June 26th was a special day. With well over a hundred guests, the Haiku Mill (or Pua Lea as some know it) was near full capacity with the loving family and friends of Jodee and Christian. I arrived as Jodee had just slipped on her gown. There were a lot of smiling faces in the room where she was getting ready. After some portraits and final touch ups, Jodee was excited to meet her groom at the end of the long brick isle covered in flower pedals. After one of the most heartfelt ceremonies I’ve ever attended, the families and bridal party met for group photos utilizing the lovely green backdrop of Pua Lea. Then Jodee, Christian, my assistant and I quickly hopped in our cars and raced to Hookipa for some ocean side romantic portraits. With beautiful blue backdrops and just a hint of sunset, we turned a 12 minute photoshoot into a series of fun and memorable images. Working with Christian and Jodee was easy and fun. It’s not hard to see why they have so many friends! When we got back, the cocktail hour was in full swing and the couple of honor had a chance to enjoy a drink and some laughs before the guests were seated for dinner. There were some more laughs as toasts and speeches were delivered throughout a delicious dinner. Everyone enjoyed watching the couple’s first dance and soon a steady line formed as friends got creative placing their bills during the dollar dance. After dancing with their respective parents, Jodee and Christian performed the traditional cake cutting before heading back to the dance floor for more fun and partying. A very fun and memorable wedding! To see more images from Mike Sidney Photography, please visit our website.
Mike Sidney News, Photography, Wedding Photography
Yesterday I had the chance to do a presentation for my BNI group. As a professional photographer of over 15 years, I have a lot of good tips for photography enthusiasts at all levels. I wanted to concentrate this presentation on tips that anyone could use, even with a consumer camera. If you missed it, you still have the chance to download a PDF of all 10 tips! All you have to do is register using the link to the bottom right and post a comment saying “10 tips please.” I will e-mail it right over to you! While you are logged in, please feel free to peruse and comment on any of my other blog posts. Also, check me out at the Maui Photo Festival this August 25th-29th. I’ll be doing a 2 hour class and live demonstration during sunset at the beach!
Mike Sidney Education, News
As a destination wedding photographer on Maui, it is rare for me to get the opportunity to meet my clients face to face before their wedding day. When a couple takes the time to travel to Maui and personally interview potential photographers, I know they are my kind of clients. Laura and Jeff came to a consultation at my office many months before their wedding and we immediately hit it off. I could tell right away we would all have fun working together. At that point they were still undecided about which venue to choose, and asked me what I thought. After describing my personal experience staying there with my wife and showing them several images of the grounds and the breath-taking Lava Point, the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua seemed like it was the easy choice. It didn’t take too long after that before we received our confirmation call from the wedding department at the Ritz. When the wedding day finally arrived, Laura and Jeff were happy, excited, and looking great! The guys where dressed in aloha attire with leis while the bridesmaids showed off matching gowns and bouquets. Laura dazzled in one of the most beautiful dresses and trains I have ever seen! With the help of their coordinator, Kristina, all the guests were seated and enjoyed a nice ceremony by Rev Paul Tangonan. After several family and bridal party photographs, we took a quick golf cart ride to the beach to document the couples’ first barefoot-in-the-sand walk together. Soon, it was back to Lava Point for sunset before heading in to their reception for dancing and dinner. A big Mahalo to Laura and Jeff for allowing me to be a part of their special day!!!
Mike Sidney News, Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Wedding Photography
Mike Sidney Photography will have a booth at the Seabury Hall Craft Fair this Saturday, May 8th from 9am-5pm. We’ll be your second booth on the right, in section A, near the potted plants. We will have several styles of album on display, as well as some beautiful 20×30 ultra-shine wall prints. This year we are focusing on promoting our baby portraits and “Watch Me Grow” packages. If you know anyone who has a child that has never been professionally photographed, this is their opportunity to get great images and FREE stuff! For more information on our baby and children’s portraits, please call our office at 808.249.2808 or check out mikesidney.com
This is the promo. We'll have 4x6's you can take home.
Newborn, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year "Watch Me Grow"
Mike Sidney Child Photography, News, Promotions
I could tell right from the start that this was going to be a fun wedding! Walking into the bride’s condo at the Kapalua Villas, I was greeted by 8 beautiful bridesmaids and a glowing half dressed bride. Everyone was having so much fun; we did a good portion of the photo shoot before Michelle had even put her wedding dress on! By the time I left for the ceremony and reception at Merriman’s Kapalua, we had created some of the most fun and, dare I say– sassy, images I’ve ever created!
