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Maui Sunrise OR Maui Sunset Wedding? ​

What’s the Best Time of Day for Maui Wedding Photos?

This image represents the soft ambient light just after the sun goes down. Notice how even and pleasing the light is!

I’ve been asked this question so many times that I am finally answering it. Of course, this also applies to engagements, family portraits or any other photoshoots. Maui Sunrise or Maui Sunset?

As a Pro Photographer I look at this from the QUALITY of light point of view & trying to deliver the very best to my clients! 

So, let’s talk geography! Of course, this all depends on where you are staying & ​W​HERE you want to hold your event.

Maui is sort of divided into two different coastal main areas with Maui’s south side towns, and Maui West side towns all facing west. This includes Kihei, Wailea & Makena, on the south side and the towns of Lahaina, Kaanapali, Napili & Kapalua, on Maui’s west side, also all facing west, Of course the sun sets in the west. Only the tiny coastal community of Hana is actually facing east where the sun rises in the morning.

The reason for telling you this is that most of the areas where people stay on their vacations are in these towns or little communities, and they are all facing west.

One more point to make on geography. Maui has two dormant or extinct volcanoes, including the 10,023-foot volcano of Haleakala & the extinct and highly eroded volcano of Mauna Kahālāwai.

Mauna Kahālāwai is mostly referred to as the West Maui Mountains and although it is highly eroded since its birth more than 300,000 years ago, it is still about 6,000 feet in height.

This Hawaii geography illustration shows the tall volcanoes that block the early morning light. This is very specific to Maui & the location of the main towns/communities where weddings/events take place. Most Maui Events take place on Maui’s South side & Maui’s West side which all face west and are in the leward side of Haleakala & The West Maui Mountains.

Other islands have vastly different geography and may not apply to those locations, depending on where the event is!

So my point here in this Maui geography lesson is that there are two big tall mountains that BLOCK THE ACTUAL SUNRISE in most of the coastal towns where people vacation here on Maui. Only in Hana, Maui do you actually get to see a true sunrise & I have witnessed this myself & it is AMAZING!

( Actually there is one more place to see an extraordinary sunrise and that is on the summit of Haleakala)

Below is an image taken on the summit at sunsrise.

This image was taken at first light on the summit of Halakala & I think it was the MOST extraordinary Sunrise I have ever seen in my entire life!

Was absolutely stunning……………….and very COLD!

Of course, it depends on the time of year but if you are on the “South Side”, OR on Maui’s “West Side”, on the beach early in the morning the sun is not peaking over Haleakala or the West Maui Mountains until maybe 7 am or 7:30 am! This ambient early morning light before the sun peaks over the mountain, has some gorgeous pastel colors to it and is very pretty! However, it only lasts a very short while & quickly fades. This short period of time has soft light which is great for flattering, pleasing photos, but doesn’t last long & one key ingredient is missing!

In my opinion, the main difference between Sunrise & Sunsets (on Maui),

is that in the morning time there is No DIRECTIONAL, SOFT, WARM LIGHT coming PARALLEL across the water like there is at sunset.

When the sun finally does come up high enough to peak over both of those volcanoes, the light is very beautiful, but can be very strong, intense light that gradually gets stronger and stronger! And, soon after coming up, say 8 am, the light is just very strong light that doesn’t change & my exposures to control this light is around F11 or F16 at 200 of a second. (some of my darkest exposures of the entire day). There are a couple of ways in dealing with the dark shadows. One way is to open up, (or lighten the exposure) which has pros & cons.

(“Natural Light Photographers” do this to control shadows by opening up their exposure, which eliminates the shadows on peoples faces, but also NEGATIVELY turns a blue sky white.) 

The second way of dealing with the dark shadows on peoples faces/bodies is to add fill light.

Okay, this is slightly off-topic regarding sunrises or sunsets, but it’s relevant to the time of day & WHY both the Color of the Sky & The Color of the Ocean ​are so magnificent from early morning to say one pm in the afternoon.

Here is the answer:

The reason the color of both the sky and the ocean is so gorgeously stunning some days is because of the ANGLE & STRENGTH of the sun! As the sun continues to climb in the sky the sun’s rays travel​ through less atmosphere & that increases the strength of the sun rays as they light the sky & the water. Also the sun rays travel less distance because the light is more direct which also increases the strength of the sun rays. All these direct sun rays coming down into the water light it amazingly. Sometimes looking out on a super gorgeous morning you can’t believe how pretty it is! (AND I totally agree with you)!

