Two Hawaii Wedding Photography Companies Ordered To Stop Photographing Couples In Illegal, Protected Locations

Oct 11, 2021 by apost team

Weddings are an incredibly momentous occasion in life. But due to how meaningful they are, weddings have also become notorious for creating a lot of stress and pressure for the married couple to be, which is why there is a reputation for over-the-top antics and unbelievable occurrences taking place either before or during weddings. This includes anything from outlandish moments designed to cause attention on the wedding day to attempts to get the most unique and impressive couple photos.

Unfortunately, the island of Kaua'i in Hawaii is having problems with the latter, with two wedding photography companies breaking local rules in an attempt to offer clients the most unique and impressive wedding photos. 

The two companies, named Bradyhouse Photographers and The Foxes Photography have images on their websites and social media channels showing couples in areas that are "naturally and culturally sensitive," such as Wailua Falls and the Kalepa Ridge. Its become such a problem that Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has had to step in and issue cease-and-desist orders to the photography companies.

As reported by the Hawaii Star, commercial wedding companies on the island have certain allowances and restrictions on where they can shoot photos. In some cases, they need permits to shoot at famous locations. But after looking over the two named photography companies' websites and social media channels, it became clear that in some instances the rules were being flouted. Executive Director of the Kaua'i Visitors Bureau, Sue Kanoho, told the news outlet, "It's not fair to photographers who are making a living following the rules."

Kanoho also told the Hawaii Star:

"It’s so important right now to make sure the rules that are in place are followed for the protection of the place, for the couples who are visiting, and for Kaua‘i residents."

She added that it's "100% illegal and culturally inappropriate" for the companies to be going against rules in order to access more desirable locations for wedding photos. Nevertheless, she says her efforts to talk about the issue with other photographers were met with disdain and threats.

One of the companies, Bradyhouse Photography told Hawaii News Now that they had followed protocols, but Curt Cottrell, the administrator of the DLNR's Division of State Parks claimed otherwise, telling the Hawaii Star:

"Our review of photographs on the company website, as well as on its social media pages, clearly show images from Kalepa Ridge, Wailua Falls, drone shots in Waimea Canyon and Kōkeʻe State Parks, as well as from Hanakāpīʻai Beach and Honopū in the Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park. Many of these places are both naturally and culturally sensitive and we would not be issuing permits for commercial drone operations or wedding photos in these sensitive locations.”

The news outlet reports that there are at least 65 other photographers on the island of Kaua'i that are following the rules and they're all part of the Kaua'i Wedding Professionals Association. The president of the association, Mike Danderand, told the Hawaii Star that those who break the rules are setting "unhealthy expectations" for illegal images. He added:

"The biggest problem we're finding is photographers who follow the rules, respect the island, and respect the culture are getting cut out because other photographers don't follow the rules."

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What do you think about the photographers who aren't following local rules in order to get the best wedding photographs? Let us know your thoughts and pass this on to others.