FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Photo sessions on Maui vary in price depending on the experience of the photographer, session type and what is included in the package you purchase.

Typically, for legitimate experienced professional photographers on Maui who have a business license and liability insurance (required by the state) you should expect to pay somewhere between $750-950 an hour for photo packages.

Note: Some hotels have in-house companies that offer "free" short photo sessions on property for every guest, however "buyer beware" because purchasing photos after the session can easily cost the same if not more than a customized session with an experienced professional photographer on a quiet beach nearby.

PERMIT COSTS: All professional photographers are required to pull and pay for permits ranging from $10-$150 for beaches, state parks, county parks and national parks on Maui and required to obtain permission to conduct business on private property. The cost of the permit is sometimes included in the package price or added on depending on the location and photography business. 

Maui has a zillion beautiful locations for photo sessions. Maui's north shore and Wailea on Maui's south shore are both beautiful in the morning and the south shore offers some of the most gorgeous sunsets I have ever seen for portrait sessions on Maui.

We offer both morning and sunset sessions on Maui on the beaches. Morning and late afternoon/sunset is when the light tends to be the most flattering on subjects. 

As an experienced professional portrait photographer on Maui, I can photograph any time of day since I use off camera lighting, but the most popular time is typically sunset. Sometimes the mornings can be a bit more prone to wind and rain but the sunset is pretty much guaranteed and our sunset sessions tend to sell out quickly. Creatively, I love both options since morning photo sessions tend to bring out the blues in the water and sunset sessions create more warm tones. 

We recommend that clients conduct a 360 degree review on photographers they are considering for their Maui beach session and then compare their overall style of work, lighting, poses, reviews and pricing to see which ones to contact. Be sure to look at their social media as well to see what they have been producing recently. 

Send an inquiry via their website or their preferred method and then see if you can reach out to them to have a call to see if they are a good match for your needs.

Professional photographers on Maui should have a website featuring their work, contracts for clients, a Hawaii business license and liability insurance along with reviews. Professional photographers on Maui are required to pull permits for beaches, state, county and national parks. 

NOTE: There are a lot of new photographers that come to the island of Maui as "gypsies" throughout the year and will offer low cost photo sessions and then disappear from the island and never deliver the photos. If they offer a very low price for their packages be sure to review all information carefully. Be aware of these. 

Choose clothing that feels confident, polished, and comfortable. Solid colors, subtle patterns, and coordinated outfits work beautifully for portrait photography, senior portrait photography, couples photography and family portraits. I’m always happy to offer styling guidance tailored to your session and goals.

We are happy to accept bookings up to a year in advance for our clients. We typically recommend people start the process when they book their flights and hotel for best availability.

We can book a session early in your trip to allow for more stress free adventures after the session where you don't have to worry about getting sunburned, bug bites or scraped up and it also allows flexibility in terms of rescheduling in case of inclement weather.

Booking your session is simple. Reach out through the website, email, or phone to share your goals, preferred date, and session type. We’ll confirm availability and walk you through the next steps, including booking online to reserve your date and time.

Photo session length depends on the type of session and your goals. Most portrait, senior, and family portrait sessions last about 60-90minutes, while larger commercial photography sessions may take longer to capture everything needed with care and intention.

If Maui weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll address it in three steps and work together to make the best plan. We can relocate that day or reschedule for another day that still supports your vision and keeps the process smooth and stress-free. If you are departing the island before we can reschedule, we refund the unused portion of your package.

STEP 1 - RELOCATE

At 2:00pm on the day of your sunset session (or 6:30am for morning sessions) we will call you if the weather looks like we might change the session location. We can usually find a lee in the wind and clouds make for great sunsets and beautiful lighting. We photograph in anything but rain. If possible, we chase the sun since it is usually sunny somewhere on the island and our weather changes frequently. We will provide you with the new location meeting spot (if needed) and we will go from there to the new session location.

STEP 2 - RESCHEDULE
If we need to make a weather call on the day of your Maui photo session and we can find time in both of our schedules to reschedule your session for morning or sunset (depending on first available session time), we reschedule. The first reschedule time is for the following day and then days after that. 

STEP 3 - REFUND
If we are not able to reschedule a date that works for both of us, you will receive a refund for the unused portion of your package. 

This is the best part! The big reveal! Each photography experience is culled and color corrected prior to scheduling your ordering appointment via Zoom. 

Proofs are typically ready for the ordering appointment within 2-7 business days (depending on the time of year).

Retouching takes 5-7 business days depending on the number of photographs and the work needed.

If you order a digital package, your favorite portraits are delivered for instant digital download via Google Drive or Dropbox once your photographs are ready.

Artwork for your home and custom albums are produced with attention to detail and a polished finish taking 10-14 business days in production before they ship. 

We offer both digital images and professionally printed products. You can choose from digital negatives, prints, custom albums, and wall art to display your images beautifully at home, in your office, or across your brand presence.

We are proud to offer the best of both worlds. We produce museum-quality canvas, metal prints, and heirloom albums and are happy to provide digital negatives as an archival companion file to the finished artwork and albums. 

Yes. All professional photographers are required to pull and pay for permits ranging from $10-$150 for beaches, state parks, county parks and national parks on Maui and required to obtain permission to conduct business on private property. 

If there is any money exchanged at all prior, during or after the photo session, the photographer is considered a commercial entity and needs to pull a permit (either a Wiki Permit via the DLNR or an Open & Accessible Permit through the Hawaii Film Office).

The cost of the permit is sometimes included in the package price or added on depending on the location and photography business. 

NOTE: Kaanapali Beach does not allow any commercial activity at all on the beach and no permit are available for photographers or videographers. The fine is up to $5,000 per person so please do not book a photographer that says it is ok to do your session on Kaanapali Beach. 

We are a full-service studio offering both on-location and studio sessions along with professional makeup and hair services for your convenience.