Maui Wedding Photography

We are incredibly lucky to not only live in Maui but to make our living doing what we enjoy most: Photography. Maui presents her own unique challenges and opportunities. While sunsets and scenery are exquisite here, getting that perfect shot is very difficult. The sun is very bright at these latitudes and cloud cover is not the norm. We also have a steady trade wind to deal with which can wreak havoc with the brides hair and why we recommend a professional hair stylist prepare you. As for the sun, we always bring a competent assistant and employ a variety of reflectors, diffusers and off camera flashes to balance the light. SInce we have been doing this for many years, we have a pretty good routine and can move fast enough to catch the light while remaining flexible enough to be creative. Please be sure to check out our portfolio of Maui Wedding Photography. These are real people, not models, even though they look like it. That's the magic of photography we love so much.

Maui photography packages

Lately, we've been getting inquiries regarding the number of images included in our packages. Professional photographers generally know how many exceptional images they can coax out of their clients. Unless you're a professional model and you are traveling with a group of models, there is a limit as to the amount of exceptional imagery you can expect, and if exceptional imagery isn't what you're after, why hire a professional? If you're hiring us for your Maui wedding, you've obviously looked at our website and like what you see. During one of our Maui Weddings, we will shoot hundreds or thousands of images. Being the professional we are, we set the number of images the client will receive based on the time spent at the event. We edit the best images for our client and give them a professional package. There's a lot of photographers out there who are promising anything just to book a gig. They'll give you ALL the images they shoot during your wedding. Sounds good doesn't it? Well, they won't be optimized in photoshop, they won't be shot in uncompressed RAW format, chances are the photographer you're hiring isn't a professional (a person who earns 100% of his money from his business) because professionals won't hand out their less than stellar product to a client. More isn't always better.

Economic Realities and Maui Photographers

There's been quite a bit of hype on various destination websites regarding the "state of the economy" and consumers' expectation of negotiating professional fees.

There's always somebody willing to sell their service more cheaply than somebody else. That doesn't mean we should all race to the bottom in setting fees. A client who's looking for a 20 or 30% discount off your pricelist may not be the client you're after. Conversely, the photographer who is willing to cut his fees dramatically just to book, may not be the photographer you want to retain. He may be a part timer who doesn't depend on his photography business to pay the bills, so what happens if he loses his part time gig? With the "state of the economy", that's a real possibility. Where does your deposit go when he leaves the island, especially if you've booked 5 or 6 months out? What happens when he gets a call from a client who wants to book him for his full rate on the same date as your discount wedding?

When your discounted photographer shows up for the wedding, is she bringing everything she normally brings? Her assistant? Her top end lighting gear? Her best creative attitude? Will the edit be cut short to minimize time spent? Corners are always cut when the product is discounted. Photography, like other businesses, is run for profit, and a discounted rate means less service to make up for lost profit. For your Maui wedding, this seems like a terrible risk to take. You don't get any "do overs", that'll cost you double.

My suggestion to everybody is to calm down. I've seen recessions come and go. To potential clients: Find photography you like and a package you can afford and book it. Don't believe the William Shatner ads and "negotiate like a pro". You might wind up with someone who doesn't shoot like a pro. To the professional Maui photographers out there: When the recession ends, you're going to be bummed that you can't book a full price gig because you held the date for a discounted one.

When you should hire a professional Maui Photographer

Every now and then we get people inquiring about our full service Maui wedding packages but they want their friend to shoot the wedding. We always scratch our heads over this. A destination wedding is a once in a lifetime event. Saving a few bucks on the photography is not the best way to go. Sure, your friend has some great shots of their kids or may have had some work published, but unless they are a professional, shooting for their living, the results are sure to be disappointing.

A seasoned pro understands the intricacies and flow of the wedding day. A pro will have 2 cameras with different lenses and know when to use them. They'll have remote lighting setups, understand how fast the light can change here in Maui and how to cope with it. We bring an assistant who knows how to operate diffusers and reflectors to modify the light, umbrellas to create an on location studio look and in the end, photoshop abilities that make each image a keeper.

So the next time you're thinking about letting your brother-in-law the marketing analyst with a Nikon shoot your wedding, remember that marketing is his profession. Leave the photography to the photographers. You won't be disappointed.

Cheap Maui Photography

When is a deal not a deal?

How can one Maui Photographer charge $99.00 while another charges $500.00 for what, at first glance, seems to be the same service?

There are several questions you need to ask yourself before taking what looks like the cheapest service available.

Is your photographer a professional, with 23 years of experience? Chances are if he is, his pricing will be somewhat higher than the part timer with a day job or the enthusiast who's trust fund enables her to be "a photographer". Is your photographer fully insured? Are the images on his site fresh, vibrant and beautiful? Does he bring an accomplished assistant along to tweak lights and facilitate professional lighting scenarios? Has the photographer been living on Maui for so long that he knows how the light will change all throughout the day and be able to compensate for it accordingly? Has he worked at just about every venue the island has to offer?

