A COUPLE’S SESSION IN YOUR BACKYARD / MEANINGFUL SPACES WITH ALIKA & OLIVIA
This home is a special place to Olivia and Alika.
Alika’s family has been coming to this home for years, so naturally when he and Olivia got together, he brought her here. Once Olivia got the chance to visit this place and learn more about Alika’s roots, she knew she wanted to marry him. Fast forward years later, and they invited us to spend a morning with them here. They wanted to keep things natural, following the exact same routine they follow every time they come and visit: making the same breakfast, drinking out of the same mugs, eating at the same picnic table by the ocean. It was a really special morning documenting these two in a place that feels so familiar and comfortable to them. To top it off, they are now expecting, which just made the session feel even more full circle and meaningful.
Super honored to be invited into such intimate spaces of couple’s lives — we don’t take that for granted. Thank you to anyone who has chosen to let us in on some unique and special moments. We’re forever grateful :)
I’m sharing some really good reasons to have your session in a place that is meaningful to you below.
1: Emotional connection — By choosing a place that holds meaning for both partners, like where you had your first date, got engaged, or a place that you simply enjoy spending time together, you can feel more connected to each other and the experience. This emotional connection can help our time together feel more open, and the images hold more meaning.
2: Comfortable environment — Being in a place that feels familiar and comfortable can help you to relax and be more yourselves during the session. This can lead to more authentic and natural photos, as well as a more enjoyable experience overall :)
3: Nostalgia — Revisiting a place that holds special memories for you can bring back feelings of nostalgia and help you to reflect on your journey together. You can also look back at the images and not only think about our time together, but all the other times you spent there as well.
So let’s shoot in a place that means something to you! Not just somewhere that offers a pretty backdrop. Let’s do normal things, every day things that feel mundane — because one day, you’ll look back and realize those were the times that hold the most significance. Reach out here and let’s get started :) Connect
LOVE ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST / SAN DIEGO FILM SESSION
During our trip to California this past winter, we got to stop for a bit in San Diego and decided to take some photos while we were there. It was super special being able to document this time in my brother and sister in law’s lives — we are so excited for our new niece who will be born later this year :)
This session was quick, proving you don’t need all the time in the world to create meaningful images. It was shot on film only (as usual for our sessions!) and just paired so beautifully with California tones. There are a million and one reasons you should want film as your medium of choice (I’m clearly biased, but it’s just the best there is). I’m breaking down a few reasons you would want film for your couple’s session:
There’s no denying that film photography has experienced a resurgence in recent years, and many photographers are choosing to shoot on film for various reasons.
1: film photography has a distinct and unique look that cannot be easily replicated with digital cameras. Each film stock has its own color palette, texture, and grain, which can add an artistic and vintage feel to the photographs. Film can also handle highlights and shadows differently than digital, which can result in a softer and more organic look.
2: film can encourage a slower and more deliberate approach to shooting. Unlike digital cameras, film cameras have limited exposures, so photographers need to be more thoughtful about each shot they take. This can result in a more intentional and careful approach to composing and capturing images.
3: it can create a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere during the photo session. Because film cameras don't have LCD screens, photographers can't immediately review the images they've taken. This can lead to a more collaborative and communicative process between the photographer and the couple as they work together to create the desired shots.
4: film can provide a sense of nostalgia and timelessness that digital photography may not be able to capture. There’s just truly no comparison with the tones and feel that film images bring — that’s why it’s so hard to replicate!
Hopefully you’re just as convinced as I am ;)
BLUE HUES ENGAGEMENT SESSION / LUCY & ALAN
There are some engagement sessions where I walk away and feel so inspired - by the couple, the atmosphere, and the art I’m anticipating. Shooting engagement sessions on film only these days has been so incredibly fun and fulfilling — it’s brought my photos to life and granted me a newfound joy in photographing smaller sessions.
Lucy and Alan came all the way from Canada to enjoy time in Hawai’i. They carved out time for a session, and as soon as Lucy and I chatted I knew it would be a good one. She selected all white outfits (so yummy) and I just knew it would pair well in one of my favorite locations, with blue skies, tall grass, and blue waters nearby. We really all just walked around, hung out, chatted wedding plans, and took photos along the way.
These are some of my favorite photos to date and I’m so excited to share! Shot all on film, a mix of 35mm and 120, processed and scanned by Photo Vision Prints :)
A RAINY ENGAGEMENT ON FILM / CINDY & GILBERT
We met Cindy and Gilbert straight at Kuoaloa Ranch in the misty rain. Even when it’s raining there, it’s still unreal beautiful. We had the entire valley to ourselves for a while, so we got to run around, get our shoes a little muddy, and play. From there, we headed to a beach nearby and ended the session getting absolutely soaked. The film cameras and all of us embraced the rain.
