A little about each Island
A Little About Each Island 🌺
When you think of Hawaiʻi, you might picture beautiful beaches, palm trees, warm sunshine,
and the ocean.
But Hawaiʻi is more than one island.
There are six major islands that visitors commonly explore, and each one has its own personality, nickname, traditional flower or lei material, and island color.
I thought it would be fun to take a little journey through the islands and discover what makes each one special.
Kauaʻi— The Garden Isle 🌿
💜 Island Color: Purple
🌿 Flower / Lei Material: Mokihana
Kauaʻi is known as The Garden Isle , and it is easy to see why.
With its lush green mountains, waterfalls, tropical forests, and dramatic coastline, Kauaʻi feels like a beautiful garden surrounded by the ocean. The mokihana is a fragrant native berry traditionally used in lei.
Oʻahu— The Gathering Place 🌺
💛 Island Color: Golden Yellow
🌼 Flower: ʻIlima
Oʻahu is known as The Gathering Place .
Home to Honolulu and Waikīkī, Oʻahu brings together people, cultures, food, nature, and communities from all over the world.
The delicate golden-yellow ʻilima is Oʻahu’s traditional flower. And this is the island I am lucky enough to call home.
Maui— The Valley Isle 🌸
💗 Island Color: Pink
🌹 Flower: Lokelani
Maui is known as The Valley Isle , surrounded by beautiful beaches, mountains, valleys, and natural wonders.
From Haleakalā to the famous road to Hāna, there are so many different landscapes to explore.
The beautiful pink lokelani represents Maui.
Molokaʻi— The Friendly Isle 🤙
💚 Island Color: Green
🌿 Flower / Lei Material: Kukui
Molokaʻi is known as The Friendly Isle .
It offers a quieter and more relaxed side of Hawaiʻi, with a strong sense of community and connection to the land.
The kukui is the traditional lei material associated with Molokaʻi.
Lānaʻi— The Pineapple Isle 🍍
🧡 Island Color: Orange
🌿 Flower / Lei Material: Kaunaʻoa
Lānaʻi is Hawaiʻi’s smallest inhabited island and is known for its peaceful, off-the-beaten-path feeling.
It is a wonderful place to slow down and experience a different pace of island life.
The kaunaʻoa, a native vine used in lei, represents Lānaʻi.
Hawaiʻi Island— The Big Island 🌋
❤ Island Color: Red
🌺 Flower: ʻŌhiʻa Lehua
And then there is Hawaiʻi Island, often called The Big Island .
It is the youngest and largest of the Hawaiian Islands, with an incredible variety of landscapes—from lush forests and black-sand beaches to volcanic landscapes. The beautiful ʻŌhiʻa lehua represents Hawaiʻi Island.
The Gathering Place
Of all these beautiful islands, Oʻahu holds a very special place in my heart.
I love that it is called The Gathering Place .
People come here from all over the world—to celebrate, to relax, to explore, and, most importantly, to spend time together.
As a family photographer on Oʻahu, I feel incredibly lucky to be part of those moments.
I get to meet families from different places and photograph them while they are together—laughing, playing, exploring, and simply enjoying each other.
Sometimes it is their first trip to Hawaiʻi.
Sometimes they come back year after year.
Sometimes they are celebrating something special, and sometimes they are simply enjoying being together.
Whatever brings them here, I feel grateful that I get to witness those moments.
I love photography, but even more than that, I love people.
I love meeting families, getting to know them, and seeing those little moments of happiness that happen naturally when people are together. Maybe that is what makes Oʻahu’s name feel so meaningful to me.
It really is The Gathering Place—not just for people, but for memories.
And I feel very lucky to be here, photographing the people who gather on this beautiful island and preserving a little piece of their Hawaiian memories. 🌺
Planning a family trip to Oʻahu? I would love to help you preserve a little piece of your Hawaiian memories with a relaxed and natural family photo session.
