Here are some beautiful Wailea Family Photos of a session that almost got rained out. Don’t worry, there’s a silver lining!

The plan was to met this lovely family of three for sunrise (read 5:00am) in Wailea for family photos at Ulua Beach, in front of the Andaz. But plans don’t always go to plan… Now, usually Wailea is a very dry spot, especially in June, but during their stay there was a tropical storm in town, so the morning looked like it would be rained out.

Options For Rainy Day Family Photos On Maui

I woke up extra early and checked the weather at the location. Sure enough, the morning of, it was raining and even thundering! I communicated with mom to let her know not to wake up little Robbie, so he could sleep a little longer.

In the meantime, we talked about options: move location (not possible, the storm was everywhere), move shoot timing, reschedule to another day, and so on. I want all my clients to have a beautiful photo shoot and a great experience, so I really work hard to make your photo sessions work.

The rain looked like is was slowing down. We decided to push out the session by two hours and hope for the best. The family had breakfast and I met them two hours later. And the best happened!

Just before we met, the rain cleared, the clouds lightened up, and a rainbow appeared. Gorgeous soft light, a clean, empty beach, and the smells of rain in the air. It couldn’t have been better! Their Wailea family photos were going to happen!

Success! The Perfect Wailea Beach Photo Session

We spent the next two hours enjoying that beautiful beach and green strip in front of the Andaz.

At first Robbie wasn’t too sure about this whole photography experience, but with time and some of my playful, silly games he relaxed and opened up. You can see the beautiful progression from clutching his baseball hat and jacket for safety and comfort to big smiles and goofy laughs.

Making kids and adults feel comfortable and themselves in front of the camera, and to be able to connect with each other is my favorite part of family sessions! Read here how I use my Improv Comedy Skills For Portrait Photography.

The Importance of Candid Photos For Your Maui Family Photos

One of my favorite moments of the session was this candid moment between mom and son at the beach. It shows the curiosity of childhood and the connection between them, as they are picking and observing Naupaka flowers.

These candid photos hold immense value as they capture genuine moments of connection. They showcase the real bond and relationship between individuals and their authentic expressions.

In every family photo session, I make it a priority to capture a special moment between mom and dad – a couple’s photo that symbolizes the significance of their relationship within the family.

Mom also brought her parents along to help, and they were just the sweetest! We had to include them!

We ended this Wailea family photos session dry and happy that it all worked out to be such a success!

If you’re worried about rain, you can read a blog post here on What Happens If It Rains For Your Maui Family Photos? Spoiler: 9/10 it all works out alright!

See you soon on Maui,

Emma