Fun Family Photography Session | Sunrise Energy

For the Love of the Beach

They like the mountains, but they love the beach. It brings them to Hawaii annually. Sometimes Maui. Sometimes Big Island, but always Hawaii and always the beach. This particular trip was extra special because they were celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary. A family photo session felt like the best way to mark the occasion.

But it had to be fun. With three energetic boys they didn’t have the patience for or really the interest in stale, posed photos. Why suffer on vacation when you can add to it with a little adventure you don’t have to plan yourself?

Sunrise Over Laie Beach

To match their family’s energy, I wanted a location with lots of space. A place that is beautiful from every angle so they could move and play freely. There were many great contenders but in the end, we opted for a personal favorite – Laie Beach Park.

I wound my way up the windward coastline from Kailua in darkness. As sunrise drew near, the sky began to transform. I caught flashes of sky and ocean through houses and trees and along the occasional unadorned stretch of shoreline. the sky was turning a deep red-orange making it hard to keep my eyes on the road and not gawk at the bold colors. It was a full 25 minutes before sunrise and I still had miles to go. I made a mental note to get up earlier and continued on, daydreaming about teleportation.

By the time I arrived, the deep reds in the sky had been replaced by yellow as the sun was about to make its grand entrance. The boys in their button ups and polos, had a slightly restrained demeanor as we walked to the beach. Adventure lay ahead, yet they wanted to do what was expected of them and flashed trained smiles at the camera whenever I looked their way. A few games and jokes put them at easy and soon they were playing with abandon on the beach.

One of the great things about Laie Beach is its diversity. It’s more than a stretch of palm-lined sand. The short beach is bordered by rough cliffs at one end that are regularly assaulted by big waves and a stream outlet at the other end. Excellent climbing trees and roughly made tree-swings dangle over the mountain-fed water while fish forage below.

Over the course of the morning, we managed to pack it all in. We started with sunrise and tree swings on the north end before making our way to the cliffs. I cautioned them about the sharpness and salt spray, but this adventure-loving family pressed on. They easily scaled the cliffs to take in the scene from above.

With stomachs growling, we knew we were running out of time so we ended at the water’s edge. The boys challenged waves and spent the last of their energy. It was a morning packed with fun.

Do You Have an Energetic Family?

Let me plan a morning to match your energy so you have a great time and take away memories in the form of photos and films. Find out more about a fun family photography session here.