Capturing Life's Precious Moments by a top kauai photographer
Top professional photographer David Marsh specializes in couples, maternity, and family photography
What's up
Aloha! I'm David Marsh, a professional Kauai photographer who's nuts about having fun on my photoshoots, so if you tell me, "yeah, David, we'd like you to be our Kauai family photographer," I guarantee you'll have a blast! Your photo session might even be one of the highlights of your stay in Kauai. Needless to say, your photos—zany and classical— will show genuine smiles and laughs. If you feel the desire to splash about in the ocean! Cool! I'll be there! Climb a tree and propose, fantastic. My directing background taught me to observe before giving direction, so that's what I do; I make stunning photos by finding ways to highlight your inner star, revealing the hidden show off that you didn't even know was lurking under your skin—I have a knack for finding you, while still making you feel totally comfortable. Couples photography sessions, romantic, passionate—I get that! Still fun. Family photography is close to my heart. Simply, I love people.
So how do you know to choose me as your photographer? Well, my photography portfolio is the best way to start. I've got hundreds of photos, all taken by yours truly on this website. Am I a small wedding photographer, an elopement photographer? Yes. Seniors portraits photographer? Yes! Maternity photographer AKA baby bump, yes! Photographer for graduation photos. Of course. Surprise proposals, vow renewals, I do! I mean you do. Later then, TTFN. David
PORTRAITURE SESSIONS WITH LOTS OF YOU
BE MY GUEST
Small weddings, big family reunions, graduation photos, who stands where for the photo. It's minutia, yes I know and I don't always direct with "squeeze left" and "Blue shirt in the back get on your tippy-toes" because getting folks to be natural often means telling a young teen, "You're a kitty cat." which can promote paws, pounces, fun hand stuff, even reactions I couldn't possibly imagine. I might tell you, 'K you direct traffic; stop, go, slow down!" Or "Talk to the hand! Or "you're on a 6" wide gangplank a thousand feet above rocks, so balance. Are you scared?" I'm looking for body language, genuine laughter because it's so silly. And who knows what else it might promote. The photo on the left is classically staged. If you're really keen on simple and classical, that's cool. Sometimes larger families rarely get together or maybe the Kauai trip will be a first time all together, period, and frivolity isn't always right for the moment. Reading what's wanted is also a knack of mine. Bottom line is making my clients feel comfortable. Believe me, even really self conscious people, by the latter half of the session, are usually showing off their personality like a blinding light and their grins couldn't be bigger!
K...onto something slightly different. Below this panel you'll see a link to client full galleries. You'll be able to see what the next shot looks like and the next. Because a single photo might not tell the whole picture. Mahalo. David, soon to be your Kauai family photographer.
Password for full galleries is: GUEST
LIGHT, SHADOW, ACTION
Once upon a time I was in the film biz, a DP, director, and editor. True. Maybe it was my sister who had me thinking weddings when she asked me to film hers. I shot it with an industry-leading motion picture camera. So here were are. Wedding photography Kauai. I shoot a very limited amount of weddings, by choice. If you're thinking of me as your Kauai elopement photographer/wedding photographer let me know your date ASAP.
THE TIME OF DAY
Many people believe only sunrise and sunset hours are the times to have professional photography—well, it's true most engagement photography sessions, couples photography photo-shoots and family photography sessions take place at sunrise or sunset, while elopement photography sessions mostly take place mid-day or mid-afternoon, when the sun can be very bright. But there's always ways to make sunlight or lack of sunlight work like magic. Even blinding streams of sunlight can be tempered by trees or bushes or a canoe on the beach, the result being the kind of hazy lighting you see on film sets. Placement of people, and decades of experience along with feet willing to walk to spots that offer some foreground or background shade helping with light modification is the difference between meh and wow! When the lighting part is taken care of, I can go for zany or classical photos. Here on the right I went for classical. Yet still, 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. Both worlds!
TTFN
David Marsh, Kauai photographer.
MY KAUAI PHOTOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY
I have three main objectives. Making my clients feel comfortable so that YOU have a terrific time in the session. Displaying scenically dramatic Kauai in a merger with YOU. And making sure I honor how light and shadow paints the best picture of YOU.
There's other things I'm known for as a top family photographer, such as imaginative staging and my editing skills. Not everyone wants photo touch-up. But if you desire seamless enhancements and added dimension to your photos which can be as innocuous as adding light where light doesn't exist or cutting light when it's too harsh—touches that make you look so good—well, that's in my wheelhouse. Just know, I don't do touch-ups that promote comebacks like "That's photoshopped!" But if you desire a little extra special from your Kauai family photographer, a bit more zest from your couples photography session, please contact me.
