Surprise proposals
She has no idea. That is the entire brief.
Location scouting, a plan you build together over FaceTime, texting through the day itself, and three to five finished photographs in your hand that same night.
Why these cost more
The photography is the last half hour of a much longer job.
A proposal session is not a portrait session with a ring in it. I get on a call before the day, work out which side of the island you will be on, send photographs of the best options with the reason each one works, and then stay on text with you through the day so the plan can move when your plan moves.
On the day I arrive about thirty minutes early to scout. One recent session had a busy beach on arrival — I scouted two spots in that half hour, picked the better one, and the couple ended up with it effectively to themselves. That half hour is the difference between a photograph of the moment and a photograph of the moment with eleven strangers in it.
It is a big day for someone, and I would rather over-communicate than under-communicate.
How it runs
From first message to the photos in your phone.
- 01
You message, discreetly
Use the contact form and say what you are planning. Nothing goes to any email address but mine.
- 02
A call to build the plan
Where you are staying, what she likes, whether you want it quiet or want the cliff view. I send location photos with the reasoning attached.
- 03
The day itself
You text back and forth. Running late, changed dinner, wind picked up — it all gets adjusted rather than hoped through.
- 04
Thirty minutes early
I scout, pick the cleanest spot, and stand far enough away that nothing gives it up.
- 05
The moment, then the portraits
I shoot the proposal from distance, then come in and photograph you both properly now that the hard part is over.
- 06
Sneak peeks the same day
Three to five finished images before the night is out, so you have something real to send your families.
Investment
The Perfect Proposal Experience
30 minutes
30 minutes · 20 edited images
$650
45 minutes
45 minutes · 50 edited imagesMost booked
$900
60 minutes
60 minutes · 80 edited images
$1,100
Every proposal package includes same-day sneak peeks and the planning work above. The full gallery follows in two to three weeks like any other session.
Where
The sea cliffs at Ironwoods are the reason people book West Maui.
Fifty to eighty feet above the water, looking out at the horizon. Ironwoods has a big beach and a tiny parking lot, which means it almost never feels crowded even when the lot is full — and the cliffs above it are why it is one of the most-requested proposal spots I shoot.
On the south side, Polo Beach and Maluaka give you long open sand well away from the hotels. All six locations and their trade-offs
After she says yes
The portraits that follow the moment.
Frequently asked
Proposal questions
I arrive about thirty minutes early to scout, pick the spot with the cleanest background and the fewest people, and shoot from a distance until the moment lands. On a recent session the beach was busy when I got there and the couple still ended up with the spot effectively to themselves.
Yes. Three to five-plus edited sneak peeks the day of the proposal, so you have something real to send your families that night. The full gallery follows in two to three weeks.
That is most of the work. I ask what side of the island you are staying on, send you photos of the best options with the reason each one works, and stay on text through the day so you can adjust in real time.