Frame-Worthy Hawaii Family Photography Tips for Oahu Travel

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Are you planning a trip to Oahu and want to get some awesome vacation photos? Keep scrolling for my top tips for taking the perfect family photos on Oahu!

This post about taking the best family photos on Oahu contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

When planning your Oahu vacation, I’m sure you’ve considered the best beaches, attractions, activities, and restaurants you want to experience on your Hawaiian vacation. Plus, driving all over the island with the most beautiful spots. So, why would you stop all your fun to do Hawaii family photography on Oahu? Here’s why:

Why is Doing a Family Photo Session in Hawaii a Smart Idea?

IT WILL SAVE YOU TIME

Is it hard for your family to have dinner where everyone is home? Between work, school, activities, and other commitments, it can be nearly impossible to schedule family photos.

And it will cost you hours of time trying to schedule something.

That’s why it’s so much easier to schedule one on vacation. The lighting is best in the early morning and sunset, so it won’t interrupt your Hawaiian activities.

So, when planning fun things to do in Oahu, make sure a Hawaiian family photo shoot is part of your itinerary!

YOU WILL LOOK RELAXED

Imagine you are on day three of your Hawaiian vacation. You have finally let the stress melt away and are in full-blown vacation mode.

And your kids have adjusted to the time difference and are having the best family vacation ever.

Now’s the time to take advantage of good spirits! Your carefree attitude will shine through your photos.

HOLIDAY CARDS

Do you stress out about your Christmas cards in November or December? Do you settle for an iPhone selfie and race to print your holiday cards in time?

I live in Seattle, and I’m always worried that we will be cold in our photos, so I have to figure out how many layers we can wear without looking too bulky.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have your holiday card photo ready? Heck, you could even print your holiday cards before Halloween and really be ahead of the game!

Want a Hawaii travel guide? I’ve got detailed guides and 7-day itineraries!

Choosing an Oahu Family Photographer

Have I sold you on the idea yet? If so, your next step is to find a family photographer in Hawaii to capture your family portraits.

Think about where you are staying and where you will be visiting, and then find a photographer in those areas. Some Honolulu photographers will travel, depending on location.

GOOGLE

The traditional route is to search for an Oahu family photographers on Google. This is where you’ll find really established photographers with nice websites.

I like to scroll through their online galleries and see how they photograph children. Do the photos look serious, are they candid, super posed, etc?

Then, I read the testimonials to see what clients thought of the experience.

INSTAGRAM

Instagram is THE place to find up-and-coming photographers on Oahu who might not have a website. It’s basically a visual search engine.

Search #oahuphotographer and see what style of photography you like. You can also find established Oahu photographers.

I’m a fan of bright and airy, so it was really easy to connect with Aloha Sunshine Photography. For locations other than Hawaii, you can check out my 5 Tips to Hire the Best Vacation Photographer.

Want more Hawaii photography tips? Check out this Kauai Photographer that will take photos of you and your family in the best Instagrammable, photo opp spots.

Hawaii Family Photography Tips

CHOOSING A LOCATION

My biggest tip for getting your ideal family photo in Hawaii is to think about your family.

Are you beach bums that love the ocean? Are you a thrill-seeker who goes on adventures in Oahu? Do you like scenic spots, food trucks, and shopping?

Let that guide you in choosing your Oahu family session location. You want your photos to represent your family and create precious memories while doing it.

PHOTO TIPS FOR KIDS

Are you sick of your kids pulling their “cheese” face? Do you wish you’d get their real smile? Here are a few of my tips for getting better photos with kids:

• Let them shop for their clothes. Kids don’t always have a lot of say in their lives, so they get very excited when they get to make a decision. Come up with your color scheme, and then give your kids a few wardrobe options. I took my kids to the Aloha Swap Meet and let my 4-year-old choose his favorite blue Aloha shirt. He was excited to wear it for the Oahu photography session!
• Encourage them to be themselves. My son insisted on wearing his wristbands from Aulani Resort for this photo shoot. I tried to get him to remove them because I thought the colors would be distracting. Then, I stepped back and asked him why he wanted to wear them. It turns out the wristbands reminded him how much fun he had floating in the lazy river, and he never wanted to forget it. So, the wristbands stayed on, and he was happy!
• Bring a prop. While we were getting dressed for this Oahu photo session, my son found a haku lei he loved. It was too big to wear on his head, so he wore it like a traditional lei. It gave him something to hold in his fidgety hands. We also brought sand toys and toy trucks.
• Play a game. If things are feeling a bit too posed or unnatural, stop! Let your kids throw sand, play tag, jump in the air, or do whatever they like. They will genuinely smile and laugh, and your photos will come alive!

