Tips for Beach Photo Sessions
I absolutely love photo sessions on the beach. What better place to capture the gorgeous beauty of Oahu? There are many different styles of beaches to choose from, too. From wide, white sand beaches and bright blue water, to rocky coastline and dramatic mountains, you can get a variety of backgrounds in different areas of the island. After booking your session, I’ll work with you to pick out the perfect location to match the mood and background you’re looking for.
When having a photography session at the beach, there are a few tips and tricks to get the most out of your pictures.
1) Shoes? Don’t wear them.
The sand on Oahu isn’t packed hard like other beach areas may be. If you try to wear heels to the beach, you’ll most likely get frustrated and spend your time sinking. The best thing to do is to wear slippers (“flip-flops”, for you mainlanders) and kick them off once we get to the sand’s edge. Let’s relax, get comfortable, and embrace the beach life - just a little more dressed up from the ankles up.😉
Speaking of getting dressed up…
2) Flowy dresses look amazing!
Movement looks great in pictures. In fact, we’ll spend some of our session walking along the beach, running hand-in-hand, etc. Movement gives life to your images. So, with that, the prompts I give you plus the wind on the beach with a flowy-style dress, will add movement to your images. Don’t be afraid of flow in the clothes. (pro tip: be careful with shirts/dresses with an extremely flowy neckline, though, as it can fly up in your face).
And speaking of wind….
3) Prepare for wind. And, oh yeah, sand too.
Ask any local and they’ll tell you how HOT it can get when the trade winds are quiet. So, the winds are a blessing, for sure. But sometimes they can prove challenging for photo sessions. Different areas of the island are often more prone to wind than others (I mean, there’s a reason it’s called the Windward side!), but that doesn’t mean we avoid sessions there. The east coast (windward side) is too gorgeous to pass up with its white sand beaches and blue water. But there are a few things you can do to prepare for potential wind at the beach. Starting with the first:
Don’t be surprised by the wind. Hey, it happens. Let’s just go with it.
Consider hairstyles that keep hair off your face. Top half up, braids, etc, are all ideas that may help keep the hair out of your eyes without pulling it totally back.
Consider bringing a hair tie just in case. (I know it’s not the best case scenario, but if the wind is SUPER strong that day, you’d probably prefer to have your hair back than whipping in your face.
Haku Leis/Lei po`o (flower crowns) are great (and gorgeous!) ways to keep your hair where it’s supposed to be. If you need recommendations for a wonderful lei po`o maker, please let me know. It’s a beautiful way to add to your images - and with the added bonus of helping keep hair tamed. Hats like the one in the image above are also a great idea. I have one similar that you’re welcome to borrow, if you’d like.
For her sunrise session at Waimanalo, this mama-to-be has a beautiful dress with a gorgeous lei po`o.
Finally, I have to mention that if your session will be on a beach, please know that there’s sand. 🙂 If your session involves kids, they tend to like sand. So, just remember that the kids (and you!) may get a bit sandy. We’ll do our best to remove distracting clumps during our session, but ultimately - it’s the beach! That’s why you’re here! ☺️
I love the pastel colors of these outfits! - And check out mama’s gorgeous dress!
As always, if you have any questions, I’m here to help! We’re going to have a great time in our photo session.
