Planning a trip to Oahu and want to get awesome Oahu family photos? Keep scrolling to find out how to book an affordable Oahu family photography session for your vacation!
This post about affordable Oahu family photography and how to take Oahu family photos was written by Hawaii travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
So you’re planning this incredible Hawaii vacation, and obviously you want gorgeous family photos to prove it actually happened.
But between coordinating outfits, finding a legit photographer who won’t make you look like awkward tourists, and somehow getting everyone to look at the camera at the same time without someone melting down?
Yeah, it’s a lot.
After 40+ trips to Hawaii as a professional tourist and Hawaii travel expert, I can tell you the photos that actually turn out amazing are the ones where we’re having fun and not stressed about the camera.
That’s why we always book Flytographer for our Oahu family photos. Every single time.
Our last sunset shoot at Kualoa Beach Park?
Still obsessed with those photos. The Ko’olau Mountains in the background, Mokoli’i Island (Chinaman’s Hat) right there in the bay, and somehow my kids actually looked happy instead of like we were torturing them.
The whole thing was stupid easy.
We showed up, the photographer already knew all the best spots to avoid the crowds (there were literally five other photographers there that evening), and she kept our kids entertained the entire hour with games and “secret missions” to find shells.
Plus she gave us the best restaurant recommendations for the rest of the week, which honestly might have been worth the price alone.
Book your Oahu Flytographer session here and save $20.
What You Actually Need to Know About Booking Flytographer in Hawaii
Sessions are either 60 minutes ($425) or 90 minutes ($590) in Hawaii.
The 60-minute session gets you 35 photos and works great for most families. If you’ve got a bigger group or want multiple locations, go for the 90-minute option with 50 photos.
There’s also a $20 permit fee for Oahu that gets added on, but your photographer handles all of that paperwork. You literally don’t have to think about it.
When you compare this to what local photographers charge (often $500+ for way less time), Flytographer is actually competitive. And you get the photos back within a week, sometimes faster.
Want to save $20? Use my link to book.
If planning your whole Oahu trip feels overwhelming (not just the photos), I do personalized Hawaii travel consultations where we map out your entire itinerary, figure out the best day for photos, and I can even help you coordinate outfits if you want.
Where to Actually Take Photos on Oahu
Kualoa Beach Park is hands down my favorite spot.
You get those dramatic Jurassic Park mountains (they actually filmed there), Mokoli’i Island sitting right there in the bay, and you can shoot on both the beach and in the grassy fields.
It’s about 40 minutes from Waikiki, but the drive along the Windward Coast is so pretty you won’t even care.
Fair warning though: the sand has some natural debris (leaves, bark, palm fronds) so if you’re imagining pristine white sand, you might want to stick to the grassy areas with the mountains behind you.
Those mountain shots are chef’s kiss anyway.
The park gets busy on weekends with local families having cookouts, so weekday evenings are your best bet.
When we went, there were several other photographers there with clients, but the park is huge so it didn’t feel crowded.
Lanikai Beach is gorgeous with those twin islands and crazy blue water, but parking is absolutely miserable.
Like, you might be walking 10 minutes from your car. If you’re set on Lanikai, book sunrise and get there early.
Waikiki Beach works if you’re staying in town and don’t want to travel, but you have to do sunrise.
By mid-morning it’s wall-to-wall people and your photos will be photobombed by strangers’ beach gear.
The Ko Olina lagoons near Disney Aulani are protected from wind and super calm, which is nice if you have little kids.
Just know you can’t do commercial photography right at the resort beach. Your Flytographer photographer will know which nearby public beaches work perfectly.
When you book through Flytographer, you can actually message your photographer beforehand and they’ll help you pick the best location based on what vibe you want, what time of day you’re shooting, and where you’re staying.
Need more help planning your Oahu trip beyond just photos? I made a free 7-day email course on planning a trip to Oahu that walks you through everything.
What to Wear Without Overthinking It
People stress about this way too much. You don’t need everyone in matching Hawaiian shirts unless that’s your thing.
We did coordinating pastels for our last shoot and it looked adorable without being too matchy-matchy.
Everyone was in a different pastel color (pink, lavender, mint, peach) and it photographed really well against the green mountains and blue water.
Maxi dresses are great because they move in the wind and look flowy in photos. Just make sure you’re comfortable because you’ll be walking around, sitting on the beach, maybe getting in the water.
Hawaiian flower crowns (lei po’o) are all over Instagram for a reason. They’re stunning in photos and you can order them from florist shops or lei stands in Waikiki.
After your shoot, stick them in the fridge with a damp paper towel and you can wear them for a few more days.
Skip pure white if you’re doing a beach session. Light colors are fine, but bright white can wash you out in the intense Hawaiian sun. Light blues, soft pinks, creams, those all work better.
