Photography & Portraits in Waipahu

Expressions Portrait Design’s portfolio captures families, graduates, babies, and even pets. More than 100 backgrounds unfurl on set, letting subjects surround their poses with almost any mood or theme. After the flash has gone off and the “freeze time” switch has been flipped again, color effects and image editing add more options for customization. All photo packages include standard prints, but custom framing, greeting cards, and canvas images also are available to surround portraits with gallery-caliber fanciness.

Helmed by a registered nurse with more than 25 years of experience greeting newborns as a professional in the OB field, First Look Sonogram Hawaii's team of certified technicians introduces parents-to-be to their burgeoning offspring using an advanced General Electric Voluvision 730 sonogram machine. The routinely calibrated instrument safely scans rotund bellies, rendering high-quality 3-D and 4-D snapshots in both color and black-and-white of the developing infant as he or she mouths the lyrics to "Happy Birthday to You." The expert techs can determine the baby's gender while confirming a heartbeat, amniotic fluid, and number of babies nestled inside. Adding permanence to the experience, recordings of the session are available on DVD and the accommodating staff can even craft a sonogram music video from the footage.

Frame-Arts Hawaii's staff crafts attractive hangings that serve to protect their contents with such amenities as acid-free mat boards and nonreflective glass. Hundreds of framing choices stack up inside the shop, drawing the eye as soon as it rolls in the door. In addition to framing traditional artwork and photographs, the staff offers services for displaying sports jerseys, mirrors, and collections of autographed Social Security cards.

Tim Orden's four-decade journey as a professional photographer has been a winding one, taking him to picturesque positions including stints as a professor at the University of New Orleans and a photographer for a Hawaiian modeling school. Today, Orden coaxes unguarded moments out of subjects in stunning natural settings including Kailua Beach, Magic Island, and Kahala Beach Park. Orden’s eye for aesthetics remains keen even after the shutters settle, aiding his post-production edits that ready each print for new homes in picture frames or on self-made billboards.

Groups of up to six family, friends, and charismatic strangers can strike their favorite poses in one of Fun Pix Inc.'s seven photo booths. Sessions last anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes, owing to each booth's many editing and customization options. A variety of booth themes helps capture the style desired, including the glamorous So Beautiful 3 or the mischievous Love Joker. After printing out the photo sheets, which double as stickers, patrons can sit and cut out their photos to trade with friends. Fun Pix Inc. also boasts a selection of cell phone cases and accessories.

Laura Monahan comes from an artistic family, and spent her youth practicing sculpture, oil painting, pottery, and what turned out to be her ultimate passion: photography. Her ability to preserve candid moments has left an indelible impression—she has a published portfolio on three continents and product lines appearing at national retailers such as Hallmark and JCPenney. Laura’s photo shoots always take place outdoors, capturing newborns, older kids, families, and makeshift popsicle-stick families in soft, natural lighting and poses that never appear unnatural. Her settings span the country from San Diego’s foamy beaches to Denver’s red-rock sunsets and into the Midwest’s autumn leaves.