If you told me ten years ago that I’d be a full-time family photographer in my hometown, I would have told you that you were crazy.
Back then, my life was measured in swell charts and heat scores. I grew up convinced I was going to be a professional surfer, spending my life surfing world-class waves and just living the beach life in glory. But life has a funny way of shifting your lens until the focus is exactly where it needs to be.
I realized early on that to make it as a pro surfer, you had to be really good. I could hold my own, but I quickly realized I was probably not professional surfer material. While I was competitive, I noticed something else: the other surfers were blown away by the photos I was taking from the beach.
It hit me one day after talking to a friend of my mom’s who saw my work. She said, “Wow, that’s really good. You could sell that.” That was the spark. If I wanted to stay in the surf world professionally, I didn’t have to be on the board—I could be behind the lens.
I followed that dream to California, but the path wasn’t a straight line. I wasn’t an overnight success; I was a freelancer pulling double shifts.
I spent years working at Trader Joe’s to pay the bills and working as a surf instructor, all while shooting on the side whenever the light was right. Eventually, I became the staff photographer for Surf Happens, where I documented the biggest annual events in the Santa Barbara area, such as the Rincon Classic and the Toes in the Cove Longboard Classic.
I was in the thick of It, but as the years rolled on, I realized I wanted a life that was more grounded. I wanted to spend more time with my raw files and enjoy the art I was creating, not fight to be the first photographer to pump out images so everyone else could brag about their waves that same day. I wanted to work in the water with people, but I wanted it to be about connection, not just competition.
While in California, I started putting myself out there for family sessions. To my surprise, I loved it. My background in the water made me the perfect candidate for the “chaos” of a family shoot. California families would watch me—a girl from Hawaii—swimming into the freezing Pacific with a heavy camera rig just to get the shot. They loved the energy, and I loved the storytelling.
Moving back home to Kailua was the final piece of the puzzle. Suddenly, everything I loved as a kid became my “office” again.
The coolest part of my job now is that it has come full circle. When families come to visit, and we head to the beach for a session, I’m not just a random photographer they hired off the internet. I’m a local showing them my backyard. I can point to the exact reef where I caught my first wave or the place I got my best wave photo at thirteen.
This is why I started my Experience Sessions. It’s my way of sharing the magic that sparked it all for me. I get to share my passion for water and surf photography (and snacks) with my clients live.
We aren’t just posing for the camera; we are experiencing the ocean together. I get to tell the stories of these islands while capturing your family’s stories.
Today, I’m proud to be a shorebreak artist and a family photographer. One pays the bills, and the other keeps my soul pure—but both allow me to be exactly where I belong: in the water, sharing the beauty of Hawaii with people like you.
I’m not just taking a picture; I’m sharing a lifetime of ocean knowledge. Let’s head to the water and create something timeless.