And listen, I learned this the hard way: do your hair and makeup. I used to show up looking like regular vacation me and then wonder why I looked so washed out in the photos.
Now I pack my curling wand specifically for photo day and actually put on foundation and mascara. Makes such a difference.
If you need help figuring out what to pack for your whole trip, my Oahu Travel Guide has a complete packing list.
Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before My First Shoot
Watch some posing videos on YouTube before you go.
I know it sounds silly, but I used to just stand there doing the same three poses over and over because I had no idea what to do with my hands or where to look.
This video helped me figure out how to look natural instead of like a deer in headlights.
Make sure you tell your photographer you want couple photos. We always forget to ask for this and end up with 50 pictures of the kids and like two of us together.
Now I literally tell the photographer upfront that I want some shots of just me and my husband because otherwise it won’t happen.
Kids relax when they have something to hold or do. We’ve used flower leis, brought a ukulele as a prop, and honestly our favorite trick is bribing them with shave ice at the end.
Some of my absolute favorite photos are the ones where they’re eating treats because they actually look genuinely happy instead of fake-smiling.
Book your session early in your trip, not at the end. That way if it rains or someone gets a gnarly sunburn, you can reschedule.
Plus you’ll still look fresh and not completely exhausted from a week of vacation.
Think about what specific shots you want before you get there.
Like do you want each kid individually with each parent? All the siblings together without adults? Multi-generational shots if grandparents are there?
Just have a mental list so you don’t forget to ask for something and then kick yourself later.
Ready to book? Click here to save $20 on your Flytographer session.
Quick Answers to Stuff People Always Ask Me
The 60-minute session is perfect for most families with kids. It’s enough time to get variety and try different spots but not so long that everyone gets cranky.
If you’ve got 7+ people or want to hit multiple locations, go for the 90-minute session.
Yes, you tip your photographer. Same as you would any service provider in Hawaii. I usually do 15-20% in cash at the end.
Here’s my full guide to tipping in Hawaii if you want all the details.
If it rains on your session day, your photographer will work with you to reschedule.
Hawaii weather is so unpredictable (it can be sunny in Waikiki and pouring on the North Shore at the same time), which is another reason to book early in your trip so you have flexibility.
Most hotels don’t allow commercial photography on their property, but your photographer will know public beaches nearby that are just as beautiful.
This comes up a lot with people staying at Aulani or the big Waikiki resorts.
How to Actually Book Your Session
Go to Flytographer’s Oahu page and browse through the photographers.
Each one has a full portfolio so you can see their style. Some are brighter and more vibrant, others are moodier and more artistic. Pick whoever’s work you love.
The booking system is super straightforward.
You pick your photographer, choose your date and preferred time (sunrise, mid-morning, afternoon, or sunset), select how long you want (60 or 90 minutes), and they’ll confirm within 48 hours whether they’re available.
You can also check out photography options through Viator or Get Your Guide, but Flytographer is my go-to for family sessions. The quality is consistent and you’re not gambling on some random person.
If planning your whole Oahu trip feels like too much (figuring out where to stay, what to do each day, where to eat, when to schedule photos so you don’t look sunburned), I do one-on-one consultations where we plan your entire itinerary together.
I’ll help you figure out the best day for photos based on everything else you want to do.
After you get your photos back (usually within a week, sometimes faster), actually print them. I order through Shutterfly because it’s cheap and easy, then grab these frames to display them.
Way better than having them sit on your phone forever where you never look at them.
I also make a photo book for each trip. It’s so much better than scrolling through thousands of phone photos trying to remember what you did.
Why This Is Actually Worth It
Look, you’re already spending a few thousand dollars to get your family to Hawaii. Don’t be cheap about the one thing that’ll help you actually remember it.
I know $425 for an hour feels like a lot. But think about how much you’re spending on your hotel, flights, rental car, activities, meals out.
The photos are what you’ll have 10 years from now when your kids are teenagers and won’t want to be in family pictures anymore.
No hauling camera equipment. No setting up tripods. No begging random tourists to take a photo and crossing your fingers they got everyone in the frame.
Just an hour of your family having fun while someone who knows what they’re doing captures it.
The photos from our Kualoa Beach shoot are some of my favorites we’ve ever taken.
My kids were genuinely happy (not fake-smiling), the lighting was perfect, and we have photos with those incredible mountains that we’ll never get anywhere else.
Book your session here and save $20. Trust me on this one.
Want more Oahu resources? Check out my posts on the best things to do on Oahu with kids, kid-friendly luaus, and visiting Pearl Harbor with kids.
I also have the Hawaii Travel Made Easy podcast where I share more insider tips.