However the flipside of this is that because of the strength ​of the sun at this time, the shadows on a subjects face or body are much deeper & darker, and can be much more challenging to create pleasing photos in this situation. Luckily I use off camera lighting where I can fill the shadows & balance the lighting. With off camera lighting you can set up a shot & then adjust your position, but still have pleasing light on the subject.

This image above was taken mid morning on a really pretty morning but represents the challenge of creating gorgeous imagery midday!  Note the shadow under the brides chin & low it is. This means the sun was very high in the sky when the image was taken. Also look closely at the shadows on the brides arm & hair. If she had been facing the other way, her face would have been almost entirely in shadows & it wouldn’t be so pleasing as this image is.

One of other point to look at here. I had to (stop down OR darken) my exposure to control the brightness of her dress so you can see the stunning detail of it. When you stop down, you are also darkening the sky/water which shows the fantastic color, but also darkens the shadows. Note how dark the shadows on the rocks near the brides dress & bouquet are very dark with no detail showing.

(Back on Topic)

My being a Pro Photographer for more than two decades I have become an expert in recognizing beautiful light & for this reason, personally I much prefer SUNSET photo shoots (on Maui) over Sunrise photo shoots and here is why! 

On most days in the hour before sunset, the light is also very strong, but very manageable. Then as the sun continues to dip closer to the horizon, becoming parallel to the water, the quality of the light just gets softer & softer.

This ​Golden Light is the Gorgeous, Soft, Flattering Light that​ us photographers absolutely LOVE!

This is due to the angle & direction of the light as it becomes parallel​ to the horizon.  This bright, powerful light looks great both by it self & with the addition of soft fill flash to fill the shadows. One way of controling the light is to expose for the sunset, which actually darkens the foreground and the subject. Then, using off-camera lighting to light my subjects. This technique looks dramatic & makes for gorgeous imagery!

The trick here is to balance the existing ambient light with your flash. Do it properly & it looks fantastic! Use too much flash & it looks over cooked, while not enough flash leaves the subject dark; so this is where experience comes into play! Also using a soft box to soften the light coming out of the flash helps in creating pleasing imagery.

The off camera, remote light I am using has a softbox attached, and the light of the flash is actually bouncing from surface to surface in the softbox, making the light softer, more pleasing and indirect! Hopefully my explanation of how a softbox works is clear.

Basically the light coming out a softbox is indirect & consequently much softer then direct fill flash.

This image showing the golden light as the sun drops lower towards the ocean, becoming more & more flattering! This image using only sunlight and no flash.

This is the light that doesn’t happen in the morning time because of the two volcanos blocking it, and why I prefer Maui Sunsets over Maui Sunrises!

This image also showing the feathery, flattering, golden light, with the addition of off camera to light the expectant mom.

Notice the soft fill light is coming from the side giving depth & dimension!

Here is an example that shows how Tad Craig Photography is exposing for the sunset, then adding soft, off camera lighting, to light the subjects. Notice also there is a touch of backlighting to seperate them from the back ground!

Then just after the sun drops below the horizon, MY MOST FAVORITE LIGHT of the day magically appears and sometimes lasts only minutes. This is the most flattering light of the day because there is no direct light, only the soft, ambient, last light of the day, which makes for magical photos. This is the light that makes people look their best, especially if they are older, showing any signs of age.

I generally try to schedule all my shoots so we are utilizing this time of day & making the most of this gorgeous light & delivering everything I can to my clients! 

This image was taken at just after the sun has set & utilizing the soft super flattering ambient light. Generally this light only last a few minutes as it gets dark very quickly, once the sun drops.

To wrap things up:

Sunrise photoshoots/weddings can be very beautiful, but are not true sunrise shoots on Maui (unless you are in Hana or the Summit) and when the sun does come over the mountains, most times it is already at FULL STRENGTH and is not the flattering light that makes people look amazing.  Still pretty, but not the soft, gorgeous, feel-good light us photographers love!

Sunset photoshoots/weddings have a much better chance of getting that gorgeous light when the sun drops & becomes parallel with the horizon. Of course the jaw dropping moment most days is at sunset watching mother nature paint her canvas, with the sky exploding in color & light. Finally, when the sun does drops below the horizon, that ambient light that remains is the most flattering light of the day!

This soft light is by far the best light to use to make people looks their best and hide/soften any imperfections, age, etc! 

Basically in the mornings the light is strong and powerful & not very flattering compared to the evenings when you experience a whole change of light & direction of light, followed by the short but super flattering ambient light just after sunset!

That is why Tad Craig Photography prefers Sunset over Sunrise weddings or events!