Shooting an adventure session, elopement, or engagement session in Hawaii is always epic. Being a photographer in Hawaii allows for so many fun experiences for both myself and my couples!

Have you heard about “land to sea” sessions? These photo shoots are an adventurous way of incorporating the ocean into your photo shoot! I shoot with special underwater housing for my camera that allows me to capture those Pacific Ocean scenes in a unique way. Having a part of your photo shoot in Hawaii take place in the ocean is exhilarating and totally different! If you’ve ever wondered what its like to have an underwater land to sea adventure session, stick around for some of my tips.

Underwater Photo Shoot in Hawaii

Jenna and Peter live in Truckee, California, which is close to Lake Tahoe. Because this adventurous couple lives so close to a place with so many outdoor recreation activities, it only makes sense that they love to partake in skiing, wakeboarding, and surfing.

Jenna and Peter got engaged after a lovely afternoon of surfing. They explored a ridge that looked over where they had just surfed, when Peter popped the question! These two lovebirds are getting married at a family friend’s home in Hawaii, where Jenna learned to surf. Jenna grew up on Oahu, so having their adventure session and intimate wedding in Hawaii is important to the two of them.

Both Peter and Jenna wanted to incorporate the outdoors in their Hawaiian boho photo shoot. They requested wanting to end their session in the water – hence, “land to sea”!

6 Tips For Your Underwater Photo Shoot in Hawaii

• Now that you have decided that you want to get in the water for your adventure session, figure out how far underwater you’ll be getting. Maybe you’ll be just on the surface of the ocean? If you want to float on your surfboard or just stand in the waves, we can do over/under shots or shots where the camera is partially under the water! If you’re fully submerging, you’ll need a mask or to be able to open your eyes. How deep into the water you’ll go will determine where your photographer will be shooting.
• Know your limits. We can customize the land to sea session to fit your comfort level. We will be able to still get amazing photos and make sure that you’re comfortable! Are you able to open your eyes? Do you not have a lot of water experience? We can adapt! You should be aware of your ocean experience, because swimming can be tiring! Some options for ensuring you don’t tire yourself out during your underwater photo shoot is picking shallow location where you can stand every once in a while, or bringing along a bodyboard that you can float on.
• Bring a change of clothes! If you want to trash the dress, we don’t want you to be uncomfortable. And don’t forget about towels! Think about what, if any, accessories you would like to include: diving gear, surfboards, masks if needed.
• It can always be helpful to have inspiration photos so we are all on the same page. That way, there isn’t anything lost in the language! I want to do this to ensure you get the photos you want and that we are set up for success in this adventure session!
• Be prepared to wake up early, because morning is best for water photos! Here is a fun example timeline for a “land to sea” adventure photo shoot: we can begin exploring around Hawaii at sunrise, then make our way to the water for that gorgeous mid-morning light.
• Wear something lightweight because water can weigh down attire. The most important thing to wear is something you feel comfortable and confident in! Cover ups, bathing suits…websites such as Sunshine 79 or Asos are great places to start looking.

There you have it! My top tips for having an adventurous underwater photo shoot in Hawaii, as well as some inspiration photos. Now let’s get to planning your “land to sea” session!

If you’re wanting to include a hair and makeup artist in your Hawaii elopement, there are a few things to keep in mind!

Hawaii elopements have their own set of considerations, such as humidity, time of day of your elopement, and the activities you’ll be doing.

I sat down to chat with Tia from Indigo Grace Artistry to learn more about her tips for getting your hair and makeup done in Hawaii.

• When your makeup artist arrives, how should you get ready? What do you recommend for brides to do with their hair and skin to best prepare for getting their hair and makeup done on their wedding day?

