Maui Wedding Photographers

Maui Wedding Photography

2009-07-07T16:03:00.004-10:00

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

2009-06-25T12:25:00.003-10:00

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

2009-06-11T13:52:00.003-10:00

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.

Maui Photography

2009-06-10T11:18:00.002-10:00

We always get asked about the right time of day to do a Maui wedding ceremony. Many of our clients want to do a luau as a reception, which usually start about an hour before sunset, pushing the wedding to the middle of the afternoon. While a luau seems like the Hawaiian way to end your wedding day, the timing makes photography very difficult and limits your photographers ability to capture those portraits at the golden hour. We usually recommend that couples save the luau for the day before or after and schedule their Maui wedding for about an hour and a half before sunset. This gives us time to spend about 45 minutes exclusively with the couple to get those romantic, golden images and dramatic sunset backgrounds.

Hawaii Photographers

2009-05-20T15:48:00.004-10:00

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

2009-04-03T16:06:00.002-10:00

Are you using an assistant for your photo shoots? If not, you're missing out on a great opportunity to up your game and create some incredible images on location that will blow away the competition. Nikon's SB800 strobes can be used off camera to create highlights without wires. The system is easy to use and can create a studio look on location with minimal effort and time. A flex fill and diffuser panel are used to either reflect light onto the subject or to diffuse harsh sunlight to create a soft, luminous look for a blushing bride. All of these tools require a competent assistant who knows what you're looking for and understands the uses of each of these light modifiers. They also need to understand the limitations of each device. If you can price your jobs to include an assistant then do so. Now. If you can't raise your prices then bite the bullet and pay someone. You'll certainly be able able to up your rate later, as you up your game.

Maui Wedding Photographers

2009-03-31T15:17:00.005-10:00

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

2009-03-19T15:45:00.003-10:00

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

2009-03-06T10:04:00.004-10:00

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?

2009-02-11T10:20:00.004-10:00

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

2009-01-15T16:00:00.003-10:00

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 Photography

2008-12-27T09:54:00.002-10:00

Many couples choose a wedding planner to coordinate their Maui wedding. Prices will vary widely between companies, but all planners are not created equal. While the idea is the same, to get people married, the means for achieving that goal vary as widely as the prices. Most, if not all wedding planners have particular photographers they use to provide the images for your wedding. The only way these planners can provide "cut rate" weddings is by hiring inexperienced, inexpensive photographers who charge little for their services. If imagery is important to you, tell your planner you've hired Joe D'Alessandro as your photographer. They can work with that. I have worked with many of Maui's wedding planners and all those planners will work with you and your choice of Maui Photography services.

Check my Maui Wedding Photography gallery and compare it to the images you see on your wedding planners website. If my style of photography suits you better, tell your planner you want to hire me or better yet, contact my Maui Wedding Planning Website and book your wedding there.

Maui Wedding Photojournalism and Romantic Portraiture

2008-11-24T15:35:00.002-10:00

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.

Maui Wedding Photographers

2008-11-02T14:32:00.006-10:00

Maui Wedding Photographers come in all shapes and sizes with varying degrees of experience and competence. Some have been doing this for half their lives, others haven't. How can you tell? Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. If your photographer is offering a zillion images for 69.95 you can be pretty sure they aren't going to be very good. If she tells you you'll have the disk before you leave the island it means she's either not very busy (bad sign #1) or doesn't know anything about photoshop and digital imagery, is shooting in jpeg format and dumping unedited images on a cd (bad sign #2). We all put a strobe on our camera to fill shadows on bright days but lighting is very important and we need to know when to use that strobe, how high the ratio needs to be and when to use the wireless strobe off camera. Typically, we use the off camera wireless lights at sunset, to avoid those ugly shadows and the harsh amateur look. If your Maui wedding planner is doing a 495.00 wedding with images on cd and full reproduction rights, the photographer is definitely not a professional. Check the online gallery and be critical. It's worth a few extra bucks to get awesome images of your once in a lifetime Maui wedding.