Tyson and the guys were all hanging out enjoying the picture perfect view of Kapalua Bay when I got there. It was fun working with them to create a few non-traditional group shots and portraits. Soon, the girls arrived and it was time for the ceremony to begin. After blowing the conch shell, Reverend Dennis De Rego guided the couple through their vows and ring exchange before Michelle and Tyson sealed the deal with a kiss. After about 70 guests hugged, kissed, and high-fived their way through the receiving line we did some family and bridal party portraits. The bright orange dresses of the bridesmaids along with the blue sky helped create some very colorful and wonderfully contrasty images. After that the couple took a nice romantic walk down the beach and enjoyed a spectacular sunset before returning to Merriman’s for their reception.
Dinner was on and the food was top-notch. The guests enjoyed both mahi and filet mignon on a single gourmet plate. The staff moved fast and had the whole party served right away. After the main course, there were several heartfelt toasts and speeches. The large deck outside overlooking the ocean had been converted to a dance floor during dinner and now there was music, lights, and a crowd gathering to watch as Michelle and Tyson had their first dance. Even though it was time for me to go, I knew the party was just getting started. Many thanks to Michelle and Tyson for booking us!
To see more Maui wedding and portrait photography, please go to www.mikesidney.com
Mike Sidney News, Photography, Wedding Photography
Who do you know that has a small extra room that is used as an office but also doubles as a guest bedroom? Living on Maui, it is inevitable that at some point friends and family will want to visit. Sure there are plenty of great hotels and resorts, but since they already have you as a connection, you know your peeps will want to save a little cash and stay with you if possible. Of course living in Maui is great, but with higher real estate prices and no basements, it’s not always easy to accommodate guests. That’s where my friend and owner of the Maui Closet Company, Debbie Finkiewicz, can help out.
In preparation for an ad they are running for the Maui Film Festival, Debbie commissioned me to create several images showcasing a recent install of a murphy bed inside the home of one of her Wailea clients. I was immediately impressed with the high-end style and quality of the design. When I first saw the room, I never would have guessed there was a queen size bed just hiding on the other side of what appeared to be a very stylish closet. I was amazed how easily Debbie lowered and raised the bed. It works really well and only takes a few seconds to open or hide. The Maui Closet Company also installed the computer desk to create a fully finished look in the room. The little details, like the custom handles and recessed lighting compliment the theme of being simultaneously utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing.
Photographer’s note: It’s always important to be mindful of any visible lines when photographing interiors. I always use a little gadget I picked up at a trade show that fits on top of the camera’s hot shoe and has 2 levels (the bubble kind). One works with the camera positioned vertically, and the other horizontally. Even with a perfectly level camera, I still had to do some image manipulation in Photoshop due to having to use a very wide angle lens because of the small size of the room. There is a very useful filter called “lens correction” that incorporates the same features (such as barrel distortion and perspective correction) as a plugin filter I had previously purchased. If you do any kind structural photography, you definitely want to check it out. Aloha!
Mike Sidney News
It’s early Sunday morning as I walk up to the War Memorial Gymnansium in Kahului, Maui. As I approach the balloon arch showcasing the March of Dimes banner, I am surprised by how many people have chosen to spend the early hours of their Sunday morning– we’re talking 7:30am– attending a volunteer walk to raise money to support healthy babies. This is my first March for Babies, so I am interested in learning more about the cause. Fortunately, there are several guest speakers, entertainers, and the ambassador family to help me understand why last year our Maui community came out and showed enough support to raise $73,000 and why this year the $80,000 goal was attainable. Walkers from many local companies, families, and even political organizations came out to form teams and participate. After the walk, everyone enjoyed breakfast and more entertainment including several activities that were specifically kid friendly. I’m happy I had a chance to be a part of this event and hope that some of my photography will help inspire more volunteers for next years walk. For more information and to find out how you can help, go to www.marchforbabies.org.
Mike Sidney News
It’s been a full week since I got back from almost 3 weeks on the mainland (that’s what Hawaiian’s call the continental United States, in case you are new to the term). I’ve been busy catching up with e-mails, maui colleagues, and of course, my wife Tokie and our 2 cats. I also have a family portrait and a six and a half hour wedding to edit since my production artist is out on pregnancy leave. But, one thing I learned at WPPI is the importance of doing a few personal projects. So here are a few images taken on my trip, all from my iphone. The images have been taken into Lightroom and Photoshop and altered to my personal liking. You can seem my more “professional” work at mikesidney.com.
Mike Sidney News, Photoshop
