What to Wear to your Maui Portrait Session

Aloha, and welcome to Maui Island Photography! If you’re lucky enough to travel to Maui this year, whether it’s your first time to the Aloha State or your 50th – or, like myself, you’re lucky enough to live here full time – you’ll soon understand why it’s one of the world’s most idyllic places for adventure, relaxation, and appreciating the endless natural beauty that surrounds you.

From swaying palms and turquoise waves on the south side to lava rock outcrops and panoramic views on north shore, there are several stunning locations to capture the memories of your trip with a family or couples Maui beach portrait session.

This month, I’m here to answer one of the most frequent questions I receive from clients: “What should I wear for my Maui beach portraits?”

Please refer to the following list to see what you should – and shouldn’t – wear to your next beach portrait session. Mahalo!

Coordinated Colors & Patterns

I recommend choosing 3 to 4 colors or shades and mix & match patterns with solids. It looks more polished without Logo wear, unless you are rocking the beach-vibe look.

Colors that contrast with the environment, such as oranges, purples, reds, yellows, and bright pinks, pop against the background and create more variety of tones and colors in your images. If you choose all-white, make sure all the whites blend or match – sometimes a pinkish-white and a blueish-white together can really be noticeable and make one shirt look dirty.

Choosing one color for everyone, like all-blue? Try mixing it up with different shades of blue, or including patterns in the mix!

Avoid wearing black cotton to your session, as it tends to show every grain of sand. Try rayon or another material that sand can slide off, and water won’t really change the shade of black.

Designs & Complementary Colors

Crazy designs are usually fine, so long as it blends and balances with others. For example, a mom in a wonderfully colorful dress blends well with a family wearing solids with same colors.

Glasses & Sunglasses

Feel free to bring your glasses, and sunglasses along for fun!

If your prescription glasses are light-adaptive, just be aware that the majority of your session will be in daylight. I have clients who are fine with dark lenses for their session, but if you’re not, try wearing different glasses or contacts, and be aware that you can always take them on or off if you would like.

Band-Aids & Boo Boos

If at all possible, avoid wearing a band-aid to your portrait session. Scratches and bruises actually blend into skin tones better than you think. Also, if Photoshop is necessary, having skin to work with is much better than editing out a Band-Aid.

Choosing an outfit to cover up bites, scrapes and bruises is the easiest way to avoid showing off your vacation wounds. Stick to sleeves, pants, etc. If you have any concerns before your session, don’t hesitate to send an email, text, or give me a call! 

Sunburns

If you get a sunburn before your session, the best way to avoid looking like a crispy critter is to wear a lot of lotion and hydrate! Just like bruises and scrapes, consider wearing clothes that cover those burn lines. Always wear plenty of sunscreen to avoid those sunglass lines and peeling shoulders. Scheduling your session earlier in your vacation can also help.

Hats

If you normally wear a hat, try to start the session without it. Hats do cast shadows, so depending on the natural light, I may ask you to remove it from time to time throughout the shoot. Feel free to wear it for all your candids, especially if it is part of your staple wardrobe!

Shoes

Unless I mention we are hiking a bit, feel free to wear slippers or your favorite slip-ons. Have a pair of shoes that you really want to be photographed? Wear them and we will make sure to snap a couple of pics in your prized kicks, or LVs, before we go barefoot on the beach. If you have to wear shoes for medical or comfort reasons, let me know ahead of time and we can plan your session accordingly.

Bathing Suits

Bathing suits are encouraged! Feel free to wear them under your clothes, for your whole session, or for part of it. We are shooting at the beach, after all!

Change of Clothes

Want to bring along a change of clothes? Absolutely! Just remember we are usually shooting on a beach, so if you don’t feel comfortable changing on-location, let me know and I can plan your session accordingly.

Bra Straps

Remember to bring a bra that works with your clothing – such as strapless – so we can avoid photos with unwanted clothing malfunctions.

Accessories

The best thing about the beach: no accessories needed! Add sand, sun, water, and waves, and you have the perfect recipe for a fun and beautiful photo session.

If you want to add a little something to your session that says “I’m in Maui!”, a Haku Lei, shell necklace or even a surfboard can really make your photos say “Aloha!”

Personal Items

Try to bring a minimal amount of personal items. We will be shooting on a public beach and are usually moving and changing locations constantly. Bringing a small bag to keep your cell phone, keys, wallet, lipstick, hair ties, etc., and leave the rest back in your hotel or home. Trust me, you won’t want any of those items in your photos.

