Top Reasons You Should Hire a Photographer During Your Maui Vacation

Are you planning a trip to the breathtaking island of Maui? I hope so! 🌴🌈🍧

As you prepare to embark on your Hawaiian adventure, there's one essential aspect you shouldn't overlook – capturing the unforgettable moments of your vacation. While smartphones are convenient for snapping quick photos, nothing quite compares to the expertise and creativity of a professional Maui photographer. There's something truly special about professional photography, especially when it comes to capturing moments with young children, babies, and toddlers. In this post, we'll explore the top reasons why booking a photographer during your Maui vacation is an absolute must - and hopefully it’s with me, Amanda Emmes 😉

Here are the top reasons why hiring a photographer on your Maui vacation will elevate your experience to new heights:

Preserve Precious Memories: As a parent, you know all too well how quickly children grow and change. One moment they're crawling on the sand, and the next they're running along the shoreline. By hiring a professional photographer, you can freeze these fleeting moments in time, preserving them for years to come. Imagine being able to look back on these photos years down the line and relive the joy and wonder of your Maui vacation.

High-Quality Images: Professional photographers invest in top-of-the-line equipment and possess the technical skills to produce high-resolution images with exceptional clarity and detail. While smartphone cameras have come a long way, they simply can't compete with the quality and clarity of images captured by a professional photographer using high-end equipment. Whether you're posing against a dramatic sunset or diving into the crystal-clear waters, you can trust that your photographer will deliver stunning photographs that you'll cherish for years to come. You can expect crisp, vibrant images that truly capture the essence of your Maui vacation.

Expertise in Capturing Children's Authenticity: Photographing young children, babies, and toddlers requires a special skill set. Professional family photographers have a genuine way of connecting with children, putting them at ease, and capturing their true personalities. From spontaneous giggles to curious expressions, you can rest assure that your photographer will how to capture those authentic moments that make your family's vacation truly memorable.

Stunning Backdrops of Maui: One of the unique advantages of booking a photographer for your Maui vacation is the stunning natural beauty of the island itself. Whether it's the stunning cliffs in Kapalua, the lush greenery of one of Maui’s jungles, or the breathtaking sunsets at any of South Maui’s pristine beaches, Maui offers an endless array of picturesque backdrops for your family photoshoot. You can rest assured that every backdrop will be expertly utilized to create stunning images that you'll treasure forever.

Stress-Free Experience: Planning a vacation with young children can be stressful enough without having to worry about capturing the perfect photo moments. By entrusting your family photoshoot to a photographer, you can relax and enjoy your vacation knowing that every precious moment is being expertly captured. From scheduling the shoot to selecting the perfect location, they’ll handle all the details, allowing you to focus on making memories with your loved ones. Now, you can relinquish the responsibility of taking photos and focus on enjoying every moment of your Maui getaway, knowing that your memories are in capable hands. Plus, Mamas…you need to be in photos, too!

Creative Vision: Professional photographers possess a keen eye for composition, lighting, and storytelling. Whether you're seeking candid shots that capture the spontaneity of your adventures or posed portraits that exude elegance and charm, your photographer will transform your vision into captivating images that tell the story of your Maui vacation.

Local Insights and Recommendations: Beyond their photography expertise, Maui-based photographers often double as unofficial tour guides, offering valuable insights and recommendations to enhance your vacation experience. From the best spots to watch the sunrise to hidden culinary gems serving authentic Hawaiian cuisine, your photographer can help you uncover the island's hidden treasures.

So, have I convinced you yet? Hiring a photographer on your Maui vacation is an investment in preserving and celebrating the memories you create in paradise! From expertly curated photo sessions to personalized guidance and stunning imagery, the benefits of working with a professional photographer extends far beyond the duration of your trip. So, why settle for fleeting snapshots when you can capture the magic of Maui in timeless photographs?

---

If you’d like to learn more about my Land & Ocean Sessions, I’d love to hear from you! Let’s plan the perfect, adventurous session for you & yours 💕 Reach out HERE!

A Memorable Maui Elopement in Kapalua

Who: Candice + Colin | Why: ForEVER | Where: West Maui, Hawaii

What do you do when your partner lives in Shanghai and you live in LA? You make long distance work like magic, and then you make it official…by hiring me and eloping in Maui ✈️

To say this was an adventure, would be a complete understatement. We began in the jungle, conquering spot after spot, and losing battle after battle with more mosquitoes than we could ever possibly count. And bug spray? Ha! Like it helped…

Nevertheless, we conquered! Did I say that already?

Our next location was the ever amazing Ironwoods Beach in Kapalua, where there were NO mosquitos, and plenty of gorgeous sunlight to expose this beautiful couple.

Were they troopers? Absolutely! Were her dress & veil out of this world? You bet! Will their love last forever and ever? If they can take on millions of mosquito bites without crying…I can guarantee it!

