Hanalei Family Beach Portraits | Kauai’s Bluest Blues

The Best of Kauai – Hanalei family beach portraits

Hanalei Bay is hands down my favorite spot on Kauai. The white sand beach curls gently around the deep blue of the ocean while bold mountains watch over the salty scene. When Melissa reached out for family photos and mentioned it was her favorite beach too, I was happy to jump onto a flight and meet them on the north shore of Kauai.

It’s the perfect spot for a family who deeply loves the ocean. I had to hold the kids back for a bit for some, well, dry family portraits. Not to worry, I have lots of tricks up my sleeve in the forms of games and random silliness to distract from the lure of the ocean – at least for a little bit. Slowly we moved closer to the water and began to explore. Tiny seashells and interesting sticks were all examined with care.

Low tide left a smooth slick of water on the sand and waves had carved out mini streams. Navigating these obstacles kept us busy until it was too warm to deny the ocean any longer

Into the blue

After a quick change it was finally time to dive into the bay. I readied my water camera and braced for impact. Honestly, it was the perfect temperature – a slight chill to ward off the bright heat of the sun. However, I’m a definite wimp in the face of anything moderately cold and it shocks me every time. While I waded in slowly with a pained expression, the kids showed no hesitation. One look at the perfect, clean waves and they were submerged.

Perfect, clean waves made it an ideal playground. They spent the rest of the morning jumping waves and body surfing. Deep belly grumbles put an end to our fun and they headed off for breakfast with promises to return soon.

Do you have a beach loving family?

Family photos don’t have to be a painful, stressful affair. Let’s meet at the beach to make some beautiful family portraits alongside salty Hawaiian memories. Find out more about my easy family photo sessions here.