Here in Hawaii engagement season is all year round ! I had the honor of photographing A + S’s adventure proposal up in the Maui mountains the day prior to their formal engagement photoshoot featuring Maui’s most scenic locations on the West Side. I love when couples go out of the box for their proposals but am very much team formal engagement session - This way you have images that can be used for your announcement or RSVP invites as well as the fun more casual snaps.

My biggest advice when it comes to planning your engagement photoshoot here in Hawaii is do not short yourself on time. For most a trip to any of the Hawaiian Islands is a bucket list trip so make sure when you are scheduled to have a photoshoot here in beautiful Hawaii to make sure to check off all that you can on your list of locations you would like. With this session we had two hours together which allowed for photos on some rocks high above the sea at the iconic Ironwoods Beach ( Oneloa ), at the stunning Montage Kapalua for palm tree greenery captures , and some beach photos at Kapalua Bay. S had stated she “wanted it all” if possible and we 100% made it possible with having no shortage of time together.

As for outfits for an engagement session wear what you love ! That may sounds silly to be so boom that’s the secret but it really is - If you wear clothing items that aren’t you or what your partner would typically wear it’s going to show in the photos how uncomfortable you two are. However, if you would like a few helpful tips these are some good rules to follow :

Try to stay clear of clothing that has logos, large designs/patterns that are distracting, or are neon green/yellow ( those tones are hard to photograph no matter what photography style you choose ). Most photographers recommend neutral tones/earth tones which will photograph well but I am team color . Do not be afraid to wear bright colors/bright patterns since it compliments so well with Hawaii’s scenery. I do send all of my clients a guide that dives into outfits more upon booking if you would like a solid map of what to follow for outfit picking.
If you scheduled for an early evening into sunset photoshoot ladies/lads with long hair plan for a hairstyle that keeps the hair out of your face. Here in Hawaii ( especially Maui ) we have trade winds that pick up after 11:30PM. This means to plan for some wind to be present during your session where you will not have hair covering or whipping your face throughout the session.
Shoes. With most locations it does not matter if you wear shoes during the session or not. However, if you plan to have a shoot at a spot like Ironwoods Beach definitely have shoes on with the sharp rock. You’ll want shoes that are comfy, easy to walk in, and ladies no heel - trust me on this one.
More than one outfit. Don’t shy away from having an outfit change if A) you would like one B) you want photos in the ocean.

I am always available to my clients to help with any outfit planning if desired :)

Take a look at a handful ( truly I wish I could fit all the stunning photos from this session into a blog post ) of photos below and if interested in scheduling your Hawaii engagement photoshoot with me reach out here !