When planning your family session on the island of Oahu it can be difficult to know what to expect, especially if this is your first time doing a session like this. From the planning, the preparation, and the actual day of your session, there are a few things that you’ll want to know as you go into your day. That’s what this article is here for, to answer the question of what you should expect from your family session.

A Good Bit of Preparation

The first thing you’ll want to know about your Oahu family session is that there is a good amount of preparation that goes into it! After all the experience of your family session starts long before the camera comes out, it starts as soon as you start thinking about the details of your session. You’ll have to decide on location, time of day, season, who your photographer will be (why not Olson Productions?), what you’ll wear, etc. I have an article that goes further into depth on how to prepare for your family session which you can read here.

Some Light Hiking

Depending on the location of your family session on Oahu there can be some light hiking involved. We likely won’t be doing anything too extreme to keep things easy and enjoyable for the kids, but there will be some adventuring around on location at the very least. For example, during the Berg’s family session at Makapuu Lookout we had some light hiking while at the Cox’s family session we spent our time walking around once we made it to our location. In order to prepare yourselves and the kids for this make sure they eat beforehand as well as pack a snack to keep them fueled for the day. You’ll also want them to have a potty break before we start to avoid any accidents or discomfort, and lastly be sure to pack some good walking shoes if there is hiking involved in your location!

Let Your Kids be Kids

One thing that is a certainty with children is that they’re going to act like kids, and that is OK, more than ok in fact! Family sessions are about capturing you and your family as they exist, all the fun you have together and the silly ways you interact with one another are what make your family special and unique. Prior to your session talk to your kids about what is going on and how someone will be taking photos of them so that they aren’t caught off guard. That way we can capture some more formal photos where everyone is looking at the camera. As they start to lose interest though and play with one another, let them! It makes for a more enjoyable experience for them and often some of your favorite photos!

Lots of Fun and Smiles

You can be sure to expect a ton of fun and happiness during your family session on Oahu! Like I mentioned previously these sessions are meant to capture you and your family just as you are now. During your session, be present in the moment with your kids. Play and joke around with them, tickle them to get them to do that big belly laugh you love, toss them up in the air and catch them so their face lights up in a smile, if you think about anything you do that will get them smiling and having fun will in turn have you feeling that same joy which is SO good for your photos!

As a final tip, make a day out of it. Plan out a trip to their favorite ice cream shop, cook their favorite meal for dinner, or head to the beach for some fun in the sun after the session. 

Olson Productions is Here for You

So we talked a lot about family sessions on the island of Oahu throughout this article, but what about the other islands of Hawaii? Some of you might be worried about not getting the experience of working with me as your photographer if you have your session on one of the other islands. Don’t worry though as that is NOT the case! While I am based on Oahu, the Olson Productions team is present on EVERY island. This means that while I may not be the one to photograph your session on a different island, you can still be sure that you’ll get the best experience and photos possible when working with a member of my team!

Family sessions on Oahu and throughout the Hawaiian islands as a whole are SO much fun, and some of our favorites to photograph. If you’re feeling confident to start planning a family session after reading this article and are ready to book your photographer, send an inquiry to Olson Productions. We can then schedule your date and start planning your session together!