Ashley and Dave chose Kuki’o Beach, a beautiful white-sand beach just north of Kona, as the location for their Big Island engagement photo session. Kukio is accessed at the Hualalai Four Seasons Resort.
I often spot Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Honu) resting on the sand along the beach, especially at sunset time. I love incorporating them into my shots!
Engagement photography is one of my favorites. Andrew proposed to Natalie at Christmas, they had agreed not to exchange stockings this year, but he gave one to her after all, with a diamond ring inside! I love capturing love. Thank you Natalie and Andrew for choosing me to capture your sweet relationship…I was honored!
Nail contacted me a few weeks ago to talk about an engagement photo session. Nail and his fiance, Amy were on vacation in Waikoloa, and wanted to do some engagement photos before they left to go back home to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were staying in Waikoloa, so I suggested close by Kukio beach for their session, knowing it would be beautiful and empty, especially in the early morning. I always offer the early morning option to prospective clients, but rarely do they choose it, so I was a bit surprised that Nail and Amy wanted to get out of bed so early on their vacation…….
Now, I am really NOT a morning person, the alarm clock buzzes. I crack an eye open and see the light blinking at me. 5:45am. It takes a few moments for my groggy mind to remember why I set my alarm in the first place. I groan, and after another minute, roll out of bed. I take a quick peek out the window. Still dark out. But it won’t be for long. I quickly dress, pack a breakfast bar and thermos full of coffee. I double-check my equipment list. By 6:00am, I am on my way out the door and headed down my driveway. I am headed about 30 minutes from my home. I meet Nail and Amy in the parking lot, already the golden glow of the sun is beginning to appear. I smile. It’s going to be a beautiful sunrise.
Truly, the most beautiful part of the day occurs before many people wake up.
I would describe Amy and Nail’s relationship as playful, cute and romantic … a couple that seems to have it all. This engagement session was a blast and I really enjoyed how much these two love each other. My images capture everything about them.. fun.. laughter..romance…and love. I especially love that they were willing to go play in the ocean with all their clothes on at such an early hour.
Loss of sleep. An early morning. A 30-minute drive.
Worth it?
Totally. Nail and Amy are gonna love it.
I have been coming to Kukio (Kikaua Point Beach Park) with my daughter since she was 5 weeks old so I was thrilled when Vanessa chose this location for her maternity photography session. Vanessa wanted to include her active toddler daughter in the photographs which was quite a challenge, but well worth all the running around. I think we got some really fun photos in the end!
Kukio is one of my favorite beach locations. The shallow water in the morning lends itself to bright turquoise, and the sunsets are spectacular. We call Kukio the baby beach because it is basically a walled in wading pool with clear blue waters, ideal for young children. The wall forms a natural protective barrier from the surf and currents and many families come here to relax and enjoy the calm waters. The sand space is large, clear, white and inviting. The landscaping provides ample trees and plenty of shade.
Kukio beach is located at the end of the grounds of the Kukio oceanfront residential community. As with many resorts along the west Hawaii coast, there is a gated entrance. Let the staff member know that you are going to the Public Beach access and he will give you a pass to place on your windshield. There is limited parking spaces at the beach so be advised. Once you go through the gate, follow the Public Beach Access signs through the resort to the parking lot adjacent to the water. The beach access is nicely designed with a paved walking path through the lava rock to the shore.