Hyatt Place/Hyatt House at Ho'opili
The Hyatt Place/Hyatt House at Ho'opili is a dual-branded property and the first hotel to open in Ewa Beach. Photographed over six days during the property's pre-opening phase, the project came with the familiar challenges of new construction- coordinating around contractors.
Regardless, it was a rewarding project to work on with the Hyatt team. When I think of Ewa, I'm reminded of childhood drives along H-1, looking out at miles of sugar cane fields beneath expansive blue skies. While the plantations have long since given way to new neighborhoods, it's what I remember most about the area.
That sense of place influenced my approach to the photography. Rather than isolating the hotel, I wanted it to feel like a natural extension of the surrounding community. The property sits alongside new residential neighborhoods and the Honolulu Skyline rail, reflecting Ewa's continued growth.
I intentionally emphasized the expansive skies and grand clouds (subtly enhanced in post-processing) as a nod to the area's agricultural past and its wide-open landscapes. Every image was personally edited to preserve a natural, nuanced look. Carefully composed window views create a visual connection between the guestrooms and the neighborhood. The result is a collection of images that presents the hotel not as a destination apart from its surroundings, but as an integral part of the evolving Ho'opili community.
Andaz Maui
These images are from a multi-phase project at Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, photographed across several trips as renovated rooms and villas were completed. Working in phases allowed for consistent visual direction while adapting to the construction timeline- maintaining continuity in lighting, styling, and overall tone. The approach was intentionally nuanced, with softer, more muted tones to reflect the brand’s relaxed yet highly considered sense of luxury.
Guestrooms were captured open and airy, with an emphasis on light and connection to the outdoors. In contrast, the villas were photographed with deeper shadows and subtle tones, highlighting their modern, minimalist character and more private, residential feel.
National Geographic at Kualoa Ranch
I shot these photos while working alongside a video production team during a four-day National Geographic docudrama shoot at Kualoa Ranch. The production recreated early Hawaiian life with authentic village sets, traditional farming, canoe travel, and carefully detailed wardrobe and casting.
Working as the still photographer on an active film set requires a different approach than a standard lifestyle shoot- moving quietly alongside the DP and crew, anticipating moments without interrupting production, and capturing photos that reflects the atmosphere and scale of the story being filmed.
In addition to documenting scenes as they unfolded, I also worked with talent during production breaks to create original lifestyle photography designed for marketing, website, and social media use.
OUTRIGGER Kona Resort
Because of shifting construction timelines, the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa was photographed across multiple shoots as renovated spaces were completed. Like many large hotel remodels, schedules evolved throughout the project, requiring flexibility and close coordination with the property team. Returning over time allowed each space to be photographed at its best while maintaining a consistent visual style across the entire resort.
The visual direction draws from the Kona coastline—where dark lava rock meets deep, shifting blues. That contrast carries through the interiors, with layered tones of navy, gray, and charcoal. The imagery leans a bit richer with more contrast to match the property’s energy and setting, while still keeping everything clean and approachable.
The early morning pool shots—no wind, calm water, and a quiet coastline—were some of my favorites.
H-E-B Coffee
Photographed during a commercial video production for H-E-B and their Café Olé coffee brand, this project followed the journey of Kona coffee from the farm to the final packaged product- capturing the growing, harvesting, roasting, tasting, and delivery process along the way.
My shotlist required constantly shifting between two roles: creating product photography independent from the film production, then quickly stepping back on set to document the lifestyle scenes. I was able to maintain the pace between the two different genres while creating imagery that still felt natural, cinematic, and polished throughout the shoot days.
One of the more unique creative challenges was photographing the coffee packaging on a Kona coffee farm without making the images feel like “Hawaii”. Since the clients coffees are sourced from around the world, the backgrounds needed to remain visually neutral rather than location specific. The product photography used the atmosphere of the farm while framing the scenes so the imagery could represent the broader Café Olé product line.
The lifestyle photography focused on the human side of the production- documenting the H-E-B coffee buyer throughout the process of harvesting, inspecting, tasting, and preparing the coffee for market. Together, the final collection was designed to tell a concise visual story while creating versatile assets for website marketing and in-store signage.