If you're speaking about Joe D'Alessandro Photography Inc., Maui, then the answer to all these questions is "yes". Our pricing is fair, the rights to the images are yours and there are never any hidden fees, just beautiful, professionally executed imagery for you to enjoy for the rest of your life. After all, this day will only happen once. It makes sense to retain the best Maui has to offer. After the cake is eaten, the tan has faded and the dress put away, the images of your Maui wedding are what you'll have left, for your lifetime together.

Maui Wedding Photographers

Brides come in all different shapes and sizes. This is their day and our job as professionals is to make them look great. The most important thing a photographer can do is to make the bride feel comfortable. Talking, joking and being super friendly is the best way to get a bride to loosen up and feel at home with a stranger holding a giant camera in her dressing room. If you have an assistant with you, he or she should spend the first few minutes just making conversation before they pull out lights and reflectors or second cameras.

Brides can help this process by delegating the wedding day duties to trusted family members and professionals. Don't do your own hair and makeup. Maui beach weddings are always a windy affair and any hair that's not up or sprayed will get in your face. Professional make up is another great idea. You'll be in front of the camera for maybe 6 hours and you want to look great. Have a list of family portrait combinations and give it to your maid of honor. The most important thing for a blushing bride to remember is to smile. Don't sweat the little stuff. The day is here and it's time to be in the moment. If you are relaxed and happy, the images will be stunning.

Maui Wedding Photographers

Brides come in all different shapes and sizes. This is there day and our job as professionals is to make them look great. The most important thing a photographer can do is to make the bride feel comfortable. Talking, joking and being super friendly is the best way to get a bride to loosen up and feel at home with a stranger holding a giant camera in her dressing room. If you have there's an assistant with you, he or she should spend the first few minutes just making conversation before they pull out lights and reflectors or second cameras.

Brides can help this process by delegating the wedding day duties to trusted family members and professionals. Don't do your own hair and makeup. Maui beach weddings are always a windy affair and any hair that's not up or sprayed will get in your face. Professional make up is another great idea. You'll be in front of the camera for maybe 6 hours and you want to look great. Have a list of family portrait combinations and give it to your maid of honor. The photographers don't know your family and most families won't listen to us anyway! And the most important thing for a blushing bride to remember is to smile. Don't sweat the little stuff. The day is here and it's time to be in the moment. If you are relaxed and happy, the images will be stunning.

Maui Wedding Photographers

Maui's varying conditions require quick thinking and the photographer you hire has to have the tools to respond to those changing conditions. While everyone with a digital camera has a flash on it, is the photographer who is capturing your once in a lifetime Maui wedding memories using an off camera strobe or flex fill? Is he bringing an assistant along to shoot second camera and help with the ever changing light? Has the photographer been living on Maui for 20 plus years and understand the different challenges each location presents? Be sure to ask them before you book them. We always bring a variety of light modifiers and a competent assistant to ensure dramatic results. Check out our Maui Wedding Photography website and give us a call.

Maui Wedding Photography

Not all wedding venues are created equal. Maui has many to choose from but Haiku Mills is one of the nicest and most interesting venues we've had the pleasure of photographing at. The Mill was a working sugar mill until about 30 years ago and has been transformed into a romantic wedding location complete with a rustic but elegant cottage for the bride to get ready. The cottage is large enough for the biggest bridal party and the mill can hold all your friends and family quite comfortably.

Maui Family Portraits

While the family is here on Maui it's a great idea to hire a professional to get some fabulous beach shots with the entire family. After a vacation, we all have a ton of images to edit and with the exception of one or two shots that we get a fellow traveller to take, there's always somebody missing from our family pictures. When checking out a professional to take your Maui family portraits, be sure they are creative, fun and knowledgeable and no matter what they may say, an assistant is critical to a successful outcome. Joe D'Alessandro always brings a seasoned assistant. This person can create studio quality lighting under even the most harsh lighting circumstances and the light in Maui can be harsh, casting shadows that lesser photographers try to lighten with on camera flash. We also offer cd's of your Maui portrait session with full reproduction rights.

Maui Family Portrait Photography

For your once in a lifetime Maui family vacation you'll probably want to get some dynamic, fun images to remember that special time. We have been doing Maui family portraits for years. We will take your group to one of Maui's beautiful beaches just before sunset and capture the magic of the moment with posed, staged scene and candid photography. Our team will use light modifiers such as diffusers, reflectors and off camera flash to create a studio look on location. We suggest neutral toned clothing, no black or wild prints and above all, be comfortable. We offer high resolution images on a cd along with full reproduction rights so you will have those images for years to come, can e-mail and post them to your social network pages to make all your friends jealous.

Hawaii Photographers

When searching "Hawaii Photographers", you'll find dozens of prospective shooters with varying degrees of expertise, artistic style and pricing. A good rule of thumb when pricing a photographer is the 15% rule: 15% of your overall wedding budget should be for the photography. As for artistic style, the photographers website should contain a robust gallery of images that are sharp, beautiful and current. Expertise can be determined not only by the images on the site but by searching sites like Yelp that contain real ratings from actual customers. Our wedding packages will always include an assistant for lighting and second camera work which adds a depth to the photography that can't be attained by the "lone shooter".

