The Most Stunning West Maui Babymoon

WHO: MADELEINE + AUSTIN | WHY: BABY MOON | WHERE: MAUI, HAWAII

It’s funny…I feel like many of my blogs have begun with “weather issues” here in Maui - but honestly, and I PROMISE when I say - weather in Maui is 9/10 days PERFECT. Seriously! It’s only occasionally that we get weird rain, storms, etc. I just mention it because a bunch of my clients worry when they look at the weather forecast for the islands and they start thinking about rescheduling, new locations, etc.

I’ve said it a few times and I’ll say it again - weather here moves quick! I swear, those weather folks at The Weather Channel just look out the window and give a forecast - don’t listen - they’re typically wrong. Just wait and if there’s ever anything to worry about, I’ll be in touch couple hours prior to your session ;-) I promise, you’ll never be left wondering what’s next with our session!

With that said, Madeleine & Austin’s first trip to Maui hadn’t been going very well - it rained the whole time they were here and they didn’t get to explore how they wished they could have. With our luck, the heavens cleared and the sun brought out it’s “A” game - but not without a few clouds in sight and a small sprinkle prior to our session.

We went ALL out for their Land & Ocean Maui Maternity photography session - three outfit changes, land + ocean photos, rocks & beach, as a couple + solo - this gal and her 34 week (super adorable) bump toughed it out and all I have to say is….wow. Mahalo to the both of you for being so beautiful, so in love, and so adventurous!

Stunning Maternity Photos | Lahaina, Maui

WHERE: LAHAINA, HI  |  WHO:  DIANNE + DUSTIN  |  WHY: MATERNITY PHOTOS

For this Maui Maternity Photo session, the wind was prevalent all over Maui…and I mean eeeeeeevvvvvvverywhere! There are only a few spots on island where you can fully escape the drifts, whips, and squalls, regardless of the wind direction…so I made sure we made the most of our little hideaway as best we could - and boy did we!

Dianne & Dustin arrived on Maui for their baby moon…their FIRST baby moon…and they were just smitten. A little bummed because of the winds, but obviously, Maui delivers when it comes to beauty (regardless of weather). A little mix of sunshine, calm waters, a slight warm breeze and a couple that radiated love & excitement for their new lil one, made this session so effortlessly beautiful - I literally could have photographed them for dayyyyys!

Thank you both so much for your positivity, wonderful conversations, and easy-going nature <3 Water sessions aren’t easy, but with a little extra time & effort, they always end up breathtaking!

Powerful Land + Ocean Maternity Photos

Where: Maui, Hawaii | Who: Annie & Jeremiah | Why: Maternity Land & Ocean Session

What do you do when two stylish & super sweet Brooklynites contact you for a Land & Ocean Maui Maternity photo session on Maui? You make the time…and you make it count ;-)

I’m not gonna lie, I love it when fellow New Yorker’s come to Maui and choose me - it brings a little piece of the Big Apple to my eye and helps me remember my 12 years there!

Sorry Hawaii…if you must know, I’ll always be a New Yorker ;-)

When Annie initially contacted me, we had originally scheduled one of my Land Maternity photo sessions, but last minute, she upgraded to my Land & Ocean Maui maternity session and I couldn’t have been more excited!

With a gorgeous location set and my water-housing ready, we set out on an adventure to say the least! The Maui Sunset? Perfect! The ocean? NOT so perfect!

By chance, I was available the next morning following a separate Sunrise session, and contacted Annie & Jer to see if they wanted to jump in the ocean because I spotted some clear water near their hotel. Without hesitation, these two showed up within 15 minutes looking as dapper as the evening before and WE. TOTALLY. KILLED. IT! The Ocean? PERFECT. Annie & Jer? EVEN MORE PERFECT.

Annie & Jer - you know I can’t get enough of you two! Thank you for your positivity, sense of adventure, deep breaths and long walks on the beach. You two were worth it all and then some. <3

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.

Offbeat Home Feature: How Underwater Maternity Photos Helped Megan Enjoy Her Pregnant Body

If there’s anyone who feels awkward about being pregnant, it’s my recent client Megan. She swore up and down that she’d never have children…then…it happened. STOP THE PRESS! HOLD THE PHONE!

With her body changing, her mind opening and her body changing even more, she was super reluctant but at the same time, ridiculously excited about our Maui maternity photography session. So I told her - just hold your breath, point your toes, and let the water do the rest.

And she did! She literally unleashed her inner mermaid and the results are just….(insert fairy dust here).

Read more from her awesome blog post on Offbeat Home titled: “How underwater Maui maternity photos helped me enjoy my pregnant body”. It’s one for the books for sure. And Meggy? She too, is one for the books!

Sending you & Mike virtual high-fives like no other! <3

(And in case you’re wondering…YES, that’s her and Mike whipping their wet hair like the fabulous parents-to-be that they are!)

