Find the Best Photographers in Honolulu

The name Wonderfully Made reflects the philosophy behind this Oahu maternity and baby photography practice: portraits framed around gratitude for a new life rather than trend-chasing prop setups. Newborn and maternity sessions make up the bulk of the work, with a dedicated page on the site explaining the personal story behind the name and the reason the photographer moved into this specific niche rather than general family portraiture. Sessions can be booked directly through an online date-selection tool, which streamlines scheduling for pregnant clients who need flexibility around an uncertain due date. Professional photo editing services are also listed separately on the site, suggesting the photographer takes on retouching work beyond her own sessions as an additional service. The overall aesthetic favors soft, warm tones and simple studio or outdoor settings over heavily staged concept shoots, keeping the attention on the baby and the family rather than an elaborate set. 

Lokeli’i Photography works across Oahu and, when needed, the outer islands, handling family, maternity, and newborn sessions under one practice rather than specializing narrowly in a single type of shoot. The newborn work sits alongside a broader family photography catalog, which means clients often book a first session during pregnancy and return for the newborn visit weeks later with a photographer already familiar with their preferences. For families who want continuity from bump to bassinet, having one photographer handle both the maternity and newborn chapters can simplify scheduling and styling decisions considerably. Pricing and packages are outlined directly on the site under an investment page, a common approach among boutique Hawaii photographers that sets expectations before a consultation call. The studio keeps its online presence simple, with a portfolio, an about page, and direct contact rather than a public blog, suggesting a smaller, more personal operation than some of the larger multi-photographer studios on the island. 

Hi Little Bird’s approach to newborn photography grew out of documentary-style family work rather than a studio background, and it shows in how sessions are structured: in-home visits built around a family’s actual routine during the first days with a new baby, rather than a fixed set of studio poses. The photographer describes the work as documenting the good life in Honolulu, focusing on ordinary details like a shared crib, a toddler’s reaction to a new sibling, or a grandmother meeting a baby for the first time, over heavily staged wrapping shots. Sessions and short films are both part of the offering, giving families a video component alongside stills if they want one. Because the visits happen at home, there is no need to transport a days-old newborn anywhere, and the resulting images tend to reflect the specific nursery, light, and layout of the family’s own house rather than a generic backdrop. 

Fresh 48 and lifestyle newborn sessions are the two services Michaela Friel Photography is built around, with the Fresh 48 format aimed at documenting a baby’s raw, unedited first hours in the hospital room before the whirlwind of visitors and going-home logistics sets in. For families who would rather wait until they are settled at home, she offers lifestyle newborn sessions instead, working with the natural light and layout of a family’s own nursery or living room rather than bringing in a studio setup. Her galleries lean toward quieter, less posed images, such as a parent’s hand next to a baby’s or a sibling peeking into a bassinet, over heavily styled wrapping shots. Maternity sessions are also part of her offering, and it is common for clients to book both a maternity and a newborn session as a pair during the same pregnancy. Sessions are scheduled directly around a due date, with flexibility built in since babies rarely arrive exactly on schedule. 

Alison Bell is a member of Professional Photographers of America, a credential that shows up in how she structures her Oahu newborn work around safety and comfort rather than trend-driven poses. She offers two distinct newborn formats: Fresh 48 sessions, where she comes to the hospital room or birthing center within the first two days to document a family meeting a baby for the very first time, and in-home lifestyle sessions scheduled during the first couple of weeks. The lifestyle sessions are intentionally low-effort for parents, with no need to tidy the whole house or coordinate matching outfits, since the goal is documenting the family’s own space, including older siblings and even the family dog, rather than building an artificial set. She markets primarily to first-time parents who worry they won’t remember these early days clearly, given how sleep-deprived the newborn stretch tends to be, and frames the sessions as a way to preserve details that fade fast, like the size of a baby’s hand or a grandparent’s first visit. 

Pam Phipps built her Oahu studio around a single idea: a newborn session should feel like a calm, guided experience rather than a rushed photo op squeezed between naps. Her in-studio sessions are structured around the baby’s comfort first, with soft wraps, layered textures, and simple backdrops that keep attention on tiny features, like fingers, eyelashes, and the curl of a lip, rather than an elaborate set. She keeps a small, curated prop and wrap inventory rather than an overwhelming closet of options, which speeds up styling decisions during the session itself. Booking generally happens during pregnancy, with a follow-up call closer to the due date to confirm scheduling once the baby arrives, since the newborn window for sleepy, bendable poses is short. Beyond the sessions themselves, her site walks new parents through what to expect from start to finish, from the investment and what’s included to how proofs are delivered, which cuts down on surprises for first-time parents who have never sat for a professional newborn shoot before. 

