Outfit Ideas  & Tips
Family of five in blue and coral outfits on a Maui beach by lava rocks
Women and a girl in soft pastel dresses by the ocean on Maui

Choosing outfits for your session is essential, and the key is coordination, not clash. Rather than having everyone wear the exact same color or print, aim for a cohesive look by coordinating the group within a color scheme or drawing inspiration from a print worn by an individual. Earth tones, pastels, and soft colors are generally most flattering and create a harmonious aesthetic.

Coordination extends beyond just colors; coordinating fabrics and clothing textures can also contribute to a cohesive look.

For ease of selection, it's often best for adult women to choose their outfit first, as coordinating kids' and men's clothing to match theirs is typically simpler. If you have any questions or need further guidance on outfit selection, don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to ensure your session is memorable and visually stunning!

Family of five standing by the ocean in soft evening light at Launiupoko, Maui
Family of four on a Maui beach at sunset
Family of seven in blue and white standing among lava rocks under palms, Maui

  • Floor-length clothing will get wet! We recommend staying away from floor length dresses or pants if you would like remain dry-looking throughout the session. No big deal if clients wear floor length clothing, just make us aware that you would like to remain dry if you do so. If not, we assume clients are okay with getting the bottom of their clothing wet during the session.

    Additionally, if you plan to wear floor-length clothing, please make sure that it is still short enough to comfortably walk in or move in. Many of our key poses include moving around, so having clothes too long in length could limit the shots we get and the poses that we are known to do.

  • Do your best to avoid clothing with ruffles around the neck or shoulder area - Maui is typically a windy island, and ruffles can billow, flip, or cling in ways that are unflattering and unpredictable, preventing the garment from sitting as intended. Opt for smoother lines and simpler necklines that hold their shape in the breeze, or choose lightweight layers and structured fabrics that won’t blow out of place; if you do wear ruffles, select styles with more controlled volume or secure them with a light pin so they maintain a flattering silhouette.

  • Our camera equipment is very high quality and highly sensitive, which means it can pick up and amplify colors, tones, and undertones that may not be as noticeable to the naked eye in person.

    Because of this, spray tans can sometimes photograph with a stronger orange or warm hue than expected, especially depending on the lighting, location, and how recently the tan was applied. While we always do our best to edit skin tones as naturally as possible, spray tans can make the editing process a bit more difficult when trying to bring the skin back to a true, natural-looking shade.

    For the best results, we recommend avoiding spray tans right before your session or choosing a very light, natural-looking tan if you do decide to get one. This helps ensure your final images have the most flattering and realistic skin tones possible.

  • If you plan on the wearing white, please make sure clothes are made with the same fabric or have the same base color. White fabric have different base colors and our camera picks up even the tiniest of hue in the fabric. This note is for 2+ people.

  • If you do plan to wear white, use skin-tone or black undergarments as part of the outfit. White in the sun, regardless of timing, will show the outline of white undergarments.

  • Though we know UV prevention is priority, sometimes we do get a little red before the session. Don’t worry about it! What we recommend for sun burn is to not wear RED for the photos.

    We will tone down the reds in the overall images, to return the skin tone to be as natural as possible.

  • At sessions we recommend leaving watches on if there is an obvious tan difference. If you would like to have images without “watches” make sure to take them off beforehand even out skin tones.

  • We recommend wearing comfy footwear to the photo session. It is very Maui-esque to be barefoot on the beach. Heels or very strappy sandals are usually makes it harder to get to some spots that we use for taking photos

  • Maui’s trade winds come daily and it’s rare to have a full day without it. For sunsets, considering a pulled-back or up-do style is highly recommended if the day seems to be gusty. We do position clients to work with the wind as much as possible, so no big deal if clients do decide to leave their hair down.

  • Applying and kind of sun tan lotion or moisturizer immediately before the photoshoot is not recommended. The sand will stick like no other. (Any other time, lather up!)

Photographer Tips

Example color schemes & outfit ideas

Earthy tones outfit board with olive, brown, blue and blush clothing for Maui photos
Warm tones outfit board with mustard, orange and pink clothing for Maui family photos
Monochromatic sage green outfit board for coordinated Maui family photos
Bold tones outfit board with pink, green and yellow tropical prints for Maui photos
Cool tones outfit board with gray, teal and lavender clothing for Maui photos
Monochromatic navy and light blue outfit board for Maui family photos

Example outfits are from sites like Amazon, Macy’s, Tommy Bahamas, and Etsy.

Family of seven in blue and white standing among lava rocks under palms, Maui
Family of five sitting together on lava rocks by the ocean at sunset on Maui
Family of four laughing together on the beach in golden light, Launiupoko, Maui
Family of five standing by the ocean in soft evening light at Launiupoko, Maui
Family of six in soft pastels standing on the beach at sunset on Maui
Family standing on lava rocks under palm trees on Maui
Family of four on a Maui beach at sunset
Small beach wedding ceremony with family standing by under soft skies, Maui
Family of four standing on the sand under a pink sunset sky on Maui
Family of five laughing together on the sand at sunset on Maui
Family of five in pastel outfits sitting on lava rocks under palms, Maui
Family of four sitting on a driftwood log by the ocean on Maui
Father with four daughters in warm-toned outfits at golden hour on Maui
Family of seven in neutral outfits on lava rocks at sunset, Maui
Mother and two kids in floral and green outfits sitting on the sand, Maui
Family of five in blue and white sitting on boulders under palms, Maui
Family of four in pink, navy and white on a rocky Maui shore
Family of four in aloha shirts and white dresses giving shakas on Maui
Family of five in neutral tones sitting on beach boulders at sunset, Maui
Family of four in blues and white sitting on rocks by the ocean, Maui
Mother with three kids in pink tones on the sand at sunset on Maui
Couple exchanging vows with an officiant draping a lei on Maui
Father with four daughters in soft pastel dresses by the ocean on Maui
Family of four in blue florals standing by lava rocks on Maui
Family of eight in earthy tones posing by rocks at sunset on Maui
Two smiling young brothers in gray and navy shirts on a Maui beach
Family of five in neutral and white outfits under palms on Maui
Couple smiling together on the sand in morning light on Maui
Three women in blue and white dresses on the sand under a tree, Maui
Mother and three daughters in white sitting on driftwood on Maui
Family of six in neutral outfits on a palm-lined Maui beach
Large family in pastel outfits on a palm-fringed Maui beach
Family of four in aloha wear by the ocean at sunset at Ulua Beach, Maui
Family walking hand in hand in blues and teal along the surf on Maui
Family of four standing under a large tree by a calm bay on Maui
Large extended family lined up on the sand at Launiupoko Beach Park, Lahaina, Maui
Family of five lounging on the sand beneath palms on a Maui beach
Couple embracing at the water's edge as the sun sets at Launiupoko Beach Park
Family of four in white and light outfits in the surf at sunset, Maui
Extended family group on the grass beneath palms at Launiupoko Beach Park, Maui
Large extended family lined up on a Maui beach under blue skies
Extended family in blue dresses and aloha shirts with leis on Maui
Family of four in white and neutrals sitting on lava rocks at sunset, Maui