Photography by Bridget Kaleki

This shoot is a result of what happens when you mix a ‘lil salt, sand, surf and laughter colored together with Kona’s forever killer sunsets.  All the right ingredients for happy editing and sharing with clients. Especially special clients like the Regis/Greer family. Keri and I gooo way back…like back in to time…before this beach was an over-saturated zoo with a paved road and many even knew it existed.  One had to own a four wheel drive vehicle to ramble down lava cliffs to reach such a deserted paradise.  Diane was the ultimate beach momma, and she would gladly pile us in her red, two door Toyota 4-Runner on the weekends and take us camping and hiking all over the island. Here is where we spent many a Sunday afternoons playing in the surf, getting slammed by big waves, sand ball fights.  Good weekends where regularly measured by how much sand ended up on your pillow on Monday mornings, and I’m glad to report that many a Mondays made the “well spent weekend” cut.

It’s nostalgia at its finest to come back here now with three generations, and witness the kids playing and running in the same spots that we did many moons ago, to hear the echos of laughter that have been resounding in this sacred place long before we ever were, and hopefully long after we ourselves return to sand.  Eia ka pomaikaʻi nui mai Ke Akua mai- it’s an immense blessing from God really, and I’m constantly reminded of that when I shoot- this isn’t just a job- it’s a gift, an honor and a privilege.  Every breath, every moment, every feeling of love poured out and shared with each other becomes a double joy. And this sesh just got its joy multiplied x’s 6.

Regis/Greer ʻOhana:

You guys blessed me so much on your voyage home- I absolutely loved our time together, and I want to mahalo you guys for inviting me along to be a part of your story as you brought your little ones back to your roots. Come home soon for another round!

~Me Ke Aloha Nui*

One of my very first photo gigs, and the very first wedding I ever shot was shooting Mike and Mariana’s wedding back in 2007.  It was their “skype wedding” where friends and family skyped in from Brazil to Hawai’i and back again, in a time before smartphones were a thing, so people were dragging their laptops around and making introductions to wedding guests and family via the computer…I remembering laughing to myself then thinking how bizarre, it was to have people running around “skyping” into a wedding.  Now I laugh to myself because, now we go live with our smartphones and skyping is outdated.  My my, how times have changed.

One thing that has not changed though is how stellar this familia is, and how special it’s been to document them over the years. Eleven years later and Mike and Mari still got it going on x3, and they are looking just as amazing as they did back in dem good ‘ole skyping, myspace pre-kids days. Mahalo Kitchen’s for always making our sessions together so memorable and fun! I just love who your kids are growing up to be!

Me Ke Aloha Nui*

Well, they are officially a basketball team with Aven Jewel bringing her bounce on the court (and off the court).

Keeping up with these kiddos takes teamwork, lots of it, and Jeff and Erin make it happen, e-v-e-r-y morning, seven days a week. I’m always amazed at how well they hold it down, especially on family photos day. Cole’s rolling down the grassy hill in his white collared shirt, Aven’s running off after catching a glimpse of the horse in the pasture next door and getting hitchhikers all over her clothing, and then there’s the middle child- sweet lil Asher.  I think God always gives you at least one mellow, easy going one in the mix.  I turn to Erin, as she looks at me and takes a deep breath as Jeff runs around the corner trying to catch up with Aven who’s dashing through the weeds head high, while barking orders like the school principal he is for Cole to catch her from the other side.

I clearly needed some entertainment on this Sunday afternoon.

Somehow we manage to herd these three together without any major meltdowns, outta control sibling slaps, or completely bald spots where Aven pulled her brothers hair out, pick off the hitch hikers, smooth down the flyaways – honestly  who cares if not everyone’s looking at the camera at this point- let’s just snap a few, call it a day and go get a beer…

~Cheers to Team Takiue!