Sometimes rain can be seen as a downer for your session, but a lot of the times, I find if you’re willing to embrace it, some of the most fun photos come out of it. Because then you can’t really care what you hair or makeup or clothes look like - it’s just all a mess but so so fun. Very grateful these two were down to stick it out and see it through :)
We got to grab boba with them at our favorite spot a couple of days later and it was just so great to chill and hear about each other’s lives. Every time we meet people like these two we’re reminded again how grateful we are for our jobs and how they connect us with the coolest humans all over the world.
Super excited to share this session with you, shot on 35mm film and 120 - processed and scanned by Photo Vision Prints.
FROM HAWAI’I’S BEACHES TO CHINATOWN ON FILM
Continuing Jenn and Andrew’s adventures with the second half of their photoshoot, which has us ending in the beach showers and picking up later in the evening in Chinatown! I had an idea to run by these two which was at the end of our sunrise shoot, to hop in the beach outdoor showers and let me finish off the end of a roll on my little point and shoot. It was fun (and a little cold I believe) and just the perfect way to end the morning. AND the bonus is that these are some favorite photos, and perfectly represent these two and their adventurous and fun spirits.
Later on that night we met back up in Chinatown to shoot more film in the golden evening as well as at night. If you haven’t had a chance to visit Chinatown on O’ahu, I highly recommend! So many outdoor markets with the best fruits and vegetables, amazing restaurants, and really great cocktail bars. What more could ya want!
We decided to start off under the Hawai’i theater which offers up the perfect signage. From there, we just took a stroll and I let the light guide me on where and when to stop. We tucked away into buildings, stopped on corners, played with shadows, and waited until it was dark to bust out the old flash. And it was the most fun evening.
Truly, I can’t say enough about these two and just how gracious and flexible they were with me in this entire process and through the entire craziness that was 2020 and 2021. I’m elated we finally got to hang out and make it happen, even if it wasn’t in the intended original way. Sharing some very nice words that they kindly offered up to me after receiving photos :)
REVIEW:
“OH MANNNN. Thanks Savannah! These are beautiful! Jenn’s such a smoke show! Finished product is super important but just wanted to say that we had a really great time with you and Cam. That felt really unique and special and I doubt that you can just find the package you put together very easily. Thank you so much for the film work, it’s truly beautiful and very bold on your part. Not easy, you get all the admiration and respect…expectations exceeded on this AM shoot!!! Knew they’d be good but these are beyond.”
To view the first half of their session, you can go here!
HAWAIIAN CLIFFSIDE COUPLE’S SESSION ON FILM
Sara and DJ are just two of those people that when you hear about them you think “wow they sound like the coolest person ever” hahaha — and it’s true. We first met Sara through mutual friends on a beach in Maui, and quickly decided to make plans back on both of our homes of O’ahu. Over the course of hanging out, I realized Sara is really just a gem of a human. Originally from Norway, she’s traveled all over and fell in love with fashion and design. She started a company called In Awe that curates vintage and modern goods, and will eventually cary her own pieces that she designed. DJ is a custom surfboard shaper and truly makes some of the coolest boards I’ve ever seen. He cares so much about his craft and the process from the very start until the end. So really, I did mean it when I said these two are the coolest ever.
These two were about to move off of O’ahu back to Maui, so they let us hang out with them on one of their last weeks here and document their easy love. We drove to the North Shore and frolicked in some open fields overlooking the ocean. This was one of the first shoots that I got to shoot film only for, which comes with its own set of stressors and challenges. And about halfway through we had to stop shooting because I felt like I was going to pass out, and these two saved the day by giving me the last of their Poppy drink hahaha! Anyways because of this little mishap, we lost a ton of light and really booked it to get some rolls shot before we lost the sun completely.
Needless to say, waiting on the film was a little bit stressful because I didn’t shoot as much as I wanted to, and I really had no idea how any of it was going to come out. But to my surprise, pretty much every single of the small amount of photos that came back, I was absolutely in love with. The beauty of film is that even in its imperfectness, it’s perfect. And the whole vibe compliments these two so well, making them some of my favorite images I’ve ever taken. I hope you enjoy them as well!
Sara’s brand: In Awe
DJ’s surfboards: Astral Daze
To view more couples sessions you can go here.
If you’d like to book a film only session with me, come say hiiii!
