The Art of Not Taking Photographs
Hot take: being a photographer doesn't mean reaching for the camera at every “picture-perfect” moment.
In fact, some of the most meaningful moments I've experienced as a photographer have been the ones I chose not to photograph.
When I'm traveling, at an event, or simply spending time in a beautiful place with people I Love, I've sometimes felt an expectation to be the person with the camera in hand — documenting every photo op.
And, of course, I totally understand where that expectation comes from: I am a photographer.
But, I've been learning that there is also an art to not taking the photograph.
We live in a world where almost anything can be photographed, shared, and reshared within seconds. Beautiful places become backdrops. Experiences become content. Even the moments that feel sacred can start to feel like something we're supposed to capture before we can fully experience them.
For me, photography begins before I ever pick up my camera.
The first process of my art is refining how I see.
I want to see a place with my own eyes before I see it through a viewfinder. I want to listen to its stories, notice the relationships within it, observe how people move through a space, and pay attention to the way light and color interact.
That takes time. And it takes space.
While living on O'ahu, I spent three years dancing hula with my wonderful Kumu, Mālia Helelā. One of the lessons that she taught me, and that has stayed with me, is the importance of asking permission before entering a space.
For me, observing before photographing is my way of asking permission as an artist.
This practice constantly inspires the way I photograph. At weddings and photoshoots, I'm always making small decisions about when to observe and when to intervene, when to let an intimate moment stay intimate, when to use zoom vs move closer, when to let something happen naturally versus when a little direction can enhance a beautiful moment.
Knowing when not to take the photograph has become just as important as knowing how to take it.
There is so much sacredness in a wedding — in a lifelong relationship, in family, in friendship, in the spaces and traditions that hold our stories.
My intention as your photographer is always to enhance that sacredness, not disrupt it.
And once you have your photographs, know that there is something special about keeping a photo or two just for you. I absolutely love when my clients share their photos with everyone they love and all over social media — it’s totally a photographer's love language — and I love thinking about the photographs that only live on your walls, by your bedside, or tucked into a wallet or locket.
Sometimes a special moment is meant to be shared with the world, sometimes it is meant to be kept between the two of you, and sometimes it is simply meant to be quietly enjoyed.
I Love that my work allows me to be an artist in all of these cases.