Named in Top 10 Best Engagement Photographers on Maui

Soooo I was recently featured on PeerSpace as one of the Top 10 Best Engagement Photographers on Maui! Very cool indeed! Mahalo Peerspace!

See my lil feature HERE 🙃

A Maui Engagement Photo Session to Remember

Recently engaged, Jessica + David came to Maui to celebrate their love, in the most adventurous way possible. So they booked a Romantic Couples Photography Session with me, specifically my Land + Ocean session! We utilized two different locations to get the very best that Maui has to offer - because sometimes, one location doesn’t have it all (I know…hard to believe!).

They didn’t really want romantic photos, but they naturally fell into it, because who can hide the love when it’s literally all over the place?! These two were absolute magnets. They were fun. They were completely down for anything. And the ocean? It loved them too.

It wasn’t at its clearest, but it was good enough to get in some beautiful moments that for us all, were pretty unforgettable ;-)

Here’s some of my favorites from my time w/ Jess + David <3

A Salty Maui Elopement

Misa + Curtis arranged a quick & super private elopement the hour prior to our session. They wanted their elopement to be intimate, focused, and full of love - so they reserved me for after their session for a romantic Maui couples photoshoot, so we could then, capture all their excitement & of course, her trashing the dress!

Her dress was just immaculate - I was in awe of how beautifully she wore it too. Curtis was looking as dapper as ever, and he was such a good sport, even if he had to keep his sport coat on a little longer than he may have liked ;-)

From land to the ocean, their love will for sure, last a lifetime. And their Maui photos? Well, I’m sure they’ll last much longer….just look at these two!

And because their Google Review was so sweet, I just had to include it below:

“Amanda is hands down one of the most talented photographers out there. She captures emotion and human essence so beautifully in her photos. And her underwater photos are absolutely breathtaking! Amanda made my partner and me feel so comfortable during our shoot that my partner (who generally hates any camera pointed at him) said he actually enjoyed having pictures taken of him and repeatedly kept talking about what a wonderful experience it was. The memories Amanda captured are the most beautiful photos I have ever seen of myself and my husband and we will cherish these for rest of our lives as some of the best moments from our wedding trip to Maui! Thank you so much Amanda!” -Misa + Curtis

Engagement Photos Gone Right | Makena, HI

WHO: NATE & SAORI | WHERE: MAKENA, HAWAII | WHY: ENGAGEMENT LOVE

They say when you’ve found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with…you “just know”. Well, that saying has certainly held true for these two!

It’s not easy dating these days (ladies & gents, am I right?!), let alone finding the time to go on a date….So when one of those dates finally goes right…you hang on (and you hang on tight!). And that’s just what these two did with each other...

Embracing their traveling souls, senses of adventure, earth rumbling love and amazing ability to be up at the crack of dawn looking like this (seriously stunning!)….they came to Maui for a Maui Couples Photography session to capture it all and so much more. And they chose me…

So here’s a small collection from their sunrise Maui engagement session in Makena. The perfect location, the perfect weather, and of course, the perfect couple.

Mahalo Nate & Saori for sharing your love with me x

Hair & Make-up by: Maui Makeup Artistry | Haku Lei: Bella Bloom

Romantic Underwater Couples Session | Kaanapali, Maui

WHO: MARCUS + KATIE | WHY: 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY | WHERE: MAUI, HAWAII

Ahhh love. Isn’t it so beautiful?

But wouldn’t it be that much more beautiful IN the water with a romantic Maui couples photo session?

Marcus, an extremely talented photographer hailing from North Carolina (check him out HERE) and his beautiful wife Katie, decided to go big for their 1 year wedding anniversary…so they scheduled one of my Land + Ocean Maui Couples portraits sessions and geared up for a bright + early sunrise session and lots of water play...

For their land portion, Katie wore the most gorgeous pink dress, accented with a small flower clip in her hair and minimal jewelry. While Marcus kept it simple, minimal, and classy - letting Katie, be his bling.

For their water portion, Katie followed the tips provided in my “Wardrobe Guide” and kept her underwater outfit simple, light in color, and most importantly, light in weight! She also added a nice touch of fabric around her waist to create some more drama underwater - and I’m SO glad she did! Trust me ladies…you do not want to tread water with a heavy dress on, so shop accordingly ;-)

Over + under we all went, moving with the currents, swimming up, down and all around, and making the most of the clear conditions. Needless to say, these two were definitely fish in their past lives & spent almost over an hour in the water - and believe me, it was totally worth it.

A Vintage Maui Anniversary Celebration | Makena, HI

Who: Stephanie & Chad | Why: For Love | Where: Maui, Hawaii

What do you get when you have a couple who share the same birthday, two teenage children, and share over 14 years together? Oh…and a vintage Porsche from Maui Roadsters?

Stephanie & Chad.

From Land to Water, we kept their Romantic Maui Couples Photos classic, cool, and naturally, wet. Their love was easy to photograph, because these two are nuts about each other. Everything else surrounding them? It just fell into place…