I was finally able to do my Tahitian photo shoot! I was sooo bummed that the weather canceled my session on Thursday… luckily, my plane didn’t leave until after 10pm on Friday allowing me to sneak in another session.

This was the one shoot all week that I was truly excited to photograph! Here is a little known fact about me… while in high school I was in a Polynesian dance troupe. Ok, ok… we danced at nursing homes and summer festivals, but it was fun and I developed a passion for this type of dance. Being able to shoot a Tahitan dancer in Hawaii is a pretty big deal for me!

My vision for the session was to do a few vintage pin-up style shots, some shots along the lines of Kim Taylor Reece and of course some “advertise-y” type shots for the girls to use in promotions. Here are a few of my favorites.

After this Tahitian session the girls styled themselves for a fun beachy lifestyle shoot. More images to come!

~Amy

Alison glowed during her maternity session. The extremely windy day combined with a borrowed scarf (a la Rachel) and a beautiful silhouette created this beautiful vision at sea.

Alison and Juan Carlos posed near a coconut grove for a funky photo.

Thanks to Rachel for snapping alongside me today! And especially for running to get me batteries!!!

I (Rachel) decided to stay in this morning to get some much-needed alone time at the hotel, and Amy took up the complimentary use of the hotel’s car to go out to the beach near Kailua. I just got a call from her saying that the car was broken into – some jerk smashed the window and stole her GPS (which was tucked away in the trunk). Luckily, Amy had her camera with her, and a guy was there to help her with the police and id’ing the thief.

It sounds like a kind of remote beach area, too, which is kind of scary.

Break-ins are completely common here in Hawaii; it’s not a surprise, but it is a bummer.

These photos are from each of us taken during the same five minute period.

Daily images…beautiful scenery and new friends.

First full day in Hawaii was amazing!!!
~Amy

Bev and James Rubio are the BEST hosts! Not only did they take us for a great lunch at a local Japanese restaurant but they took us to the Onomea donkey trail – a place James went as a kid to find opihi.

Our model was Kanoe, a beautiful “island girl”. She did a great job and we got some pretty amazing shots.
Here are some of my favs from the session -

What a great day! Thanks so much Bev and James Rubio! It was an honor to shoot with you guys!

~Amy

Rachel has touched down in the Aloha state… and I am finishing up some business prepping to make the same journey. I am feeling a bit excited and a bit guilty for leaving my family in the freezing cold and snowy weather. But my husband and family is amazing… and the kiddo is in great and able hands!

Top Ten things I’m looking forward to while in Hawaii:

10. feeling free

9. wearing sandals

8. getting a pedicure with Marina and hopefully Rachel

7. Taking a yoga class with my cousin Jennifer

6. dancing the hula, spinning poi balls and maybe shaking an ule ule

5. drinking a fancy drink out of a coconut (Rachel says this is the best)

4. photographing things my eyes have never seen before

3. spending time with some amazing photographers and people

2. reflecting on my business and coming up with some big ideas for 2009

1. getting lei’d

(ok – number 1 is always supposed to be funny! Sorry Andy!!!)

~Amy

First impressions.

I’ve known Amy for a couple of years now through the online wedding photographers’ community. I didn’t know much about her aside from her thoughtful posts and intelligent responses in community discussions.

Over the course of 2008 I got to know Amy a lot better. I met her in person for the first time one day before our wedding. Amy flew alone all the way from Wisconsin to San Francisco to hang out with a bunch of people she had never met and celebrate our wedding. I was impressed with her boldness, generosity, and willingness to take a chance. She was also fantastic to fill in with Marina when we had some family photo chaos during the Sofreh Aghd section of our wedding

As a former professional dancer, Amy was totally at home crazy dancing with all of our Persian family. Everyone loved her and wanted to set her up with their sons even though she is happily living the American Dream, complete with handsome husband and cute son. (I think they actually have a white picket fence in their yard.)

Amy and I are very different. Our professional work is pretty much opposite. When I tend to be painfully direct and unfashionably inclined, she is a graceful, stylish, classically tempered beauty. When we work together shooting a wedding, it’s really interesting to see how each of us complement the other person’s work and how we challenge the other to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Amy G and I am looking forward to spending some reflective time together having adventures and refreshing after a year of growth and change in our personal and professional lives.

This is Amy. She’s fantastic.