Family traditions | Oahu family lifestyle photography

I was a little unsure whether I would blog this particular session because this family is special. Special in the sense that they are absolutely wonderful, fabulous people yes, but also they’re doing something you can’t do. See, they’re biologists. Ornithologists specifically. And for the past decade or so, they have been researching and working to protect the Laysan albatross population at Kaena Point. Laysan albatross are magnificent seabirds with wingspan exceeding six feet. They soar at great speeds and travel extreme distances to find food for their young. These birds also mate for life and Lindsay pointed out one bird who lost his mate many years ago. This sad guy returns every year alone, waiting for a mate who will never return. You can find out more about Laysan albatross or check out a video of dancing albatross here. Yes, they dance. And moo. And whiny. They are exceptional birds.

Ah, but back to Lindsay and Eric. Having two small children hasn’t slowed them down and sometimes the kids get to come along for field work. They have an tradition to count the albatross at Kaena Point the day after Thanksgiving and take their annual Christmas card photo. This year they asked me to tag along and document their adventure. The plan was for them to work and then retire to the beach for some family photos and a picnic dinner. The reality was that record albatross numbers kept them working until sunset. It was kind of perfect actually because these images truly capture who they are as a family.

The hike out to Kaena Point is great for families and I highly recommend it.  However, if you head out there, please be responsible. Don’t approach any birds and stay on marked paths. You can see plenty of albatross from there.

Although you can’t have your own albatross photo session, you can have a session uniquely suited to your family. Do you have any special traditions or favorite family activities? I would love to tag along to capture some beautiful, meaningful images for your family. You can find out more about my family photography sessions here.