A newborn session at Ohana Baby Photography runs close to three hours, long enough to work around a baby’s feeding and settling rhythm instead of racing the clock. The Honolulu studio is kept intentionally warm to keep infants comfortable while unwrapped, and the photographer supplies backdrops, props, and outfits, along with a small wardrobe of dresses so mothers can be photographed alongside their newborn if they’d like. The style leans toward soft, styled studio portraiture rather than documentary-style home visits, with an emphasis on posed wrapping and simple, clean sets that photograph well on a nursery gallery wall. Sessions are best booked while a baby is still under two weeks old, before alert periods get longer and sleepy poses become harder to hold, and the studio recommends reserving a date during pregnancy so a session can be scheduled quickly after delivery. Everything needed for the shoot is prepared in advance, so parents mainly need to show up with their baby and settle in for the visit. 

Marissa HB Photography covers a wide stretch of windward and southeast Oahu, with Kailua, Lanikai, Kahala, Waimanalo, and Hawaii Kai all named service areas alongside Honolulu itself, which makes her a practical choice for families who don’t want a photographer based clear across the island. Now in her ninth year of shooting families in Hawaii, Marissa favors an in-home, lifestyle approach to newborn sessions: soft natural light through a nursery window, real moments between siblings and parents, and minimal staged posing. She guides parents through the visit rather than directing every frame, which tends to produce calmer, more candid images of the first days home. Alongside newborns she shoots maternity, family, and couples sessions, and several of her published reviews come from families who booked her first for a Waikiki vacation family shoot and returned later for a newborn or maternity session. She also takes on a limited number of fall sessions in the San Francisco Bay Area each year, but her primary, year-round base of work is on Oahu. 

Chantelle, the photographer behind Simply Blissful Photography, was born and raised on Oahu and has spent the last fifteen years building a home-based studio practice rather than a rented storefront, a detail that shows up in how relaxed her newborn sessions feel. She works with a rotating collection of backdrops, wraps, and props, plus a small selection of dresses for mothers who want a few portraits of their own during the same visit. Sessions run on the baby’s schedule, with breaks built in for feeding and soothing rather than a fixed shot list rushed through in an hour. Beyond newborns, she also handles maternity, cake smash, milestone, and family sessions, so many newborn clients return for the first-birthday shoot a year later. As a mother of five and grandmother of two, with a third grandchild expected, Chantelle brings a practical, unhurried approach to handling a fussy infant that comes from decades of raising her own kids, not just photography training. Her studio work is priced as an a la carte menu rather than bundled packages, letting families choose exactly what they want printed or delivered digitally. 

Working out of Kapolei on Oahu’s leeward side, Anthony Calleja has spent more than twenty years photographing newborns and growing families across the island, from Waikiki high-rises to North Shore plantation homes. His newborn sessions lean toward a classic, portrait-forward style, favoring soft wrapping, simple posing, and warm directional light over heavy prop work, which keeps the focus on the baby’s features rather than the set dressing. Calleja travels to Honolulu, Kailua, Kaneohe, Waianae, and Waimanalo for in-home sessions, so families don’t need to transport a days-old newborn across town for a studio visit. Sessions are typically scheduled within the first two weeks after birth, while infants are still sleepy enough to hold gentle poses, and he builds in extra time for feeding and settling breaks along the way. Clients receive a curated, edited gallery rather than every frame from the shoot, which keeps the final product tight and print-ready. His long run in the Oahu photography market has also made him a familiar name for referrals between obstetricians’ offices and local doula networks, and many newborn clients first found him through a family member’s earlier maternity session. 

Beth Sweitzer’s approach to wedding photography starts with a promise she puts right on her website: anywhere a couple gets married, she’ll meet them there. Based on Oahu, she’s built a business around destination flexibility, having photographed weddings not just across Hawaii but as far away as Florida, working with couples who want a consistent photographer even when their ceremony location changes mid-planning. Her focus is on storytelling over staged perfection — she talks specifically about capturing laughter, surprise, and the quieter, silent-connection moments between partners rather than only the big, expected shots like the first kiss or bouquet toss. Beyond traditional wedding-day coverage, Beth has a particular passion for underwater photography, offering couples the option of ocean or pool-based sessions that go beyond a standard land-based shoot list — a niche offering not every Oahu wedding photographer provides. She also shoots on both digital and film formats depending on what a couple wants, and typically delivers 60 to 80 images per hour of coverage. For couples who want video alongside stills, she partners with videographer Hannah Neville rather than trying to cover both roles herself. With a 5.0 rating across her reviews and pricing that starts around $2,500, she’s carved out a niche among couples specifically drawn to underwater or more adventurous destination-style sessions. 

