Better Maui Portraits Tip #2... Turn off your flash!

Turn off your flash for better portraits of children and adults.

While flash is sometimes necessary, to add a bit of fill to shadows and add a little "pop" in drab light, it should be used more as the exception rather than the rule for more natural looking candid child and family portraits.

By turning off your flash, children (and adults) a lot of times will simply forget that you are even taking their picture. This lets them just do what they are doing so you can take some more candid documentary-style portraits.

Similarly, for romantic portraits of adults, turning off the flash helps keep the romantic feel to the portrait.

As I said before, sometimes flash is necessary and we will discuss that in later tips. But a lot of the time, flash is not necessary and simply gives a sterile look to pictures, kills the ambience, and adds harsh shadows and "flash spots" on the skin.

So get out there and try turning off you flash for your candid-style portraits, ambience shots, and romantic portraits.

Aloha from Maui, Kristin

Photography tip #1... getting low

Several friends have been asking me over the last couple years for tips to improve their photography. Especially for photographing their children's portraits.

I have decided that in 2010, it is the year of sharing photography tips and what better way to share information than on my blog!\

Anyways, let's start with Tip #1 for taking better Maui Portraits!!!

Tip #1 is "Get loooooow"

A friend of mine once commented how a lot of my portraits of children looked like I was laying on the ground to take the picture. Absolutely!

It's very simple... while our kids are small, they are much lower to the ground than we are. So, unless you want a bunch of portraits of the tops of their heads, you will want to get down to their level... and, all the up and down moving is good exercise for you! :)

So, everyone get out there and try this very simple tip. Aloha, Kristin

Kyle's 90th party. A few more...

Here's a few more pictures from Kyle's 90th birthday party here on Maui.

Happy 90th Kyle!

Our good friend, Kyle, turned 90 on Christmas Eve. His daughter, who's birthday is Christmas Day (wow!) had a party for Kyle. Here's a few images of Kyles Maui birthday party. Happy birthday Kyle!!

Xmas night. Fun with friends

After all the presents, we spent Christmas evening with good friends. Luke's friend Zane got a golf club for Christmas. He already packs quite a hit!

Xmas day! Santa arrived on Maui!!!

Alas, Santa did arrive on Maui and Luke and Sierra had lots of fun opening presents. Sierra wasn't sure what was going on at first, but she quickly got into the groove.

Xmas eve... continued

OK, since I can't figure out how to upload more than five images per post, here is part two to xmas eve... hohoho!

Gotta love night time photos with natural light, even when it's next to no light.

Xmas eve... the anticipation!

Had fun photographing the kids all day to get more of a documentary of their Christmas Eve. Gotta love Maui Christmas! After the anticipation of the day, we got to spend the eve with good friends. The kids even got to track Santa on the computer. How's that for technology! Their daughter Leah then lost a tooth that evening. So, I think Santa and the tooth fairy were going to have a party Christmas Eve...

Xmas photo shoot with da kidz

Merry Christmas everyone!

Took the family down to our local Maui beach for a sunset xmas photo shoot. I think Sierra liked her new little red dress.

Robyn and family

For those of you who know Robyn, she is beautiful inside as well as out, with the biggest smile you'll ever see. It was such a privelege and pleasure to have her ask me to take her prenatal pictures. This is baby number three for the DeSilva family! We had a nice time taking some pictures of her belly and also some nice candid photos of Robyn with her family.

Greer Family

It's always an extra pleasure when I get to photograph a family year after year. This was the second time I got to do a family portrait for the Greer family. So fun to see the boys grow. Especially the little one. He was still a baby last year.

Hope to see you again next year!