Hawaii has a special place in my heart and a big part of that is because my parents live there. They were both in the Navy and got stationed in Hawaii around 2018 right when I was leaving Key West for college at Florida Gulf Coast University. They loved it so much that they never left and now they're retired and own their home on the island, which means I get to call Hawaii a second home and visit way more than the average person who lives in Colorado.
So in November 2022, when we flew out to spend Thanksgiving with my family, I was very pregnant and very aware that I was about to be standing in one of the most beautiful places on earth with a belly I wanted to remember forever. It felt like the universe was basically handing me a maternity shoot location and I would have been crazy not to take it.
The photographer hunt (aka me procrastinating)
Here's the thing though I started looking for a photographer last minute which is no surprise at all for me and almost everyone I found was so expensive that I started wondering if I could just hand my sister my phone and call it a day.
Thankfully I found Rose from Royal Rose Photography, and she was such a blessing! We paid $375 for a one hour session with two outfit changes, and it included me, my fiancé (boyfriend at the time) and my mom and dad. Her pricing for that same package is $480 now, which is still a really good deal for what you get, and she has other package options too if you want something different.
She even picked the location for me!
My favorite part about working with Rose was that she took the stress of choosing a location completely off my plate, which for a pregnant woman on vacation is honestly the best gift you can give. She sent me a list of her favorite spots around Oahu and I'm sharing them here because if you're planning your own shoot, this list alone could save you hours of googling!
No travel fee (for reference my parents live in Aeia)
Ko Olina
Nimitz Beach
Lanikuhonua
Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden
Wahiawa Botanical Garden
$35 travel fee (these are a bit of a drive from Waikiki)
Kawela Bay
Kahana Bay
Kualoa Beach Park
Sandy Beach
Mokuleia Beach
Ka'ena Point Trail
Three Tables
Why we chose Kualoa
We went with Kualoa Beach Park, and it was everything we wanted and more. It's about an hour from Aiea, where my parents lived at the time, but the drive was so worth it because you get the beach and those giant green mountains all in one spot. It's also right by Kualoa Ranch, where Jurassic Park and a bunch of other movies were filmed, so I can officially say I've posed in front of the same mountains as dinosaurs.
We started our shoot at 5:15pm, right before sunset and the timing was perfect. The light was soft, it wasn't blazing hot anymore (which my pregnant self would’ve complained the ENTIRE time if it was hot as hell lol) and the clouds were hanging right over the tops of the mountains which made everything look so dreamy.
My two outfits
For my first look, I wore a fitted olive green dress with a flower tucked behind my ear, and we took those photos in the big open field with the mountains behind us. For my second look, I switched into a flowy white maxi dress with red flowers and a high slit, and we moved down to the water for the beach shots. Having one fitted dress and one flowy dress gave us two completely different vibes in the same hour, and I'd recommend that combo to anyone.
How I felt
That day I felt so beautiful. Standing barefoot in the sand with my fiancé, my parents, and that view, I felt like the most beautiful version of myself, and I really needed that. When we got the photos back I loved every single one of them, and I still do. That baby is now an almost four year old whose every sentence starts with "Mom," and these pictures are still some of my favorite ones I've ever taken.
Tips for planning your own Hawaii maternity shoot!
Book early Learn from me and don't wait until the last minute, because the good photographers book up and the prices only go up from there.
Let your photographer help choose the spot Local photographers know which beaches have the best light, the fewest crowds, and the easiest parking, which is not something you want to figure out while pregnant.
Ask about travel fees Many of the most scenic spots on Oahu are outside Waikiki, so a small travel fee like Rose's $35 is pretty normal.
Plan for the drive Some locations can take an hour or more depending on where you're staying and traffic.
Shoot right before sunset We started at 5:15pm in November and the light was soft and golden, plus it was way cooler than the middle of the day. Sunset times change through the year, so ask your photographer what time works best for your dates.
Bring two different looks One fitted dress and one flowy dress gives you a lot of variety without a lot of stress.
Be ready to go barefoot Sand and heels do not mix!
Include your people Having my parents in a few photos made the whole thing so much more meaningful.
Don't panic about clouds Overcast skies can actually make for softer, more flattering photos.
Have you been to any of these places or are you currently planning a maternity shoot in Hawaii? Let me know!
Love, V