Maui Wedding Photography

2008-10-09T13:03:00.002-10:00

Sunsets in Maui are incredible. It was raining the day we shot this. Right after a beautiful ceremony, while rounding up the guests, the sky opened up and a light rain came down. Fortunately, the wedding planner had the foresight to have a large tent available, an item often overlooked, especially during the extended drought we've been having here in Maui. Even though Makena gets the rainfall typical in a desert, rain is always possible. The bride took it in stride. We did some work in the tent and as soon as it slowed we hit the beach and started shooting. The interesting thing about rainstorms is that it means there are clouds around which help bring out the best in a sunset. We kept telling her everything was going to be OK. I never show the client images on the camera monitor but I showed the bride this one and it calmed her down immediately.

Maui sunset weddings

2008-09-11T14:52:00.003-10:00

Sunsets at a Maui beach can be spectacular. Golden clouds and rich reflections off the ocean create a magnificent backdrop for your most romantic and special day. Most Maui photographers will crank up that on camera flash and hit you full bore with it to light you against that backdrop, but is that really the way to light a couple on their wedding day? The reason most beach photographers hit their clients with on camera flash is simple: cost. It takes money to hire an assistant to hold a strobe and a reflector and in a tight economy with cutthroat competition, it is difficult to justify the extra expense. But what about the destination wedding couple who has spent a sizable sum to get married thousands of miles from home? Is it our responsibility to inform them of the difference between a professional photo shoot and an amateur one? We believe it is. When we coordinate your Maui wedding an assistant travels with the photographer to assure images like these.

Maui Wedding Photographers

2008-09-05T13:22:00.003-10:00

A maui wedding can be a visual banquet. When checking out a location for your big day, be sure to inquire about the Olowalu Plantation House. This circa 1930 plantation house was the residence of the Pioneer Mill plantation manager. Lovingly restored and converted into Maui's premier wedding venue, the Plantation House offers incredible sunset views, tropical landscaping and authentic architecture which lends an air of rustic elegance to your Maui wedding album. This venue can accommodate over 100 people with ease. The grounds are large enough for a tent, luau show and dance floor with space left for a romantic sunset shoot along the rocky beach. The coconut palms create that breezy island look that captures the essence of the day. If you're interested in the Olowalu House or any other premier wedding venue on Maui, be sure to contact us. You'll be glad you did.

Maui Photographers

2008-08-25T12:59:00.002-10:00

Maui Photographers come in all different shapes and sizes with different levels of skill and various pricing and service structures. There's so many of us, there's almost too many choices. My suggestion in picking a photographer is to find the ones who have an online photo gallery that you like. Images that you would like to have of your wedding day. Be mindful of style. Some Maui Photographers have very stylized approaches. Some shoot very posed "romantic" stuff, others use a more relaxed, photo-journalistic approach. Choosing a format that makes you feel comfortable is important. After that, establish your budget and choose the photographer that comes closest to it.

Dramatic Maui Sunsets

2008-08-19T12:12:00.004-10:00

Drama. It can be bad or it can be good. On Maui, we try to engage in the good kind. Golden sunsets, beautiful beaches and great lighting. Even if you're on a honeymoon, bring the dress along and book a session on the beach. These images will add an exotic flair to your wedding album. Be sure to ask us about our honeymoon photography sessions.

Maui Weddings

2008-08-10T11:20:00.002-10:00

I was told by my esteemed friend, photographer and sometime employer, Tony Novak-Clifford, that my last post had so much whine, it needed a little cheese. He may be right. When it gets busy I get almost as crazy and when it gets slow. Which brings me to the subject of "The Edit". A professional job requires not only excellent capture but a commitment to an extensive edit. Some of my clients will have 400 images in their package. This type of edit takes time. That's why I try to buy myself at least 2 months on these types of jobs. If your photographer is promising that many images and will deliver the disk to your hotel room before you leave, it might be reasonable to re-think your choice.