“If you have a specific skincare routine, do that! We prefer a clean, washed face, and clean dry hair. If you have dirty hair, even if its one day old, and your hair isn’t used to the Hawaii humidity or is oily, it can effect the outcome of your style. We would have to use additional products to combat the oiliness. Clean dry hair will still get texture and grit because of the products we will use! As far as what to wear, a robe or button down shirt is great. I recently had a bride and her bridal party wearing menswear button up shirts, which was very cute for photos and practical for getting makeup and hair done! We want brides to be comfortable but able to take clothing items off easily to avoid messing up hair and makeup.”

• Are there any hairstyles that you recommend or avoid due to the weather in Hawaii?

“This will really depend on your hair itself. Some hair is easier to manipulate and make it do what we want it to. Blonde color treated hair is easy. The Hollywood waves look is very popular right now and is a top requested hairstyle, but doesn’t do well here. This hairstyle often falls into beachy waves which is still beautiful, but while these structured Hollywood glam waves will look beautiful in hotel room, outside in the humidity it tends to fall flat. Low textured updos can be very beachy, and also do well in windier environments. This hairstyle won’t get stuck in lipgloss! Updos also are not as hot, because your hair isn’t on your neck.

With hair extensions, you have more flexibility within your style because there is extra hair, which is more voluminous. We can keep your elopement hair style longer by putting in hair extensions. If you’re wondering, ‘do I need extensions? ‘, the answer is always yes. For volume, texture, and longevity of your bridal hairstyle, extensions are always helpful.“

• What part of the room should brides use for makeup in terms of lighting – whether that’s in an Airbnb, hotel, or at home?

“100% natural light is where we want to be, when it’s available. We often bring a makeup light as well, because I can choose warm or cool light depending on what the situation calls for. I will rearrange a room just to get natural lighting! Another tip is to have a table available for your hair and makeup artist to utilize. Side tables can only hold so much! If at all possible, being able to be given a space to work is 100% the most helpful accommodation brides can make for hair and makeup artists.”

Other suggestions would be to keep the doors/windows closed when possible if your room has A/C to keep the room as cool as possible.

• What happens if a bride gets sunburned, and are dealing with redness or peeling skin?

“For peeling skin, I recommend drinking as much water as possible and moisturizing. Unfortunately, there is not a lot to do for skin when it is already peeling. When skin is sunburned, you will have more texture on skin. While it’s something you will notice up close, no one else will! We can color correct and ensure skin tone looks as even as possible. Brewing black tea and using tea bags on skin can help soothe and pull redness out of your skin. Don’t forget to hydrate so that your skin received moisture! You can always ask your photographer to do retouching if you are badly peeling. As makeup artists, we will use less powder and more creams and liquids for your Hawaii elopement look so that there isn’t anything sitting on the skin and making the difference in texture look too obvious.” 

• Do you offer trials for elopement hair and makeup? How necessary are they?

“A trial eliminates a bride wanting something different on their wedding day. But we don’t always have opportunity to do trials for destination weddings. As long as our elopement bride has an open mind as to their stylists making professional opinions and decisions based on hair texture, skin tone, face shape…we are good! As long as they trust us in a situation where you can’t have a trial, it will be okay! Most of the time, brides have looked at an artist’s work and chosen them for a reason.”

• What about touch-up kits: is that something you provide your Hawaii elopement clients?

“I absolutely want to give brides something for the rest of their day! Each artist is different though, so you should check if they offer that if that is something that is important to you. Some artists have touch-up kits available for purchase separately, or they may be included in tiers of pricing.”

• Do you have any tips if a couple wants to get in the water? Will makeup last; will mascara run?

“If we know a bride will be getting in the water, we will use some sort of waterproof makeup. Foundation, mascara, eyeliner…most of the time for weddings and elopements we do that because we anticipate tears. But if they plan on jumping in the ocean, we recommend dabbing and patting their face with a towel once they get out to avoid smearing. 9 times out of 10, nothing will move, and your makeup will stay looking flawless.”

• What if the area I will be getting ready is on a more remote part of the island? Or if I am getting married at sunrise?

