👋🏽 Hi, I'm Jay Soriano.
📍Las Vegas based family & couples photographer.
🌎 I specialize in editorial portraiture & destination elopements around the world.
🎞️ Welcome to my family + couples photos portfolio (for other portfolios see the menu above)
I get it. Finding a photographer is hard. You’ve scrolled through IG, and searched endlessly on Google. If you’re reading this, chances are something about my work resonated with you. I appreciate that and I would love the opportunity to show you why I’m different…
Photography has always been my passion. I’m happy that I get paid for what I love to do, but it’s never been about the money. That’s why I have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee*, I’ll show you photos throughout our session and if you don’t like what you see, you won’t have to pay me. No questions asked. I stand by my work and I want to deliver photos that you love.
I love shooting portraiture. I love the interactions with clients and I love bringing out the best in people even when they think they’re not quite photogenic. Feel free to browse my portfolio here and for the latest images and updates, find me on Instagram @jaysoriano
Isn’t it time you started lovin’ yourself in photos? Let’s chat!
*Psst – this page of my portfolio features photos and packages for 2+ people; families, engagements, etc. For my individual portraits, and to learn a little bit more about me, please see my homepage – JaySoriano.com
100% Transparency. No Hidden Fees. 5⭐️'s on Google.
The Anti-Salesy Photographer
A lot of photographers make their money on the up-sells. Get you in with a cheap session, then sell the prints. You want the digitals? You’ll pay extra for that. Oh, you don’t want a watermark? That’ll cost a little more. You want the rights to the prints? Yup, you guessed it, it’ll cost ya.
It’s 2024 for cryin’ out loud – isn’t it time for a change?
My packages are all-inclusive. No hidden fees. You’ll pay the listed price at the time of the shoot.
You’ll have access to the entire gallery (yours to keep). All the photos will have light edits, and advanced retouches for your favorites (5 for the Mini, 10 for the Pro).
That’s plenty for 99% of my clients, but if you want more advanced retouches, they’re priced affordably at $20 each or 3 for $50.
Any kind of portraiture
Portraits are kinda my thing. Anything you need, I gotchu. Family photos? Check. Couples? Yup – everything from engagements, elopements and of course the honeymoon. Oh and if you’re looking for individual portraits, please see the portfolio on my homepage – JaySoriano.com.
Favorite Shooting Locations in Las Vegas:
- Red Rock
- For convenience, we could opt for the closest park, including Sunset Park, Exploration Park, Floyd Lamb Park, etc.
- I have a home studio off Durango and the 215 (near Ikea).
- I would love to do more cozy in-home family sessions for the lifestyle photography vibe!
Premium Las Vegas Photo Shoot Locations:
- Jean Dry Lake Bed – $100 Travel Fee
Transparent pricing and blazin' fast turnaround times!
7-Day Turnaround Time, or Faster.
Some photographers have a lead time of 4-6 weeks… sometimes even longer.
I want to get your photos back to you faster than most photographers. 7-days or faster, and a rush option is available.
My Process
- Choose a package that works for you and book through the website.
- Once we land on a date, time and location – you’re booked. It’s that simple, and no deposits are required.
- Day of the shoot:
- It’s shoot time! Don’t worry about being nervous in front of the camera… We’ll chat, have some laughs and I’ll take care of posing and direction so you don’t have to worry about, “What do I do with my hands?!”
- If you have toddlers, plan naps accordingly so they’re in the good mood… and packing their favorite snacks can help!
- I’ll get your photos back to you within 7-days, along with a few advanced edits chosen by me. This shows my style, and gives you an idea of what the advanced retouches will look like.
- Once you make your selections, I’ll have those back to you within a couple days. And that’s it… easy peasy!
Once you receive your edits, feel free to tag me on Instagram (@jaysoriano) or Facebook (Jay Soriano Photography), and if any of your friends end up booking with me, you’ll receive a $100 credit towards your next shoot!
Any questions? Checkout my portfolios in the menu above to see the vast variety in portraits. You can also checkout my Instagram.
Working with Jay was such an amazing experience!… loved how patient he was with our kids and captured the siblings’ best moments. He was very accommodating too as we had to move the shoot location at the last minute… Highly recommend!
– Rav Min
Portrait Pricing for Las Vegas
FAQs for Portraits
- Sunsets vs Sunrise?
- What should we wear?
- Is a deposit, or payment required in advance?
- Is there a cancellation fee?
- What are the popular add-ons?
- What's the difference between light edits and advanced retouches?
