Sunsets at The Beach

I look for natural frames

Hanalei Bay dynamic photo ops - beach, mountains, palm trees, lush greenery - David Marsh Kauai phot

Every portraiture photoshoot I embark on I strive for originality. The beaches are forever changing, new sand berms rise along the shoreline that weren't there a week ago, fresh vegetation forms after the rains. On a photoshoot, my eye is always on the hunt for natural frames, ensuring that my view of you results in fresh, artistic, and innovative photographs. Thirty years as a professional photographer, sixteen of them as a photographer in Kauai, is in your corner. And don't worry, I’ll make sure you have a blast of a time.

Why Choose Me as your KAUAI PORTRAIT photographer?

Kauai's dramatic scenery for portrait photography - sunsets at the beach

The triangulation of outdoor portrait photography

Do you want a regular portrait photographer with good gear - capturing what unfolds - well, basically, anyone can do that or ....

A family photographer who places subjects to maximize the most favorable light, and utilizes frames within frames, and has an eye for symmetry, knows the importance of filling the frame, knows how to balance subjects with scenic beauty. This is one part of the triangulation of outdoor portrait photography. This is me.

Wedding elopement photography in Kauai by Sunsets at the Beach photography

Talent and skill to orchestrate and direct

I'm a photographer that choreographs, and directs subjects to minimize dangling arms, drain pipe legs, and awkward hands, and I encourage affectionate interconnectedness between subjects. This is the second side of the triangulation of outdoor portrait photography. It determines how good a photographer is.

Natural sunset lighting in Kauai - Sunsets at the Beach photography

An extra step in the editing

While nearly all photographers edit before delivering the photos, not all can or will even try to add dimension to this third side of the triangulation. This is where I am unlike many of the other portrait photographers that you might be considering; I add photo touchup masking techniques on top of regular photo editing. Why is that important? Candidly, if on the shoot day, the sun, the color of the sky, clouds, volume of wind, light shafts, ocean mist, etc, cooperates in the most perfect manner, it might not be that important. But that happens rarely. What is too often captured are photos with ungainly shadows, and bright spots on faces that are not flattering, and squinty or even closed eyes, as well as flat or sometimes harshly illuminated scenes. Regular photo editing won’t fix those. My photo touch up techniques deal with all these things and more. Not only will I fix, I’ll beautify, make you look fresher, less tired. I’ll add zing, zest and pop into your photos.

BEHIND THE TRIANGULATION

Pre-Shoot Visualization

Everybody needs a game plan before going into action. I just don't make a big deal of it. It all begins with the perfect beach or jungle location, allowing for the merger of you and Kauai’s stunning scenery.

The photoshoot

I strive to create a fun environment that will enable relaxed poses and candid enjoyment. If you’re camera-shy, don’t worry, hypnosis does wonders. Just kidding...or maybe not.

Photo touch-up

... is where I make beach goers disappear and the ocean gets bluer, and baggy eyes get smoothed out—because the magic has no bounds. But I also instinctively wield an editing shield to prevent over-zealousness that can easily create un-natural representation. It’s what I mean by honest photography.

What is photo touchup?

Photo sessions tips by Sunsets at The Beach Photography

Outfits and color schemes: I feel that you should wear what you want to wear as long as it's presentable. Bear in mind, toward the end of the session, I might ask you to place your ankles in the surf, which very often means even your romp is gonna get wet, too—all for a great photo.
Your hair: It gets windy on the beaches. One’s hair can easily wash over your face, not once, not twice, but consistently. So a headband, hair clips, scrunchy, anything to keep your hair out of your face might be the difference between a beautiful photo, and a photo sort of ruined by your hair partially or even mostly covering your face.
Your eyes: the eyes are the soul of the portrait. I know the sun is bright and squinty eyes come with that territory, especially if your eyes are sunlight sensitive. I have tricks to help you. But even when the sun is not in a face, all too often while I’m editing I find eyes that are consistently closed or just barely open. From where I’m taking the photos, I can’t always tell; So here's the tip: Pay attention to your eyelids. If you sense they are cast downward, it means I’m getting eyes that are not open. Keeping your eyelids open might mean that you need to look above the camera lens, especially when I'm taking low angle shots.
Perspiration. A hot day on the beach. We might be walking around quite a bit to get new photo ops. The tip: Bring along a hand towel, or wipes, at least a handkerchief, especially if you know you’re likely to perspire.
Dress straps and bra straps: Often I see too many straps. If you to want to wear a bra under a dress that has straps, see if you can conceal the bra straps.

Later then,

—David Marsh, your English photographer, Kauai.

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