I am always willing to accommodate early mornings, and I absolutely love doing makeup for sunrise weddings! That also goes for traveling to other parts of the island. Travel fees vary, as well as the early morning fee, but that’s the greatest part of being an onsite artist – I will come to you!

• Are you able to work on a variety of skin tones? How do you keep a “natural look”?

Yes, I’ve worked with many skin tones, ethnicities, and nationalities. To achieve a natural look, it really depends on what the client considers natural. Many times what we think is natural may not be the case for someone else! If lightweight makeup is what you are looking for, I go with a “less is more”, buildable attitude of layering products. Using products that are more glowy can also give the skin a more natural appearance instead of using a lot of matte powders or foundations.

• Do you have any other tips for brides eloping in Hawaii?

“When it comes to your wedding day, remember that it will all be okay and not to stress the little things! When we stress, we panic – and then, we sweat. With added stress and sweat, it’ll be hard for your hairstyle to set and makeup to settle in.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you need to do any steaming to your dress, do this the night before! If you do that during hair and makeup, it makes the room hot and can make your hairstyle drop, or you can sweat your makeup off. 

Photos are really helpful as far as inspiration goes. If you have a hair/makeup style you like, the best thing you can do is look at your hair/MUA’s website for reference. Pinterest is great, but if you haven’t seen it on your stylist’s page, they may not feel comfortable doing that style. Try to look for inspiration by looking for photos of people with the same hair and skintone as you!”

I am so thankful for Tia taking the time to provide us with some wisdom on getting your hair and makeup done for your Hawaii elopement. With these tips in mind, your elopement look will really shine!

When I first moved to Hawaii, before my elopement and branding photographer days, I was helping plan and coordinate weddings. Sometimes, when going through photo databases of the weddings we coordinated, I would come across Aislinn with Wilde Sparrow Photography. Aislinn is a full-time family photographer whom I eventually got to assist on a few of her shoots!

Over time, I got to know Aislinn as not just a colleague, but also as someone I look up to. She played a big role in the beginning of my photography career in Hawaii.

When I saw Aislinn’s inquiry for a branding photo shoot come through my website, I was so excited! Getting the honor of having your mentor ask you to take their photos is everything. Aislinn offers incredible education resources for photographers, so I felt privileged to be able to work with her on her branding photo shoot here in Hawaii.

Wondering what a branding or lifestyle session entails? You may be on the hunt for headshots, too! First, we begin with a pre-shoot prep call as a part of your branding photo shoot package. This is kind of like an onboarding process!

What sets myself apart from other headshot photographers in Hawaii and beyond is that I love to ask a LOT of questions. The questions that I ask aren’t solely about what kind of photos you want, but also about the story of your business! One of the key parts of marketing and branding is figuring out your “why” and what sets you apart from others. If we get that point across in photos, and communicate your “why” visually, that can help people choose YOU.

Your onboarding phone call will last about 45 minutes, but don’t worry! You don’t need to bring anything or specifically prepare for our call. I want to make it as easy for you as possible – let me interview you and really get your story.

This call was really helpful in regards to Aislinn’s shoot, because I learned how much of a role her own family plays on her shoot days, so we decided to incorporate her daughter and husband into the shoot after her initial headshots.

For the start of Aislinn’s headshot photo shoot, we took to our good friend Whitney’s house for some crisp, clean content. Her recently remodeled house, with a Scandinavian feel, served as the perfect backdrop for headshots.

When we completed headshot photos, we shifted into what I consider the process portion or “behind-the-scenes” portion of the branding shoot. This is where we get to show you in your element and highlight the unique parts of how you create an incredible experience or product for your clients!

To truly capture Aislinn’s full-process, we decided it would be best for me to join her as soon as she pulled up to the parking lot with her daughter, Josie, and husband, Matt, who come to most of her family sessions to play at the beach. I wanted to tell the whole story of the entire shoot so that families who work with her can relate to her as both their photographer, but also a fellow parent!