Smile

Finally, the MOST important thing to wear is your smile! Plan what you can and get ready to enjoy a really fun Maui experience!

Preparing for Your Session: Planning for Your Maui Photo Experience

Aloha! 

I am excited you chose Maui Island Photography to capture your beach session on Maui! With a little pre-planning, you will be able to relax and enjoy a great experience during your session.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your session. 

• Choosing What to Wear

• Extras: Flowers and Leis

• Double-Check Your Outfit

• The Next Step
  

Preparing for Your Session: Before Arrival

Choosing What to Wear

I recommend choosing 3 to 4 colors or shades and mix & match patterns with solids. 

Popular combinations include: 

Pastels & Earthy Tones

• All White

• White with one other color (tan, blue, gray, coral)

• Pink tones with blue, white, and/or khaki

• Earthy tones, think pink, peach, oatmeal, green, khaki & blue

Classics, Bold & Jewel Tones

• Dark Blue & White

• Jewel tones, think deep or dark blue, oranges, purples, pinks, and white

• Red

Color, Color, Color

• Take a bright or bold color or pattern and build your palette around it!

Waterwear

• Choose any color suit, or just jump in the warm water with your clothes on!

For more information and ideas, check out my blog on What to Wear to Your Maui Portrait Session

Extras: Flowers and Leis

Feel free to reach out now for suggestions for your session day so you can be ready to go once you arrive on vacation!
Many clients love wearing a lei po’o (flower crown) or flower lei for their session, but custom colors and styles need to be ordered 2-3 weeks in advance so let me know what you are looking for and I can help you find the perfect fit!

Double-check Your Outfit 

Fit

Have everyone try on their outfit(s) for your session before you pack your suitcase. Does everything fit? Do you need to pack a different bra or different undergarment that you won’t have to constantly adjust?

For both adults and kids, make sure tops and dress straps can stay up and shorts don’t slide off with a little running around. Pack a few safety pins and a backup outfit just in case.  

Tags, hanger straps, strings and more

Before you pack your outfits, check to see if you need to cut off any loose strings, visible tags (i.e. dress or skirt with a tag under see-through material). Some clients like to cut off the hanger straps as well. 

A note about prescription glasses and hats

• Prescription glasses

If your prescription glasses are light-adaptive, just be aware that the majority of your session will be in daylight. I have clients who are fine with dark lenses for their session, but if you’re not, try wearing different glasses or contacts, and be aware that you can always take them on or off if you would like.

• Hats

Hats are a really fun prop, and for some, it is part of their day-to-day wardrobe. If you normally wear a hat, keep in mind that we will start the session without it and plan your hairstyle accordingly. Hats do cast shadows, so depending on the natural light, I may ask you to remove it from time to time throughout the shoot. 

The Next Step

It’s almost time for your session! Click here to find out how to Preparing for Your Session: Your Session is Almost Here!

Preparing For Your Session: Your Session is Almost Here!

Welcome to Maui, or Lucky Live Maui!

Your Maui photography session is almost here! You have booked all the things and chosen what to wear, but here are a few things to prepare for your photo experience.

Organize and Lay out Wardrobe

Did everyone’s outfits, including undergarments and accessories, make it to Maui? Were there any last-minute details you were going to buy here? Now is the time to grab those items.

Rock that sunscreen!

If you can help it, avoid getting sunburned before your session. If you do get sunburned, aloe, cocoa butter, and Maui Vera are all great choices, along with hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! 

Also, keep in mind sock lines and watch lines - barefoot and being on island-time are a perfect solution to avoid these funny tan lines!

Bumps, bruises and sunburns

If anyone in your group has a visible bump, scratch, bruise or sunburn, the easiest thing is to cover up as much as you can. Choose pants or a long dress to hide marks, or a top that covers those bathing suit strap burn lines. Do NOT wear bandaids or bandages, as they are more difficult to edit out than natural skin. 

If you have any extreme injuries or sunburns, PLEASE let me know as soon as possible for extra planning for your session. 

Weather and Location

If you look at the weather for “Maui” in general, it will usually say it is supposed to rain. Rest assured, that is usually not the case. I keep an eye on specific areas of the island through several apps, and rained out sessions are rare. I will reach out if there is anything out of the ordinary. Otherwise, I will confirm weather and location for your session, pull the beach permit and send you a text, the night before for sunrise sessions and the day of for sunset sessions.