Family Beach Photos | A Memorable Day at Turtle Bay

Until we meet again

When you live in Alaska – Fairbanks, Alaska that is – you start to crave a little vitamin D mid-winter. That’s why Jesa and her family make an annual pilgrimage to Hawaii. Seeing the sun for more than a few hours a day and letting it warm their skin is reason enough to make the journey. Through the heart of winter, they eagerly anticipate their time next to the ocean where they can listen to the surf pounding outside their window and breathe in the salty air. I first photographed this amazing family when they were still a family of three and I look forward to seeing them each year for family beach photos.

Jesa is a also a photographer and she found herself falling in love with the magic of video to tell a story; to stop time so you can go back and revisit a treasured memory again and again. Over the years I’ve captured video alongside family beach photos to encapsulate this happy ritual and time in their life.

Sunset vibes at Turtle Bay

Being nature lovers, they tend to gravitate to Oahu’s northeast corner where life is a little slower, a little greener. This year, they stayed at the renovated Turtle Bay Resort which has become a prime spot for relaxation, comfort and beauty.

Since they were already in a beautiful spot, we felt no need to explore further than the hotel grounds for family beach photos. They arrived amidst the happy clanging of bicycle bells at a thicket of ironwood trees for our family beach photos. Over the next few hours we simply played. At first, they enjoyed biking over a soft bed of needles while taking in views of the ocean just beyond. When a breaching whale was spotted, they climbed trees to get a better view. Ultimately, we made our way to the beach to spot whales but got distracted by critters in the intertidal zone. Hermit crabs, tiny fish, and sea cucumbers kept us busy until the sun began to set. We quickly scrambled to the other side of the cove for the best views of surf and sunset. As always, the love and patience in their family was both endearing and inspiring and I look forward to documenting their time in Hawaii again.

Click play to watch their family film

See a sample of their family beach photos here

Do you wish you could freeze time with family beach photos?

Hold on to your family’s important memories with family beach photos. We can spend a relaxing afternoon exploring Oahu and you can keep this day and this time close to your heart. Learn more about my family photograph and film sessions here.