Photography Options
COUPLES / FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Kauai’s misty mountains with lush foliage reminds me every day that I live in paradise, what a place 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.
I prefer to do my photo sessions on the north shore. It's where I live, which means less driving time which otherwise would eat into my editing time. And believe me, I spend far more time editing photos than I spend on photoshoots, like 6 or 7 times more! For my clients, all I can say, is: you're on vacation; even if your hotel or AIRNB is on the south side, the spectacular north shore is so worth visiting. I do however understand if you have small children and you really don't want to drive.
My time/travel expenses are contingent on time of day and the season.
With aloha,
--David
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Let's say you choose me as your professional photographer for your surprise proposal in paradise.
I can be sitting on a blue beach blanket with a camera, so you'll know it's me, and once you go down on your knee, I'll already be photographing you. Thing is, unless we've met beforehand, it can be a bit stressful. There's often many photographers on the beach. You want to make sure you propose when I'm there.
There's another way, however, and many photographers encourage it because it's less stressful: you'll tell your significant other you're booking a photo shoot beforehand. We meet and greet as usual. Then during the photo session, you'll get a wink or whisper from me, which will mean, go for it! Still a surprise proposal. Another big advantage of doing it this way is that it will be booked as a couples' photo package, even though you will propose during the session, and the couples packages cost a lot less.
Re packages: They start at only $440
ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
SURPRISE ENAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Book early, if you can, is my first advice. Elopements are the staple of Hawaii's photography business and because I'm also a family photographer (with many repeat clients) my calendar space for elopements and small wedding photography is really limited. Onto why choose me: I'm going to repeat what I keep saying, look at my portfolio. While a portion of your elopement is ceremony, lighting is oh so important, as is framing for composition, and interesting angles. If you don't think I excel here, you have other options. Your portraiture session follows the ceremony. I really love this part and my fresh and innovative way of shooting reveals it.
For one-hour sessions you'll receive 50 gorgeously edited photos with a private on-line gallery for viewing, sharing with family and friends, and downloading. For longer wedding photography sessions including split location sessions, just LMK what you have in mind.
Mahalo, and I'm looking forward to being your Kauai photographer.
LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT PHOTOGRAPH
A Kauai photographer in search of an outrigger
"Sunset hour maternity photography 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!
"Awesome!" Kauai has so many stunning beaches, vast stretches of sand, glimmering sunset ocean. Where to do the session? Answer: one that offers amazing dynamic options.
You might ask, what? Well, think of misty mountains, swaying palm trees, jungle shadow nestled up to a sweeping beach, an outrigger canoe sitting on a sand bank, lazy rock pools, a fallen tree trunk on the beach. That's dynamic! Versus a sparsely trafficked beach like Larsons Beach. It's is lovely and romantic there but it lacks photo op dynamics. As a top kauai photographer, I really want more than sparkling ocean and sweeping drifts of sand in the background when I shoot. 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 options, 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
Sunset photography Kauai at the beach
Today my truckers hat says graduation photos photographer. I’m in a forest with Sarah, who's just graduated. Bright sun is setting. I place Sarah with the sun behind her. It produces amazing backlighting in her long blonde hair, but it also creates flares in my camera lens. Because I'm in a forest, it's easy to fix. "Can you move three steps to your right, Sarah." By moving Sarah and or myself I can nearly always use a tree or brush to block the harshest sun rays while getting enough back light for a magnificent shot. Easy as pie, for a professional photographer. But if I'm on a beach at sunset doing seniors portraits, it's not so straightforward. I can either accept the sun's dazzle and allow Sarah to fall into silhouette—an exceptionally creative look—or I can use photo flash to counter the sun's brilliance and retain Sarah's skin tone. For close up shots, magnificent. For full shots, the resulting photos are likely to have a slightly 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 and more colorful. This is a very small window of opportunity to take magical shots.
Sunset. Sunrise. Mid-morning. Being a professional 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 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, I like your 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?
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, three different speeds, with an accent that says I was born…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. Not entirely accurate. Kauai is my favorite place to live and I love being a Kauai photographer.
My favorite Kauai officiants. https://www.kauaivideoproductions.com/DavidMarsh/Favorites.html
Okay, nuff said, for now.