What to Wear for Hawaii Family Photography

Once you have found your photographer and booked a photo shoot at your dream location, remember to plan your outfits. One bad outfit can ruin the precious moments in your family sessions.

Now, you don’t all need to wear the same Hawaiian-print clothes or even the same color. You can have a lot of fun with it!

ALA MOANA

When looking for the best shopping in Honolulu, Ala Moana is the place to be. Ala Moana is the largest outdoor shopping center in the world.

Not only can you find department stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s, but they also have local boutiques.

Some of my favorite places at Ala Moana to find tropical clothing for Hawaiian photo shoots include Reyn Spooner, Tori Richard, Lani Beach by Mireille, and Planet Blue.

ALOHA SWAP MEET

If you’re looking for the best outfits for your Hawaii family photography, the Aloha Swap Meet is the best place to shop near Honolulu. This is my favorite place to find inexpensive Aloha shirts for boys and Hawaiian dresses for girls.

I usually get Aloha shirts with shorts for $9. The trick is to visit a few stalls and see what you like. Personally, I don’t like the boys to wear matching Aloha shirts, so I like to choose ones in complementary colors.

The Aloha Swap Meet is also a great place to find inexpensive men’s Aloha shirts, flower hair accessories, and photo props.

HAKU LEIS

If there’s one thing you need to get for your Hawaiian photo session, it’s a haku lei. It’s seriously THE trendiest thing right now. Go check Instagram.

Are you wondering where to find a haku lei on Oahu? In Honolulu, there’s Cindy’s Lei Shoppe. On the North Shore, there’s Haku, where you can buy a pre-made haku or learn how to make your own haku lei.

If you get one earlier in your trip, you can wear it to a luau or out to dinner at a nice restaurant. Keep it in your fridge to make it last longer. Spray it with hairspray if you want it to last even longer!

My mom is a wedding officiant on Kauai, and I’m a professional hula dancer, so we have lots and lots of artificial haku leis. The ones we’re wearing in this photo shoot are fake. My son even wears a haku lei around his neck.

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Hawaii Instagram Captions

Once you get your photos back, you’ll probably want to share them on social media. If you aren’t sure what kind of Hawaii Instagram caption to use, check out these awesome sea quotes that will set the mood.

It’s an easy way to caption photos of Hawaii!

Don’t forget to PRINT Your Photos

Now that you have all these amazing family photos of your Hawaiian vacation don’t let them sit on your computer!

Yes, you can use one as your background photo and add them to your phone to show people. And post them on social media. But don’t let it stop there.

Take the time to print a few of your favorites to hang in your home or office. I recommend choosing a professional print lab through your photographer so you can maintain the quality and color of the images.

I also like to print photo books of our favorite vacations. My kids love seeing themselves in the books and ask me many questions about our trips. It’s a great way to relive your trip even years later.

ALOHA SUNSHINE PHOTOGRAPHY: YOUR HAWAII FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY BUDDY

Thank you so much to Aloha Sunshine Photography for collaborating with me on this post. Oahu has so many wonderful photographers, but it’s important to find one that is a registered business.

Shannon of Aloha Sunshine Photography is very familiar with Oahu and knows where to safely hold a session. She does not only do Hawaii family photography, but she specializes on photo shoots for kids, maternity, couples, and mermaid. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.

More Family Fun on Oahu

Family Guide to Oahu with Kids
Toa Luau is Oahu’s Newest Family-Friendly Luau
Polynesian Cultural Center Offers Family Activities on Oahu
Aulani Tips to Maximize 2 Nights at Disney Aulani Resort in Hawaii
Is the Disney Aulani Character Breakfast on Oahu Worth the Price?
How to Maximize the Disney Aulani PhotoPass Service
Oahu Travel Hacks + Budget Tips for Families

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