Hawaiian Wedding

2008-07-22T16:12:00.002-10:00

Oh, the challenges of being a photographer in Maui! Aside from the big issues such as the high cost of living, cutthroat competition and idiotic government regulations, we have the merely irritating annoyances such as slim bikini clad babes cavorting in the surf right behind the wedding couple we're about to photograph, snotty little kids who can figure out the perfect place to stand so that you'll have to spend hours working the clone stamp in photoshop to remove them from your portraits and my personal pet peeve: "the entourage", outfitted with a plethora of cheap digital cameras and cell phones that take pictures. I actually have to elbow some of these clowns out of the way at virtually every wedding I shoot. I even had someone complain, while I was photographing a group, that he didn't get his shot because "this dude got in the way" (pointing disgustedly at me). The wedding couple is paying me a hefty fee specifically so that they don't get shots that look like the ones brother Jeb takes so why does Jeb even bother?

If you're contemplating hiring a photographer, do yourself a favor and request that all the budding photographers in your group leave their overpriced cameras in the hotel room. And remind your guests that when the photographer is aiming his camera at them they should smile because those pictures are not for him, they are for you, so that you can remember a beautiful, once in a lifetime day.

Testimonials

2008-07-14T09:56:00.002-10:00

Testimonials are the best way to show clients how we treat them. The internet is used by people who have plenty of experience in e-commerce and who are more than a little skeptical. That's why I try to include links from clients who have taken the time to write about how great their experience with us was. Most folks are quick to complain when things go awry but not too many take the time to write when the service is good but when they do, we should sit up and pay attention.

Dealing with the Red Tape

2008-07-10T16:16:00.001-10:00

The State of Hawaii has reared its ugly little head and has decided that all beach weddings in Hawaii must have a right of entry permit to be legal. Before you slam the mouse on the desk and call Mexico, call us first. If you're planning your wedding yourself and not using a professional that plans Maui Weddings, call me. I can get the permit easily and will only charge you what the state charges me which is usually 20 dollars unless you have a huge group. So don't fret, don't change your plans, Maui is still the number one destination wedding island in the world and I can steer you to the most beautiful, pristine beaches available here.

Maui Wedding Photographers

2008-06-30T12:58:00.001-10:00

Maui wedding photographers come in many different forms. Some are seasoned professionals with extensive online portfolios while others are amateurs who work in the hotel by day and prowl the beaches at night. It's pretty easy to tell who's who; just explore their website. The professionals will have well designed websites with plenty of imagery from different weddings. They will also be more expensive. Hiring a photographer is not like getting a product at Wal Mart. You get what you pay for. Since your Maui wedding is not likely to happen again in your lifetime, it makes sense to hire the best.

Maui Wedding Photographers

2008-06-03T12:00:00.002-10:00

Maui wedding photographers can be seen scrambling over rocks and crawling on their bellies every afternoon around sunset on any given beach in Maui. Sometimes several of them at a time, making well dressed brides and grooms canter up the beach or walk in the surf. All in the name of getting "The Shot". There are a lot of us to choose from so follow a few simple rules when hiring a photographer:

1) Make sure you like the images on their website. The website is a direct reflection of the photographer. If it is old and poorly designed with bad imagery you should probably find someone else.

2) You get what you pay for. In these days of 500 dollar digital cameras and photo cd's, everyone is a photographer, even the guy who works at the T-shirt shop during the day and cranks out $99. weddings after work. These people are amateurs and your images will show it. Spend a few bucks on a professional, you will be glad you did.

3) Ask for references. Give a bride or two a call or an e-mail. If the pictures were great, they'll let you know

4) Ask to see a complete wedding. We all edit the best stuff for the website. You want to see what kind of work you can expect through the whole day.