Aislinn is SO good with kids, and loves what she does because she is passionate about family in her own life, too! Now that she has a daughter, Josie, it’s fun that she can be involved! I think my favorite part of this shoot was when Josie wandered over and sat on Aislinn’s lap at the very end of the shoot! Josie loves to make friends with Aislinn’s clients, while Matt looks on.

Armed with a fannypack of lollipops (but not before getting permission from parents!), Aislinn makes herself approachable and goes above and beyond for her clients. She even has bandaids for accidental scrapes. Aislinn truly is a master of her craft, and I feel honored to have been able to capture that and get her “why” across.

Branding headshot sessions and lifestyle photo shoots can be an amazing addition to marketing your business. You can use lifestyle session photos and branding shoot photos for your website or social media – and if you have a certain aesthetic or editing style you prefer, I take great care to make sure your content is cohesive. You want your branding session to work for YOU, after all!

For more information on what a branding or lifestyle session can do for your business, check out What Is a Branding Session?

Utah is one of the most picturesque states in the USA for an adventure elopement! From Moab to Arches, Bonneville Salt Flats to Park City…there are so many gorgeous places to consider when eloping in Utah.

This Utah elopement shows off the beauty of the Utah outdoors – and serves as perfect inspiration for planning an elopement in Utah. Scroll down for my five tips for eloping in Utah, including things I didn’t realize until I traveled to the “Beehive State”.

FIVE TIPS FOR ELOPING IN UTAH: PLANNING A UTAH ELOPEMENT

• For many elopement locations in Utah, finding easily accessible airports can be tough. To get to Moab, the airport in Flagstaff may be closer! You can also fly into Salt Lake City, Phoenix, or destinations in Colorado to access adventurous elopement spots in Utah. Be prepared to fly into a major airport and then budget for flying into a smaller airport, OR put driving into your itinerary depending on what works best for you!

• The national parks in Utah are stunning places to host your Utah elopement. Imagine a magical elopement in Zion or Arches National Parks! National parks can be crowded depending on the time of day or year. You can easily avoid lines by starting your elopement early (plus, you’ll get to take advantage of the gorgeous morning desert light!), and stay cool by having a morning elopement, too. If you elope during the “off season” you will still get beautiful colors. Spring is one of the best times to have a Utah elopement!

• Utah has its share of weather you need to prepare for! Temperatures can get hot in the summer, so bring plenty of water. Coming from Hawaii, I was surprised to see how much drier the air was in Utah: but makes sense! Lotion and chapstick were my friends, so I definitely recommend stocking up! Layers are great for cooler months – and even work well during warmer times of the year, since temperatures can dip down to freezing as the sun sets. During winter, many places in Utah can be inaccessible. It’s always a good idea to consult your elopement photographer on what time of year will work best for where you’d like to elope in Utah.

• Another important tip for eloping in Utah? Being aware of the various rules, regulations, and permitting processes. Even liquor laws are different in Utah – so if you’re wanting to celebrate your Utah elopement with champagne, you’ll have to pick that up at a state liquor store. Eloping in a national park, like Zion, or Bryce Canyon? A special use permit will be required for your special day. Your photographer (hi!) should be able to walk you through this process, so that you can focus on the more fun parts of planning your elopement in Utah.

• Everyone wants to go to Utah for its awesome ski season, or for desert elopement vibes. But don’t sleep on Utah’s wildflower season! Areas near Park City like Cottonwood Canyon are awesome because of the greenery and flowers blooming in the mountains. As a bonus, one of my favorite elopement locations: Bonneville Salt Flats, are located just two hours from Park City.

There you have it, friends! Some of my best tips for planning your elopement in Utah. Whether you are wanting to elope at Arches National Park, amongst the wildflowers near Park City, or on the vast desert playa of Bonneville Salt Flats – I am here to help. Let’s get to planning, shall we?