Sunset Scenic Session
Seeing the sunset on the ocean depends upon the location, time of year, and weather condition that day. Visibility of course, weather and cloud cover that day.
Magic Island and Portlock Beach are the two primary locations we use. Sunset is best at Portlock and only from October to March. Magic Island sees sunset during the same months and sunset light is available the rest of the year being that the sun actually sets behind a low mountain range. Note: The majority of the sunset photos and silhouettes are at these locations and time of year.
Understand, we do not use the sunset as a background for ceremonies. If we shoot natural light even with fill-flash, the sky is white. If we use a very strong flash, it looks well, very flashy and harsh and like you're in a dark cave around a campfire and the variety of shots and angles we shoot for the ceremony will be more limited. We can do a limited number of sunset scenic shots and sunset light shots in a session following the ceremony at the proper location and time of year.
Consequently, we schedule "sunset" ceremonies 60 minutes before the actual sunset to ensure that we'll have adequate direct and skylight sunlight for your ceremony photos. A sunset scenic session allows the photographer to "hang out" following the ceremony until, the sun is optimum for sunset scenics.
A sunset portrait session will allow our photographer to stay longer and wait it out until sunset. What the light is like will determine the kind of shots we can do but, we can always do something dramatic (like shown on our website).
Facts:
- Unlike higher latitudes where it's still light for hours, in the tropics after sunset, it gets dark within a few minutes. We do have more time to work during the late Fall and winter given the angle of the sun. Additionally, when the sun is low, 15-20 minutes before sunset, clouds on the horizon have the same effect as the sunset.
- There is no sunset at Waialae/Kahala, Makapuu, or Waimanalo beach. They are on the wrong side of the island or the geography does not allow it.
- Sunset into the ocean is visible in the Honolulu/Waikiki area during the late Fall and Winter (late October to March).
- Portlock Beach in East Honolulu is the best sunset view for photos in the late Fall and Winter only and this for actual sunset or low enough to get that look.
- West Oahu and Ko Olina will have sunset all year. Actual sunset for North Shore will depend upon the beach and time of year.