Capturing Life's Precious Moments by a top kauai photographer
Kauai photographer for weddings, events, and family portraits
What's up
I'm a professional photographer that gives my clients a mix of classical and zany photos, thoughtfully realized. I do couples photo sessions, family photos, weddings and events. To help you select me as your photographer I have placed a few hundred of my photos on this website, including seniors portraits, maternity AKA baby bump, surprise proposals, vow renewals. Thank you for considering me as your kauai family photographer.
COUPLES PHOTOGRAPHY, WEDDINGS, ENGAGEMENTS
Non-linear style.
I'm a brit-born Kauai photographer with, I'm told, an eye for minutia (details). The way I see it, I'm just looking for the best. Who stands where in relationship to the others in the group and the background means everything to me! Sunset photography sessions are perhaps my favorite. On this site there's a few hundred photographs and a link to view client galleries to get a feel for fluidity, so you'll know what you get when you choose me as your Kauai family photographer.
Password for full galleries is: GUEST
LIGHT, SHADOW, ACTION
Wedding photography Kauai - I do shoot weddings, not just family photography. While family photo sessions tend to be booked at golden hour, weddings are often set for mid afternoon or even midday. I always look for ways to make sunlight, which is often harsh in those hours, or lack of sunlight work for me. But I'm always looking for ways out, the non-obvious. On one Kauai elopement wedding, I was at the fern grotto, blinding streams of sunlight roasting us. Below the venue lay the forest. I knew that's where I wanted to be. Not only was it not so hot there, I was able to shoot directly into the blinding sunlight, using trees to partially block/modify the light. I was able to get the kind of hazy lighting you see on film sets. The elopement couple were in flowing white. Classical. Not so classical to be boring. A gritty snarl was just as striking as a tender one; a punch in his arm caught an astonished look. Later in the day, I took the couple to Hanalei Bay where I had them flying out of the surf in a billowing cloud of sea spray. Perfect sunset shot!
TTFN
David Marsh, Kauai photographer.
My Kauai photography philosophy
I believe every photoshoot deserves a "YOU" approach, so I work closely with my clients to understand needs. After my sunset photography sessions my creative juices remain devoted to your needs. Here I use my decades of photo touch up experience to add dimension to your photos, adding light where light didn't exist, cutting light when it's too harsh. So if you're looking for a little extra special from your Kauai family photographer, if you'd love your couples photography session to be above your wildest dreams, please contact me.
Photography Options
COUPLES / FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Kauai’s misty mountains with lush foliage is stunning for professional photography, only Kauai wouldn’t be so verdant without its rainfall. Still, not everyone wants sunset couples photography in a downpour, which is why as a kauai photographer, I try to be as flexible as possible in regards to switching times, even the shoot date if possible, at no extra charge.
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
For surprise proposals, as a seasoned kauai photographer , I like to offer my client the option of telling their significant other that they're booking a photo shoot, while keeping the surprise proposal bit a secret. The benefit is reduced fee, which then becomes a couple's photo session; the other benefit is we will be eliminating the precise moment/ precise spot for the proposal. It's still a surprise proposal, but not a surprise photoshoot. I'm happy to show you photo sets of past surprise proposals—all true surprises!
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
Destination elopements are the staple of Hawaii's photography business. My wedding photography packages include stunning editing. For 1-hour sessions, photo journalism of the ceremony, then portraiture coverage afterward. You'll receive 50 gorgeously edited photos with a private on-line gallery for viewing, sharing with family and friends, and downloading. Longer photography sessions including split location sessions, just ask me about options.
Mahalo, your Kauai photographer.
LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT PHOTOGRAPH
A Kauai photographer in search of an outrigger
"Sunset hour on a beach, please."
I cannot tell you how many times this request appears in emails and texts to me. Well, it is the name of my website. Duh!
"Yes," I tell the client, "baby bump" maternity photoshoot Kauai sunset. Awesome!" Kauai has so many stunning beaches, vast stretches of sand, glimmering sunset ocean. Then in my mind I see a gazillion swimmers and surfers and sunbathers. Where to do the session? There are beaches in Kauai that are sparsely trafficked. Typically not easy to get to, and most are quite small, not offering too much in dynamic quality.
