Kailua Beach Family Photos | A brilliant Hawaii sunrise

A memory spark

As much as I hate to admit it, I have a terrible memory. Growing up in the Midwest we had to take the California Achievement Tests each year and there was a memory component. I would try ridiculously hard to remember strings of nonsensical words, but I was hopeless and could never improve my scores. And my memory is not getting any better with age so I have a hard time remembering faces.

This family, though, I remember. It was about 7 years ago that I first got to photograph a cherubic baby sitting solemnly among the flowering vines at Waimanalo Beach. I remember her chubby legs perched on her dad’s shoulders – too short yet to do anything but stick straight out. This family, those images have stayed with me and when they reach out for photos, I’m always delighted to see them again.

Seeking the greens and blues

Our last photo session was at Kalama Beach Park in the middle of Kailua Bay. It’s a location near and dear to my heart because it’s one of my family’s favorite beaches. Every time I shoot there, I wonder why I don’t do it more often. Perhaps because it feels like cheating to shoot so close to home? It doesn’t make sense I realize.

We looked at alternate locations for this session but kept coming back to the lovely greens and blues of Kalama Beach and we headed back for another morning of beach fun. This family sticks in my memory for good reason. They are overflowing with love and silliness and always a joy to see.

Want to take home memories of your family vacation?

No need to stand awkwardly on the beach smiling at a camera. Let me suggest some great spots where you can actually play and enjoy your time together against the beautiful backdrop of Hawaii. Find out more about my fun family photography sessions here.