Hawaii Family Portrait Photographers

I am a Hawaii Family Portrait Photographer based on Oahu, but that hasn't always been my specialty.

First let me sat that 90 to 95% of all pro photographers in Hawaii are Wedding photographers. There's good reason for that. Hawaii is the world's number one wedding destination! While I've always been a Family Portrait photographer, for the first half of my career I was a "generalist". That is I did every kind of photography that one can do...above water. After 1991 I began to specialize in Family Portraits. That was the year my dad died. And that's when I realized I had no family portraits - not even a snapshot of my parents and siblings all together. And now it can never be done. Sad.

I have always been an artist, and people have always been my favorite subjects. I moved away from my family as a young 20-something to Kauai, Hawaii, and at that time I just didn't think about my own family portraits. And mortality was absolutely the furthest thing from my mind. I was on a life adventure to Hawaii!

I was a young man with a passion for art and photography living in Hawaii! I free lanced as a photographer for some time, then I took a position as a staff photographer for a Maui advertising agency. It wasn't long before I became the head of the photography department for the agency. Eventually I started my own promotions company and handled all the photography myself.

Then my dad passed away.
It was then that I discovered I had not one single family portrait, picture, snapshot. And that was when I learned the real value Family Portraits. That's when I understood what a treasure a fine family portrait truly is.

You see, no portraits exist of my family, and since my dad died there can never be one made. As a result my grandchildren and great grandkids will never know what my family looked like together. Even if we did have a snapshot of all of us together, it wouldn't be the same as having a fine, professional family portrait.

As a family portrait photographer here in Hawaii I create a lot of photographs at the beach, and so do a lot of other photographers. What I've noticed is that 99% of the beach photographs I see being made by other photographers are being made as if it were a wedding or other editorial type event. What I mean by that is the photographers are using only available light, or only one flash unit mounted right on the camera.

Available light can be very nice, but out on the beach in Hawaii, unless you set up with the sun shining in the subject's face, which will result in squinting, uncomfortable expressions, the sky will always come out white, because it will be way overexposed.

When using just one flash on the camera, the light is flat...but NOT flattering! (You can learn a lot more about location lighting by signing up for my class, "Little Lights - BIG Impact" at www.HawaiiSchoolofPhotography.com).

As a lifetime student of art, and a fan of the "Old Masters" paintings, and with my experience in creating family portraits in Hawaii, I want you to know that I truly care. When you place your trust in me to create your Hawaii Family Portraits, I will take the time and care to make sure you will have the very finest portraits possible. I will invest all my experience, talent and artistry, I will put my heart and soul into creating the most beautiful and sensitive Family Portraits you have ever had....Made in Hawaii!

I invite you to view my website at http://www.ParamountPhotography.com, check out my work and see what my clients have to say.