Ella Merrill didn’t start out shooting weddings — she began her career in Southern California doing brand and fashion photography before eventually shifting into wedding work and, later, relocating her business entirely to Honolulu. That fashion-editorial background still shows in her attention to light and composition, though her current focus is squarely on documenting real love stories rather than styled editorial concepts. She describes herself as drawn to bright, natural light and small, easy-to-miss details — the specific traditions, in-jokes, and family touches that make one wedding different from the next — rather than chasing a single signature look across every couple she works with. Ella now serves Oahu and the broader Hawaiian Islands, along with mainland and destination weddings for couples who want to work with her outside Hawaii, a natural extension of her earlier California-based client base. Her portfolio spans venues from Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore to Southern California locations like San Juan Capistrano and Temecula, giving prospective clients a clear sense of how her style translates across very different settings. With a 5.0 rating across her reviews, she’s built a following among couples who want thoughtful, laid-back wedding imagery rather than a heavily directed or overly formal photography experience. 

LaDonna Takyi Taylor runs LT² Photography with a philosophy she describes as unscripted: rather than posing couples into predetermined shots, she builds a safe, relaxed environment and lets genuine moments unfold in front of the camera. That approach blends photojournalism with editorial styling, giving her wedding galleries a polished look without sacrificing the candid, in-the-moment feel some couples worry gets lost with more heavily directed photographers. Based on Oahu, LaDonna also maintains professional hubs in upstate New York and North Carolina, and she regularly travels for destination weddings — her portfolio includes ceremonies as far-flung as the French Riviera, Ontario, Knoxville, Kansas City, and Raleigh, alongside her Hawaii-based work. She’s also built a specific reputation among LGBTQ+ couples, who make up a meaningful share of her client base and who often cite her ability to create a genuinely comfortable environment as the reason they chose her over other studios. LT² covers both photography and videography, giving couples the option of one coordinated vendor rather than separately booking a photographer and videographer. With a 5.0 rating across her reviews and a growing multi-state client base, LaDonna has become known specifically for weddings where the couple wants documentation that feels emotionally honest rather than stylized or overly art-directed. 

Kylene Morgan approaches wedding photography less like documentation and more like translation — her stated goal is capturing how a moment felt, not just how it looked. Based in Kapolei and working across Oahu and the neighbor islands, she specializes in quiet, cinematic imagery that favors subtle, in-between moments — a glance, a held breath before vows, a hand tightening around another — over big, obviously staged shots. That sensibility has earned her recognition beyond the wedding industry: she photographed the engagement coverage for former NFL player Eric Decker and Hope Lavine that ran in People magazine, a notable credit for a photographer working primarily out of Hawaii. Kylene tailors each session to the specific couple in front of her rather than applying one fixed style across every wedding, which she describes as central to how she works — getting to know a couple’s dynamic first, then shaping the coverage around what actually makes their relationship distinct. Beyond full wedding-day coverage, she also shoots elopements, couples sessions, family portraits, and engagements across the Hawaiian Islands for both local couples and destination clients. With a 5.0 rating across her reviews, she’s built a reputation among Oahu couples specifically looking for a more editorial, emotionally driven style rather than a traditional, heavily posed wedding album. 

Jennifer Werneth Photography is run as a genuine family operation — a husband-and-wife team joined by additional photographers, drone pilots, and videographers who together have spent more than five years covering weddings across Oahu. What sets the studio apart from a lot of single-shooter operations is the breadth of what’s included: beyond photography, the team can arrange an officiant for a traditional Hawaiian ceremony, handle wedding permits and location licensing, scout locations in advance, and layer in drone footage, video, and even music and decor coordination. That full-service approach appeals to couples getting married in Hawaii from out of state, who often need help navigating logistics they can’t easily manage from a distance. The team’s stated goal is to capture raw, genuine moments and the kind of natural Hawaii light and scenery that photos alone can struggle to convey, while steering clear of the stiff, over-posed images a lot of couples say they want to avoid. All editing is handled in-house rather than outsourced, which keeps the finished look consistent across every gallery the studio delivers. With a five-star average across nearly 20 verified reviews and a reputation for flexibility, Jennifer Werneth Photography has built a loyal following among Oahu couples who want one team handling most of their wedding-day logistics. 

