It's a well-known fact that there is a mass exodus in Alaska in the winter. We board planes in droves to go to Hawaii-- any island, it doesn't matter. Just get us to the land of sunshine and cheaper fruit. I, for one, have come to crave/need this yearly trip to Hawaii for a number of reasons. One reason being that I no longer match any shade of makeup that is darker than White-Out, and another being that I crave taking photos while still being able to feel my fingers. (Side note, my home is so cold, I actually can't feel my fingers while I type this back in Anchorage.)

It was absolutely serendipitous that my paths crossed with Jennel and Byron in Kauai, who were the most amazing (and accommodating!) couple to photograph. First, they rescheduled our session after the ballistic missile scare, which was definitely needed! (I think I would've been too shaky still to get a good shot!) Then, they drove TWO hours to the north side of the island for our session. It was raining in spots around the island, including the location I'd scouted for our shoot. Byron grew up on the north shore and knew a bunch of great spots, and thanks to years of surfing, was able to read the weather and guess where we'd escape the rain. It was uncanny! We ended up at Tunnels Beach. The spot we were in was pure sun, but about 100 yards down the beach, you could see the rain coming down like crazy. And then in the other direction, we had a rainbow! You can't create cooler conditions than that!

This was my first attempt at destination photography, and it reminded me of some really important things. The light was much brighter than anything I've shot in awhile, and required me to dust off some technical skills I hadn't needed back in Alaska. I also had to just trust my vision and the amazing chemistry of my couple on the spot without scouting. And I definitely walked away knowing destination shoots are something I want to do more of in the future. They might not make a ton of sense for me right now with a small kiddo, but one day, they will. (Although, if you have a destination in mind and you'd like to work with me, let's talk about it. I'm all ears!)