Hawaii Videographer | A Quiet Morning by the Bay

The Magic of Family Films

I cried the first time I saw a family film. It wasn’t even a family I remotely knew. Video is powerful that way. It’s a beautiful, compelling way to tell a story and, watching it, I felt a strong connection to my own family.

Of course, I didn’t always feel this way about family films. Growing up, these involved my dad following us around with a bulky camcorder. These static shots would hold on us for hours as we unwrapped Christmas gift after Christmas gift. Holding each up to the camera for inspection. Not only were these videos painful to make, they were painful to watch.

It was those videos I had in mind when I was gifted a camcorder after my son was born. Dutifully, I held the camera on him through major milestones. Those little mini tapes quickly became outdated technology and it wasn’t until last year that I was able to convert them to digital format and watch them for the first time in nine years.

With great anticipation, I opened the video files. Fully expecting to be transported back in time and captivated by beautiful moments I could scarcely remember. I hate to say this, but I was … underwhelmed. How could so much footage tell so little? Sure, there were a few precious clips that involved singing and dancing in diapers, but overall I was disappointed.

But family films have changed and I’ve focused on filming in a specific way and carefully editing the footage to transform everyday moments into something beautiful. Something that’s not only fun to create, but brings tears when you watch it. Although I missed documenting my own children’s early years in a meaningful way, I take great joy in making these films for others.

About the Session

I first met and filmed an expecting Jesa and her family two years ago on a wind-whipped morning in Laie. The wind was so intense that we retreated to their beach rental and recorder 3-year-old Isla singing her favorite song. That sweet voice remains in my head and it’s still one of my favorite films to this day.

It was with great excitement that I met them a second time to create another family film. This time as a family of four. We met on another windy morning. This time at Turtle Bay on the north shore of Oahu. We started off slow by capturing their morning routine and eventually made our way to the beach. The combination of “home” and beach allowed me to include the quiet moments of patience and love alongside the excitement of the beach.

You can watch the film below.

You can get a peek at the film with some screenshots below.

Is Life Passing You in a Blur?

Let’s slow it down by planning a quiet morning with your family. You can relax and enjoy your time together while I capture your memories and weave them into a family film you will treasure. Find out more about my family film sessions here.