You might ask, what is dynamic quality? Think of the beach and the ocean as 2-D. Then think of misty mountains, swaying palm trees, jungle shadow nestled up to that crescent-moon beach, then an outrigger canoe sitting on a sand bank, lazy rock pools, a fallen tree trunk on the beach. That's 3-D. While a beach like Larsons Beach is lovely for escaping to and relaxing, it lacks photo op dynamics. As a kauai photographer, I really want more than sparkling ocean and sweeping drifts of sand in the background. This is why I do most of my photoshoots at Hanalei Bay or Shipwreck Beach or Tunnels Beach. While there are other beaches besides these three with dynamic qualities, I also consider factors such as ease of getting there, parking, safety, bathrooms, etc.
As a Kauai family photographer I love it when my clients see their photoset for the first time and text me, "These are amazing!" 'I love them all!" "You made all the other beach goers disappear, thank you so much"
Once again. 'nuff said, for now
—David
Your photographer Kauai.
Sunset photography Kauai at the beach
I’m in a forest for a sunset shoot. I place my subject with the sun behind her. It's a blinding sun producing amazing backlighting in her hair, but it's also creating flares in my camera lens and blinding me. Thing is, because I'm in a forest I know I can place her and myself in such a way where tree foliage blocks the harshest rays while still providing enough sun flare and back light for a magnificent shot.
Not as easy on a beach photographing a family during sunset hour. Here it's a bit more challenging. I can either accept the bright sun flares, with my subject/s mostly in silhouette. Many of my clients love this look. Optionally, I can use photo flash to counter the sun and retain skin tones. The resulting photos will likely have a slight unnatural look, which can also be very creative. Lastly, I can wait for the sun to get very low in the sky, when it's less intense, more colorful and sometimes magical. This is a very small window of opportunity—minutes to grab the shots. Usually these are gems. But I also get gems in the morning, at midday, during twilight. As a Kauai family photographer I don’t think there’s a bad time of the day for a photoshoot.
Tidbit if trivia. Do you know the three categories of twilight?
- Civil twilight.
- Nautical twilight.
- Astronomical twilight.
MY FAVORITE...uh?
Tidbits about David Marsh Kauai photographer
Tangelos are absolutely delicious. Winter time is citrus time in Kauai and you'll find me at the farmers' market buying tangelos by the crate load. I’m a Kauai photographer who loves sunsets more than sunrises, digs broccoli, cayenne pepper in smoothies, peanut butter but never onto jelly, and guess what? I don't have favorite things, no favorite movie, favorite book, favorite food, favorite color, or favorite most things, and I’ve read thousands of books, seen thousands of movies, tasted more foods than I can name and so on.
I talk to strangers I pass in the street, like, "hi, good morning, nice sneakers."I do the same at the supermarket, in the parking lot at the beach after I’ve finished a photo session. Growing up I was a shy one. Who knew I’d be such a chatter box?
Don’t be surprised to see me walking around with two, sometimes even three cameras slung over me during a photo shoot. If I’m your Kauai wedding photographer and we’re doing a session at the beach, I’d sooner have the three cameras on me, each with a different lens rather than a single camera and a backpack of lenses. On the beach, swapping out lenses is not my thing.
I speak one language but at three different speeds, all with an accent that says I was born where…Australia? Nope. South Africa? Nope. Yup, you guessed it, the other place.
Surprise proposals seem to come in waves for me. I won’t shoot a surprise engagement for months, and then all of a sudden, it’s six in row over two weeks.
A minute ago I wrote I don't have any favorite things. Uh, maybe not entirely accurate. Kauai is my favorite place to live and I love being a Kauai photographer.
Photoshoots in Poipu and Lihue - I'm driving!
More on favorites, like favorite Kauai officiant, etc. https://www.kauaivideoproductions.com/DavidMarsh/Favorites.html
Diamond Light, jewels of light, the magic of light. You guessed it: light is the quintessence of photography. If you'd like to see more about Diamond Light: https://diamondlightphotography.wordpress.com/2024/07/23/beautiful-family-portraiture/
Before I sign off this section I want to mention that I write, not just this kind of stuff for my website, but, well, books! I would love a wee bit 'a help here. I mean HERE!
Okay, nuff said, for now.
