about the Big Island Photographer-artist

The short version – it was not an easy path. I have always loved photography, but for a long time it was a part-time hobby.  In my late twenties, I established a financial business consulting firm. I would have never dreamed I’d ever leave that industry to pursue photography.

My husband and went on to have two beautiful children, and they were my photography muses. I honed my skills, practicing constantly, and my love for photography grew as quickly as our kiddos did.  Just as life seemed perfect, our world turned upside down.

At thirty six I was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, and was given a dismal 8% chance of surviving.  With that grim diagnosis, it obviously changed the way I viewed the future and the world in general. You realize in the most staggering way that life is TOO SHORT to not pursue your passion and dreams. What came next for us was not planned, but I’m grateful every day for how our story played out.

We love Hawaii. We were married here, we vacationed here every chance we had, so I vowed that IF I survived cancer, we would move to our “happy place”, Hawaii. Thankfully we have a happy ending to go with our “happy place” The GREAT NEWS - after a couple years of grueling cancer treatment I went into remission!

Maybe we were a little crazy, but we packed our 45’ trailer and headed to the Big Island. Once here, I realized I wanted to reinvent myself and pursue a career I was passionate about. I knew deep down photography was my heart, so I began acquiring equipment and created a website. I put my desire to photograph people out into the universe and I’ve never looked back. My photography career blossomed, and I’ve loved every moment of being an integral part of weddings, babies, elopements, engagements, etc… I’m the luckiest person on earth.

I survived incredible odds and endured difficulty and now I’m able to live my life doing what I love, with the people I love, in the most beautiful place on earth. My mission is to capture the fleeting moments in life for couples and families. A wedding day goes by in a blur, families grow, kids sprout up, and we lose loved ones. It’s my firm belief that I MUST capture those “moments in time” for my clients. This is my passion – to capture the big milestones and all the little moments of “life” in-between. Whether it’s candid fun or formal portraits, I love it all!

My passion for photography is capturing life and love, and making you feel comfortable and beautiful. I’m sure previously my clients never thought it was possible to feel comfortable in front of the camera, but I’m here to tell you I CAN and WILL do just that! I’m Dawn, and I totally understand the “camera freeze” people feel. We ALL feel that way, even I feel that way in front of the lens. However, with just the right encouragement and a splash of fun, we will make your time in front of the camera a great experience, and most importantly, create the most beautiful images.

Before I was a professional photographer, I remember feeling nervous about having my pictures taken. I use that memory to ensure we balance your nervous energy and channel it into natural poses, fun prompts, and an effortless experience. I want the experience itself to reflect in the beauty of what you receive back in your gallery.  Life sculpts and changes your view daily. My goal or vision is to capture those moments so you will have beautiful memories to look back on for the rest of your life. To relive those happy or emotional memories every time you view your photos. I capture all of it for you!

I have now been a professional photographer for over five years, and have been a part of over 1,000 sessions and weddings. It’s a staggering number and I have loved every one! My experience with people over the years has given me extreme confidence in not only my technical abilities, but has also sharpened my people skills. I absolutely LOVE what I do! I laugh and smile with you behind the lens until MY cheeks hurt! I pinch myself every day that I get to live out my passion and still have my toes in the sand while I work.

On the daily I am excited to be a part of every wedding, elopement, family, maternity – it’s a snippet of time in your lives that I am honored to be part of; every single day I cannot wait to get my camera in hand! I hope your experience with me will be one to remember, and that the photos you receive back will reflect that fun we all had together that day. My mission is to create vibrant, joy-filled, spectacular images for you and your family to treasure for generations.

When not behind the lens, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two beautiful children, exploring this amazing island on which we reside. We followed our dreams and moved to the Big Island from California in 2015; although I’ll always be a “Cali girl”, I have never looked back. We absolutely love the warm weather, balmy breezes, exotic fruits, and spending most of our days outdoors.

I have a passion for art, music, travel, and business, as well as being a cancer survivor. I love watching binge watching TV (any Stranger Things fans?) and movies with my family, and savor every chapter of life with them. I am all about living life to its fullest, embracing creativity and finding joy in every endeavor. It’s the little things in life, so stop and smell those Roses - or the Plumeria when you’re here in Hawaii.