Maui Wedding Photographers

Why get married on Maui? I don't know, maybe it's because the weather is great and the beaches are unbelievable or that airfare is dirt cheap right now or that there are incredible photographers who make their home in Maui or perhaps it's just a combination of all these things that make a Maui destination wedding so appealing. It could also be photos like these.

Hawaii Wedding Photography

Your Maui Destination Wedding should be documented by professionals who know what to expect at any given location on Maui and are aware of how the light changes so that they are one step ahead of it. Maui wedding photographers, such as Joe D'Alessandro Photography, have spent the better part of three decades on Maui pursuing the light for that perfect shot. We know what's going to happen and how we are going to capture it long before the day begins. Our equipment bag is filled with the latest professional digital equipment and our photographer and assistants bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and humor to your wedding. Whether you want to trash the dress or put on an elegant display, we are there to work with you. Our Maui wedding photography packages include a cd of meticulously edited, high resolution digital files and unlimited reproduction rights. This gives you unlimited flexibility to print or electronically post your wedding images anywhere, anytime. Browse through our Maui Weddings gallery for a peek at our most recent outings. From Makena to Kapalua and all points in between, we are familiar with the conditions, the light and your expectations.

Maui Wedding Photographers

What's an edit? Seems to be a little confusion out there on the part of some people so I'd thought I would bring it up. A photographer not only captures the images of the day in an artistic fashion, but he also edits those images, by choosing the ones you will see. This bit of work puts the day and the photographer in the best light. After years of editing Maui weddings, we are very good at knowing what will work, what will not and what needs to get cut. Some brides seem to think there's more images somewhere that they are missing but the point is: If you are going to trust a professional to photograph your wedding, you should have no problem trusting him to edit the images properly. We all seem to think "more is better", often, it's not.

Camera Shy or Camera High?

The glossy magazines with the bridal names present the most beautiful imagery of the perfect fairytale wedding; Bright eyes, smooth sexy smiles, a happy entourage with flowers in the air, these images are, more often than not, the product of a professional commercial shoot and the subjects are well paid professional models. This does not mean that your wedding can't look like that. My Maui Wedding Gallery is filled with spectacular brides. These are women who have made friends with the camera for a few hours and exude self confidence and joy during the day. They are happy to have the camera there and the love they have for their fiance and family is evident in every shot. Some brides are not so comfortable with the camera. I keep mentioning "brides" because that is what the day is all about: Brides. You will be the center of attention for an entire day, even longer, so enjoying the spotlight is an essential part of a successful shoot. 

If you're not comfortable in front of the camera, put your dress on, before the wedding, as many times as need be and have a close friend or family member photograph you. You will be able to see how you look on camera and what you can do to make it look more natural. We know that you are a nurse or a teacher or bank CEO and don't spend your day strutting around looking pretty for the camera, so a few practice sessions is worth it. If you do it, I guarantee it will show in the results.

Maui Photographers

Maui Weddings are quite an experience. A cool tropical breeze, the soft sounds of palm fronds rustling overhead, the occasional crash of surf and its attendant fine spray. All of this surrounded by deep blue ocean, the clouds and magnificent green and brown mountains. Your officiant blows her conch shell and another Maui bride makes her way toward her future.

Sounds dramatic, and it is. The good kind of drama. What we don't need is the bad kind of drama: Vendors who don't show up, planners who don't return your phone calls or photographers who are too tired to shoot a wedding because they worked all day in the T-shirt shop. These are the hazards you face with cut rate wedding planners and "we beat any advertised price" wedding photographers. You get what you pay for. You know that because you're in Maui instead of Mexico, where the paperwork is confusing and you'd be wondering if your wedding was legal.

For help Planning your Maui Wedding, please call Joe D'Alessandro Photography, toll free, at 1-800-745-0344

 

Maui Wedding Photojournalism and Romantic Portraiture

Sometimes we get caught up in a particular "style". Some call it a rut. We like to mix it up a bit. Our Maui photography team will be catching candid images on the fly most of the day. We'll also bring a portable light setup to capture the formal portraits and sunset shots without that nasty on camera flash look that my good friend Tony Novak-Clifford hates so much. He's right. Beware of the on camera flash guy. With wireless strobes, there's no reason to blast you head on at sunset. If my assistant has another gig that night, I'll hold the flash with one hand and shoot with the other if I can't get my light stand over the rocks or it's too windy for it to stay up. Ask your photographer what kind of lighting he uses. On a cool, overcast day, we don't need much, but on Maui we get those bright days with high contrast that require supplemental fill. We use a flex fill reflector and off camera strobe with umbrella when possible. Of course, we still keep that on-camera strobe to fill in when we have to but we don't rely on it all day and night. Be sure to hire a professional. Most wedding planners hire part timers for their $695.00 package. Great price but you'll be very disappointed in the images. When the tan fades, the cake is gone and it's deep dark winter, all you have left to remember your Maui Wedding is the images. Don't hire an amateur.