Maui Sunset Photos for your Vacation Rentals

We have clients who love to showcase Maui sunsets. Here are some tips we recommend for shooting sunset photos.

Timing is key: First, we will check the exact sunset time for the day and the sun’s position. In our opinion, the best time to shoot is the 15 minutes before sunset (golden hour) and during the 30 minutes window after sunset time. One hour before sunset the sun is often too strong and can create harsh shadows on the lanai or in living-room areas. That can be a desirable effect for lifestyle shots that emphasize the contrast of natural lighting and for shooting without flash. However, if the goal is to capture the actual sunset, we don’t recommend shooting too early when the sun is too bright. Personally, I find the period between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m. not ideal for photoshoot.

It’s best to check the sunset time and plan to arrive about 40 minutes before sunset to prepare; we will shoot through dusk to capture the pinkish–purple sky, both for interiors (on the lanai) and exteriors for houses. It is very important that the unit be fully staged and ready prior to the photographer’s arrival so we can focus on setup and shooting. If additional staging or advice is needed, please let us know so we can arrive earlier. We can also schedule the photoshoot to shoot the entire unit first and then capture the sunset time.

Many West Maui and south-side condos offer stunning sunset views directly from the unit. Here are some of our sunset photo samples:

What if the sunset sucks that night?

None of us can guarantee there will be a beautiful sunset. We recommend observing the weather couple hours before the shoot time. If reschedule is needed, we can accomodate that with the earliest availability. However, if you only have one day to get this done, we can still take the sunset session and we will do the post-production magic to create the sunset sky for your photos digitally if the sky wasn’t painting itself that night.

Lastly, we also offer digital twilight photos. What that means is we shoot a day time session, and we take some extra exterior photos that will be converted to sunset photos by altering the lighting of the building and we replace the sky digitally. This is a cost-effective solution if you only want 1-2 sunset photos without booking a sunset session with us. Sometimes, for listing to stand out, having a sunset photo as the cover thumbnail will be very effective. To know more about Twilight Photos.

Here are some samples of digital sunset (photos taken during day time):

Schedule a photoshoot with us to showcase your beautiful Maui property in golden hour! Contact us