SEE THE FULL FEATURE

Getting Grounded with Maui’s Miss Valley Isle 2020

WHO: LINDSAY TAKEKAWA | WHY: MISS VALLEY ISLE 2020 | WHERE: MAUI, HAWAII

Meet Lindsay Takekawa, your Miss Valley Isle 2020.

She’s tough. She’s fierce. She’s ambitious & bright and her own light under the sun. Did I mention she’s one of the best long boarders I know? And in case you were wondering…she’s a total sweetheart.

But it doesn’t stop there…

She’s Grounded, too.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing & surfing with Lindsay for almost 3 years now, but it honestly, feels like forever. She has this presence about her that makes you feel like you’ve known her for a lifetime…even a past lifetime. She’s THAT personable and SO positive. She’ll make you exude rainbows out your ears if you’re open to it ;-) What I’m trying to say is - she’s beautiful inside and out, and she’s definitely in a class of her own.

So we chatted, we surfed, and we got creative and combined forces. Her soul of gold mixed with my camera. And the results are just gorgeous. But I had no doubts…

Some time with Lindsay Takekawa, Miss Valley Isle 2020. On land & in the sea, under the sun, on Maui. And don’t worry, this isn’t her real crown - it’s way too precious to go in salt water…

Follow Lindsay on Instagram @alohaimlindsay

Gorgeous bangles & jewelry provided by Jasmine Honey Designs <3

A Surprise Maternity And Engagement Session | Maui, HI

WHERE: MAKENA, HAWAII | WHO: VANESSA + TOM | WHY: MATERNITY & SURPRISE ENGAGEMENT!

From the very first moment Vanessa contacted me about a maternity session during their trip to Maui, I was already beaming at the visions we had discussed to make her session as perfect as possible. But then…Tom contacted me separately…

During their session, he wanted to propose to the love of his life that has made him that happiest man alive for the past 6 years+! I squealed a bit when he contacted me because I had just the place, and at sunset, it was the perfect time!

So we set the cues, confirmed a few times prior, and before you knew it, the session day had arrived!

Now Vanessa? She had NO idea! So while Tom and I were dropping little hints to each other about when & where behind her back at our session, Vanessa was too busy taking in all the gorgeous scenery around her. And honestly, you can’t blame her ;-)

I set them up, mentioned our cue, gave Tom a swift & reassuring pat on the back, and he nailed it! After an obvious yes, some tears, iPhone photos & outfit changes, we jumped in the water and celebrated with the most adventurous sunset water session! And these two? Yea…they walked off into the sunset & the rest of their lives.

And as for me? I followed them like the creeper w/ a camera that I am, snapping away! Sorry folks, that’s just how I work!

And now, some of the best YES moments from my time w/ Vanessa & Tom <3

Rain or Shine: The Most Stunning Maui Babymoon Photos Ever

WHO: ALLYSON & ERIC | WHY: BABYMOONIN IN MAUI | WHERE: MAKENA, MAUI (HAWAII)

The skies in these photos are stunning, am I wrong? In fact, they were beyond stunning…but only for a short time. First, let me introduce Allyson & Eric...

Allyson & Eric are visiting Maui, Hawaii for their very first time, choosing to bask in the sunshine for the best baby moon ever. Allyson is about 34 weeks pregnant with their first child (a baby girl - woop woop!) and an absolute trooper & ray of sunshine (more on that shortly…). Eric, her patient, awesomely adventurous and positive husband, stands by her side as one of the luckiest guys ever. They’re both, in fact, extremely lucky!

Maternity photography is hands down, my favorite type of photography. Mix it with the ocean & Maui, and you’ve got me hooked for life! The forecast called for partly cloudy skies, sunshine and 5 mph winds - pretty perfect if you ask me! We arrived at our location optimistic, however, Mother Nature decided to surprise us with clouds rolling in deep, sprinkles and lots of white wash in the ocean. After much discussion, laughs, and an option to reschedule, we decided to roll on to the empty beach and make it our own. And I’m so glad we did…

With my state-of-the-art weather reading abilities, I knew we’d have some sunshine soon, but not for long. Enter Mr. Sun - for about 10 minutes - it was gorgeous! Sprinkles, rainbows, the whole gamut. Then, came a shift in winds, and more clouds…and a downpour. Allyson & Eric didn’t bat an eyelash though - they said “the show must carry on!” (Gawd I love these two!). I promised them the sunset would be worth it…and I swore by it with my life & camera (in water-housing of course)…

An outfit change, soggy sand, more rain and lots of love later, we made our way into the ocean to get whatever underwater maternity shots we could with the semi-clear waters. It was just then, the rain stopped, the sun angled perfectly through the clouds, and we were blessed with the most gorgeous conditions & sunset ever. Not going to toot my own horn…but I kinda knew this would happen - and I’m SO glad these two (and their mini) held on with smiles!

From our Rain & Shine, beach & ocean photography session in Makena, Hawaii. One of my favorites and definitely, one for the books!

Photos in order of weather progression…