Edison Family Photographs | Hawaii

It was  such a pleasure to photograph Cora and her family again.  I first met and photographed them a few years ago during Rob's deployment homecoming.  The life of a Navy family is not easy or scheduled, and we have worked to get this session on the books for over 6 months!  I'm so glad they are back together again for a while.  <3 

I've always wanted to shoot at Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe, HI.  It's such a nice change from the beach, and I can't get enough of all the green! There are way too many photographs from this shoot, so this may be oversharing, but I love them all so much.  

Enjoy. 

{ please click on the photograph to scroll through the gallery }

West Family, Kaneohe Bay | Hawaii Family PHotographer

Probably one of my favorite families on island.  We've known these goofs since our girls were in pre-school together at the YMCA on Pearl Harbor.  They haven't always gotten along, but this being their 3rd year in school together has seemed to bring them closer.  Our boys are a year apart, but SO cute together.  My boy adores theirs, and they are "best friends".  

Many thanks to Winnie Bruce Photography for setting up this session as a part of our workshop here on Oahu.  

Honestly, I was ready to give up family photography.  It's hard.  It's the shoot everyone wants - that perfect family picture to hang on their wall.  But it's not an easy task.  Kids don't listen, don't eat, don't sleep.  Parents stress out, get grumpy, get frustrated at kids.  That's just not the kind of session I want to photograph.  It's not worth the time and effort trying to get everyone to smile at the camera at the same time while threatening through gritted teeth "smile and you'll get ice cream!"  

I mean, ice cream is totally worth it.  And you should definitely bribe your children with ice cream.  

But it needs to be MORE than that.  

The photographs you REALLY want from this session are the ones that show LOVE.  They have to show who you are.  To each other.  Not to my camera.  

That means NOT LOOKING AT THE CAMERA all the time!  

Come to your session looking amazing - and then be prepared to play!  Laugh! Goof off!  Love on each other! Don't expect me to make your family something they aren't.  You need to be true to who YOU are.  And most of the time that's not sitting perfectly posed on a beach with everyone smiling at the camera.  I want to make photographs of real things.  Who you are. Not who you think you should be.  

One more reason I was stoked that Laura's family was picked as models for our workshop.  They're goofy! They show love. They play!  This is the stuff of a great session!  And yes - the kids were bribed with ice cream! :)  They weren't perfect - no kids are.  

But it was real.  

So here goes another year of family photography! But approaching it from a different angle.  One with less stress and expectations.  But hopefully capturing what really is.  LOVE.

I scream, you scream.... you know the rest

One thing my family does VERY well together is eat ice cream.  Just one of those things that my kids will do anything for!  Here in Hawaii, it's nice all the time.  So you have to force yourself to just get out and go do something once in a while - even though you may not feel like it.  Well, this was one of those days.  After a long week of work and home projects, we all needed out!  So we made our way to Oahu's North Shore and had a picnic lunch... blog post to come!  On the way home we stopped at Scoop of Paradise in Waialua, HI.  We've been to the one in Haleiwa, but never knew there were two! Both AMAZING.  The second one was actually created so they could export ice cream to Japan!  So all their production is right on site - right here in Hawaii!!  Such good homemade ice cream - really homemade.  We had a chance to sit down with the owner and chat.  The way it should be when you visit a family owned store.  Loved everything from the ice cream to the local handmade jewelry displayed.  There's even a massage parlor upstairs.  Massages and ice cream....  mmmmmm.

 Do yourself a favor and check them out!

Scoop of Paradise Website

Skiles Nursing and Home Life Story

Cheryse was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Considering her littlest is less than a year old and still nursing, we wanted to make sure to capture these last special moments before treatment began.  As you know with these things, treatment begins rather quickly.  So we just picked a random Wednesday night to document!  

We had actually planned on doing more of a family and nursing session over in Kaneohe / Kailua area, but sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate on the windward side of the island!  So, being the awesomely flexible woman that Cheryse is - and knowing how important the little moments are - she asked if I could just come for dinner and their bedtime routine.  

Perfect. 

Check out her family's video at the end of the post - it's so much more than just a picture.  A life story/lifestyle session tells a whole story!  And although others may not see everything she sees, the little things - like remembering the sour extract she accidentally put in the smoothies - that is something SHE will remember.  And her kids will probably not forget either... Check out the "yucky" faces!  

Live for the story - not just the perfect shot. 

Stay tuned for more from this precious family.  A cancer story isn't one to be taken lightly.  It's a fight to remember and celebrate. Because every fight, every victory - even the small ones - need to be celebrated.

You can read more about Cheryse's story HERE

a life story video...  Their story