kukio Beach on Big Island, Hawaii. We had the beach all to ourselves and we got to enjoy a beautiful sunset together. Officiant: Kahu Tom
