Big Island Family Photographer
Beach Portrait Sessions on Big Island
Let’s capture the portraits you’ve always dreamed of in Hawaii!
First things first… Let’s help you choose where to take your Big Island beach portraits! If you do not know the area, we generally recommend the beach that is closest to your accommodations. Below are a few examples of beaches we love along the west coast of Big Island. Click on each gallery to explore what that beach looks like and see where it is on a map.
Want to go somewhere special that is not listed here for your session? Let us know!
Waikoloa Beach
The beautiful and secluded side of Waikoloa Beach away from the resorts and crowds. This is a beautiful sandy beach with pockets of lava rocks. Mauna Kea & Kohala mountain views and sometimes turtles. 35-minutes north of Kona. Minutes from the Waikoloa Hilton & walking distance from the Waikoloa Beach Marriott
Walk from Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort.
Less than 5 minute drive from Waikoloa Hilton & HGV resorts
Hilton Beach
A unique and beautiful mix of broken coral beach with pockets of sand, beautiful tidepools, and lava rocks. Hualalai views, & ocean backdrops. This beach is a perfect spot for families with older kids and couples. If you have kids under the age of 5, or if someone in your group has mobility considerations, this beach may not be the best fit.
Walking Distance from Waikoloa Hilton Resort.
5 Minute drive from Waikoloa Beach Marriott & HGV Resorts
Fairmont Orchid Beach
A beach that clear morning light reveals views of Kohaloa in the distance adding layers of color. At sunset, it frames the golden light within its shoreline. With multiple shore coves and a palm grove, this beach gives diversity and beauty.
Walk from the Fairmont Orchid Resort.
5 minute drive from Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection Resort
15 minute drive from Waikoloa Beach Marriott, Waikoloa Hilton & HGV Resorts.
45 minute drive from Kona
Mauna Lani Resort Beach
A uniquely beautiful beach that is very diverse, lava rocks, Kohala mountain views, white sand beach, broken coral beach and a grey sand beach all rolled into one session. 45-minutes from Kona.
Important to note: This is not the Mauna Lani beach club
Walk from the Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection Resort.
5 minute drive from Fairmont Orchid
15 minute drive from Waikoloa Beach Marriott, Waikoloa Hilton & HGV Resorts.
Mauna Kea Resort Beach
This stunning Half-moon beach located near Kawaihae, is tucked away in the northern corner of the Big Island. It is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Big Island but is far from almost everything. (Sometimes thats a plus)
1-hr drive from Kona.
30 minute drive from Waikoloa.
Old Kona Airport
A sandy beach with lava rocks, tidepools, beautiful sunsets & sunrises. Extremely diverse scenery from Mountain views, ocean-scapes palm groves & even a botanical garden. This is our go-2 beach in Kailua-Kona.
40-minute drive south of Waikoloa.
Within a 10-15 minute drive of almost anywhere in Kona
Ho’okena Beach
The most uniquely Big Island beach we have access to. Grey/black sand beach in a collapsed volcano crater. Best in the morning for a 7am session. Likely to get rain at sunset, so you must be okay with dancing in the rain and getting wet if you want a sunset session here.
This beach is about a 40 minute drive south of Kona.
1.5 hr drive from Waikoloa
Private Residence
Staying at a private residence with a view? No need to leave! We’ll come to you!
View our live availability and book online today!
We aim to
capture connection
over perfection
You're in a setting that allows for the perfect opportunity to be yourselves. Embrace moments as they come, we'll take care of the rest.
Raw
Edit
What to expect from us…
Prompt communication from the get go. We are very responsive via email and text.
Streamlined booking process. It simply cannot be easier in our opinion.
A gallery of proof images from which you choose the images you wish to keep within 48hrs of your session! Either in person or online.
The Ability to upgrade your package if desired.
Beautiful & consistent edits on all the images delivered
Easy, fun and relaxed photography session and a memorable experience. Not many people are super confident in front of the camera, but we aim to change that!
A team of talented, friendly, professional photographers and a business built on a foundation of artistic passion and commitment to customer service.
You’re going to love the process!
FAQs
What should we wear for our Hawaii family portrait session?
We have a blog post about just this topic. Click Here to read that article.
Where will our beach portrait session take place?
Our team serves the west side of the Big Island. We have several pre-selected beaches for you to choose from, with sweeping views that make the perfect backdrop for an awesome photo session.
If you’re staying at a beach resort we can meet you at your resort. We can go anywhere we can get a permit, so if you have a special request, contact us. Permits take a minimum of 24hrs to obtain from the State of Hawaii or the county.
What time of day can we choose for our session?
Our beach portrait sessions are offered in the early morning at 7am & at sunset for the best natural lighting of the day. Sunset session start times vary from 5pm - 6:15pm depending on the time of year. Our Mini-sessions take place mid-morning and late afternoon.
What is your image turnaround time?
We deliver proof images within 24 hours of your session. Final images typically take 48-72 hours to deliver after your viewing is complete but can take up to 10 days. We edit sessions in-house and take our time with your chosen images to ensure each deserves a place on your wall.
Can we choose the images from our session?
Yes! We’ll invite you back to our studio before you leave where you'll be able to select the number of images to include in your package. If you cannot make it back to our studio before you leave the island we have an online viewing option. We do not release all images from the session or RAW/unedited files.
How are our images delivered?
We will deliver your final digital images via a password-protected online gallery. We will email a link to your gallery after your final edits are finished. You will be able to download watermark-free .jpegs. You will be able to share images to social media directly from the gallery, and you will have access to our print store that will be built into your gallery. We guarantee access to your online gallery for 1 year.
What is a print credit?
The print credit included in some of our packages is a coupon to be used in our print store how you see fit. When you use the credit you will also get free shipping on that order. This credit is only redeemable in our print store. Print prices vary wildly depending on size and material. As a reference point our most popular item, a semi-gloss 8x10 paper print, is $10 + tax.
Do we have to buy prints from you or can we print through a 3rd party?
We consider printing services as the 2nd half of our portrait service. There is just as much of an art that goes into printing as there is with capturing amazing portraits to begin with. Your downloaded images will print great up to about 8x12. You will see a quality loss for prints that are 11x14 they must be printed through us.
Do you offer albums?
We do! Custom-designed albums are included in all of our Sunrise/Sunset beach portrait session packages. We also have an easy-to-use album self design tool built directly into your gallery print store. We have books, lay flat, and premium album options.
At Hawaii Family Portraits, we want to be your choice of vacation photographers for your next family vacation on the Big Island. With awesome beach portrait session options, and creative shots combined with the natural beauty of the Big Island, we'll capture your precious memories in stunning photos for your family to enjoy long after the vacation is over.