Kohala Coast family photography | Little Baby, Big Island

Kohala Coast family photography scouting

Sweat dripped from my eyes as I trudged along the beach with camera and notebook in hand. It was an oppressively hot day hovering over 90F in the shade and I received odd looks from beach-goers who were smartly relaxing in the cool water. My goal was to scour the Kohala Coast on Big Island for some amazing photo locations. Although I’ve visited the area in the past, it was just for fun. This time I had to take note of which beaches photographed well which is a different beast altogether.

Later that evening I was photographing a beautiful family vacationing in Hawaii for the first time with their sweet 6 month old baby girl. She’s a water baby which I have a special affinity for. Maybe it’s because my own children screamed at the slightest touch of the surf on their toes and I delight in the contrast. In any case, love photographing babies playing in the water. There’s pure joy there. So I packed the underwater housing for my camera and was on the hunt for calm, clear water.

My favorite Kohala coast location for families was hands down Waialea Beach (Beach 69) with rocks to jump off, trees to climb and swing on, and water clear enough for snorkeling. Although, I saw sea turtles at Anaeho’omalu Bay (A-Bay), and enjoyed the long stretch of beach at Hapuna Beach, the winner for calm water was Kauna’oa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach).

Family Photos at Mauna Kea Beach

Baby Aria struggled with the heat, but her eyes came to life when we approached the water. We splashed in the cool water as the sun sunk into the ocean marking the end of a wonderful first vacation.

Do you need Kohala Coast family photography for your own adventures?

Let Little Bird plan a fun photo session that’s perfect for your family. We’ll play and explore to bring out real personality and beauty and you will have fun doing it. Find out more about my fun family photography sessions here.