The styled shoots of my DREAMS
When your best friends live on Oahu, and you go visit them, and you maybe have a habit of making them model for you, well... you get this! Caitlin & Elijah have been best friends of my husband and I for seven years now and wow are they truly the BEST friends! When I asked Caitlin if she and Elijah would be willing to model in some styled shoots for me, she (thankfully) said yes! So, I took to Pinterest and Instagram and found many a inspo pictures and curated several different concepts for us.
These were the concept boards I put together for Caitlin to look at!
For the first concept, I wanted something that felt very influenced by Hawaii. Featuring Hawaiian florals, jewelry made by local artists, and a focus on the ocean.
The second concept was very heavily inspired by Pride and Prejudice. Romantic and whimsical with the Kualoa mountains as our beautiful background behind us!
So, for the first session, we did our second concept: the Pride and Prejudice shoot! I made the bouquet the night before with flowers we got from Foodland and Safeway, Elijah so kindly steamed the dresses for us, and Hunter deemed himself the bag man and BTS documenter! The next day, we headed to Kualoa and I quickly did Caitlin's updo in the parking lot and then it was time! We made our way over into a large field where there was the most beautiful tree, perfectly picturesque with the mountains behind us. We ran around in the field enjoying the beautifully overcast day!
We then escaped in to the tree line, and really leaned in to the romance of Pride and Prejudice. I will forever be obsessed with how beautiful these turned out! The way their white clothes pop against the dark green foliage around them.
After we played in the tree line, we headed back toward the parking lot and you guys, we got SO lucky because across the street was Kualoa Ranch and we saw a huge herd of horses come running down the side of the mountain to the little pasture by the road. We went running over to take advantage of the most beautiful backdrop any of us could've dreamt of!
As if we couldn't end the night on the a better note, we went over to Ka'a'awa Beach, switched outfits, and spent the rest of our time running around on the beach! The way the ocean breeze gently blew the cape in the wind was beyond beautiful. And, naturally, we had to get in the water just a little bit! I mean, when I'm usually in the desert, I can't pass up an opportunity to get in the ocean!
It was truly such a blast watching this shoot form and take life. From stopping at three different stores to buy florals to make the bouquet the night before the shoot, to doing Caitlin's hair in a very windy parking lot. It all somehow came together so much beautifully than I could have ever imagined. I think styled shoots, for me, are such a fun way to flex my creative muscle and challenge myself to curate a whole day. Unlike styled shoots that I have attended or weddings I've photographed, this shoot was entirely designed and put together by myself, my husband, and of course Caitlin & Elijah. I feel extremely proud of what we created, public bathrooms changes and all!
Here's some little BTS iPhone photos of what went in to making this shoot happen!
Me making the bouquet the night before as we watched Jurassic Park (where our first shoot was filmed!), Caitlin & Elijah's poor car backed to the BRIM, Hunter & Elijah having a sweet little moment, Caitlin changing in the public bathroom, the last shots on the swing!
This day was truly most magical thing I've had the pleasure of documenting. And it was only made better by spending it with two (three if you count Hunter - our designated bag man) of my most favorite people on the face of the earth. They have been the absolute best and supportive friends who have always supported my dreams. I have coerced them in to modeling for me several times now and I am so lucky that they have always said yes! So thank you SO MUCH to Caitlin & Elijah for helping make my dreams come true!