photo.phile: leiko beck

bostyn's bubble

happy monday! today's photo.phile is leiko beck, a keiki and 'ohana photographer from the big island introduced by my friend kym who booked leiko to capture a few photos during a family getaway. flipping through leiko's portfolio, i found myself charmed by the absolute sweetness of her photography. her camera seems to be smitten with all the cheerful, fleeting vignettes that make up an idyllic childhood from neighborhood adventures to tiny giggles forever remembered in one picture perfect moment.

{photo.phile notes}

what inspired you to pick up the camera and start shooting?
the root of it all is probably my dad. he is a hobbyist and does AMAZING landscape photography (being a physical scientist for the u.s. geological survey based at hawai‘i volcanoes national park on the big island allows him great photographic opportunities!). i picked up his canon slr when i was 14 and fell in love with capturing memories through the lens.

photography muses that spark your imagination?
i love beautiful imagery. period. so i follow a very eclectic group of photographers, not necessarily for inspiration in the work that i shoot, but for inspiration towards life in general.

i love jen altman (an amazing polaroid photographer), audrey woulard (a natural-light child/family photographer), the image is found (mind blowing wedding/engagement imagery), clark little (surf/ocean photography), and james rubio (wedding/engagement photography) just to name a few. not only is their work awe inspiring, but it really gets you imagining what life could be like when you're doing something that you are absolutely passionate about for a living.

favorite island moment caught on "film"?
in general, i recently discovered a love for capturing any ‘ohana living the island lifestyle. for the past 2 years i primarily shot children + teens and while that has been awesome, there is nothing like watching a family interact and being able to "see" and feel the aloha they have for one another.

now, if i had to pick a specific image of an island moment, it wouldn't be one from my work portfolio but one of my son entitled in the air. it's a shot of him playing at the beach during sunset. every time i look at that image i am brought back to that day. that beach. that sunset. that moment. and for me, that's what photography is about.

any simple tricks to share on how to best capture an in-the-moment family portrait?
when dealing with keiki, especially little ones, the best way to capture an in-the-moment image would be to make sure that they are comfortable before we even begin the session. that means fed, changed, and not ready for a nap!

once that is accomplished, i often ask mom and dad to "play" with the child as they would at home. singing their favorite song, pat-a-cake, tickle-fight. you're then able to shoot the family interacting + connecting. the bonus? play time allows the family to forget for a moment that a camera is there, allowing me to capture genuine emotion.

which camera stays close by for everyday shooting?
because i am constantly inspired by the things around me, i do use my canon 5d markII almost daily. if i want something lighter that fits in my purse, i use my old canon rebel xti with a 50mm lens.

pay it forward with the best photography advice shared with you:
shoot what you love. i know it's simple, but it's so true.

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
mmmm . . . if i'm in my hometown of hilo, i'd definitely hit up hilo lunch shop for some musubi or kandie's for a bento to go. for a little something sweet, i'd stop by big island candies to pick up some delicious chocolate dipped shortbread for dessert.

mahalo leiko!

p.s. big island readers wishing for a sweet family photo of their own will want to click over to leiko's blog where she is giving away an october photo session. good luck!