Mai Koch built Maiwahine Creations around a simple distinction: she wants couples to feel their wedding day back when they look at their photos, not just see it. Born and raised in Hawaii and now splitting her time between Honolulu and Switzerland, Mai brings a documentary-style eye to weddings and elopements, prioritizing genuine connection over posed perfection. She’s spent more than four years focused specifically on wedding photography, building a portfolio that spans intimate Oahu ceremonies as well as destination elopements in places like Lucerne, Zermatt, and the Swiss Alps — a range that reflects her own bicultural background. Mai is a certified Leave No Trace Aware Photographer, meaning she plans shoots with an eye toward minimizing impact on the natural locations couples choose, which matters a lot for elopements held in more remote or ecologically sensitive spots. She’s also explicitly LGBTQ+-affirming and Asian-owned, and she works fluently in both English and German, which has made her a popular choice for European couples eloping to Hawaii or Hawaii couples eloping to the Alps. Her work has been featured in Zola, Style Me Pretty, and The Lane, and she carries a 5.0 rating across nearly 40 reviews. 

Co-founders Tristan and Daniel started One Moment Hawaii in 2016 with a straightforward goal: treat every couple the way they’d want to be treated on their own wedding day, with genuine aloha rather than a transactional vendor relationship. Both were born and raised in Hawaii, and that local perspective runs through the company’s work — from knowing which Oahu beaches hold their light best at sunset to understanding the cultural weight a lot of couples want reflected in their ceremony coverage. In the decade since launching, the team has documented more than 500 weddings across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island, growing from a two-person operation into a full photography and videography studio offering drone footage, same-day edits, and live streaming for guests who can’t attend in person. Packages run from about $1,200 to $3,800, which the company markets as transparent, all-in pricing rather than a la carte add-ons that balloon the final bill. That straightforward approach, paired with more than 100 five-star Google reviews, has made One Moment Hawaii one of the most consistently recommended studios for Honolulu-area couples, particularly those who want both photography and videography handled by one coordinated team rather than juggling separate vendors. 

Keoni, the photographer behind Kpix Photography, has spent more than ten years photographing weddings around Oahu, and his approach is built around one simple idea: skip the clichés. Rather than chasing the same predetermined shot list every other photographer uses, he leans into whatever is actually happening — genuine laughter, unexpected weather, a grandparent tearing up during vows — and lets that guide the coverage. Couples repeatedly mention how relaxed he makes portrait sessions feel, which matters most for people who don’t consider themselves naturally photogenic or comfortable in front of a camera. Based out of Pearl City and shooting weddings island-wide, Kpix has built a large following among Honolulu couples looking for quality work without the highest-tier price tag; packages start at $1,499, notably lower than many comparably reviewed studios in the area. Turnaround is fast too, with edited galleries typically delivered in four to six weeks rather than the months-long waits some studios require. With more than 100 combined reviews across WeddingWire and Yelp and a five-star average, Kpix has become one of the more consistently booked names for Oahu weddings, particularly among couples planning smaller or more budget-conscious celebrations who still want a genuinely candid, well-composed gallery. 

Shannon Sasaki grew up on Oahu and first fell for photography in high school, shooting black-and-white film long before she ever picked up a camera professionally. That early, hands-on foundation still shows in her wedding work today, which leans toward true-to-life color and unposed emotion rather than heavily styled compositions. She got her start in the wedding industry by second-shooting for another photographer, and after seeing how much she loved the pace and energy of a wedding day, she built her own studio around it. Sasaki now splits her time between Honolulu and the Bay Area — her wife works at Pixar Animation Studios — which lets her shoot both Hawaii weddings and mainland ones for Hawaii couples who’ve relocated but still want her behind the camera. Clients frequently describe her as high-energy and easy to work with, someone who keeps a wedding-day timeline moving without ever making the couple feel rushed or over-directed. With close to 190 reviews and a near-perfect rating on WeddingWire, she’s become one of the more established names in the Honolulu wedding photography scene. Outside of work, she’s an avid traveler who has visited 13 countries, and a self-described Halloween enthusiast — details that show up in the playful, personal rapport she builds with couples before the big day even starts. 

Right Frame Photography has spent more than a decade behind the camera on Oahu, building a reputation as one of Honolulu’s most-reviewed wedding photography teams. Led by Radek, the studio takes a natural, elegant approach that favors genuine reactions over stiff posing — couples get gentle guidance when it’s useful and plenty of room to just be themselves when it isn’t. Since opening in 2012, the team has photographed everything from barefoot elopements on Waimanalo sand to full-scale receptions at Ko Olina resorts, and that range shows in a portfolio that moves comfortably between quiet, intimate moments and big celebratory ones. Local knowledge is a big part of the pitch: years of shooting the same beaches and botanical gardens means the team already knows where the light turns gold at 5:30pm in July versus December, and which North Shore lookout points clear up fastest after a passing shower. Beyond weddings, Right Frame also shoots engagements, family portraits, maternity sessions, and proposals, which means many couples work with them more than once. With hundreds of reviews across Yelp and WeddingWire and a five-star average, it’s earned its place as a go-to name for couples planning a Honolulu wedding who want documentary-style images without a lot of directing.