- Maui Photo Shoot Beach Locations?
- Tell me more about your 100% satisfaction guarantee...
- What happens when it rains for outdoor shoots?
- Do you have a portrait studio?
- Portrait Photography Services
- Do you have kama'aina rates?
Las Vegas
Sunsets are recommended for the softest lighting.
Both are great options!
Maui Sunrises
Sunrise is way less busy, and gives a few more options on the beach when it comes to locations and posing.
Winds and water tend to be calmer as well.
Since the sun rises from the east, the overall image tends to have a more light and airy vibe.
With the timezone change from the mainland, sunrises tend to be pretty easy to wake up for in Hawaii for most people.
Maui Sunsets
Sunsets can be busy, even more so on popular holidays.
Winds can pick up in the afternoon, especially in the summer season.
But since the sun sets over the west, you’ll have the classic shots where the sunsets over the ocean. Since images are more backlit, the overall image tends to be a little more moody, but not too dark.
Pre-Sunset Micro Sessions
The sun will be higher pre-sunset, and thus a little more contrasty. You’ll have bluer skies and bluer water, and you’ll save some money as well!
Overall, what you wear won’t be as important as the connection we create on camera.
I’d recommend leaving the smartwatches behind, I go for timeless and an Apple Watch or similar can date a photo.
If you wear normally wear glasses with transition lenses (eg. sunglasses), I recommend wearing a regular pair (anti-reflective coating is a plus), or just go no glasses at all.
Overall, wear something that you look and feel great in!
Las Vegas
For Calico Basin (Red Rock) or the Jean Dry Lake Bed – I personally gravitate towards whites and blacks, it makes for a great juxtaposition against the backdrop. Rich colors such as maroon and dark green work as well!
For studio sessions, I’d recommend a more formal look, it works really well with my lighting and custom backdrops often seen in Vanity Fair, Vogue, etc.
For the cozy in-home styled shoots, you’ll want some coordination of outfits.
Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Big Island)
Aloha shirts and dresses are popular and certainly work for shots in Hawaii, but if it were up to me I’d point you towards plain lighter tones and coordinating with your family. White, beige, blues, etc. pair well with the Maui ocean and sky.
But going bright and bold works too! Yellows, reds, etc. can be an excellent juxtaposition to the backdrop.
I prefer whites and light creams as opposed to khaki and darker tans. Both work as far as color, but you’ll see water splashes less on white or cream.
For couples, lei’s are a popular add-on to a shoot and available at most Maui florists, haku lei’s (head crown) are popular with women and ti leaf lei’s are popular with men.
For families, it’s personal preference based on what look you want to achieve, but I’d say they aren’t necessary. Perhaps a haku lei for a special mama or your little girls look really good for solo portraits.
Nope! No deposits are required.
Your date is reserved when I confirm with the date, time and location.
Payment is due at the end of your session.
Nope! I get it, life happens so there are no cancellation fees.
I do ask that if you have to cancel, please so do at least a month in advance as it’s hard to fill-in the spot last minute.
I’ve built my packages to fit 98% of people, but here are a few options that some clients have requested:
- Rush delivery, photos and my selected edits within 24 hours – $30
- Buy the RAW files (for editors) – $50
- Additional Advanced Edits: $20 each or 3 for $50.
Think of the light edits as corrections that I can apply globally throughout a set of photos. In other words, if all the images were slightly under or overexposed, I can easily fix that. If the color is slightly off (via white balance), I can correct that. And generally, I’ll add a little boost to saturation and contrast. The light edits are pretty close to what you would see in-camera.
The advanced retouches are photos that get individual attention, this is where I color grade to get my signature look. This is where I address a lot of popular edit requests, correcting the horizon, removing people or things from the background, and if necessary, brightening up either the subject or background.
Additional advanced retouches are available for purchase for $20 each or 3 for $50.
Special Requests:
The following types of edits are considered non-standard, but are available on request.
Composite Edits – These type of requests include Photoshopping smiles to get the perfect photo (smile swaps, etc., popular for group photos), etc. Basically, any edit that requires another photo to complete. Composite Edits are $25 Per Photo.
Make you thinner (and other intricate requests) – Add $20 per photo
Maui Photo Shoot Beach Locations
I recommend South Maui (Kihei/Wailea), after confirmation, I’ll send the location of the beach I use for the vast majority of my shoots. Easy access, ample parking and a nice blend of beach, palms and lava rock for a nice variety. Gotta be a little discreet online because I don’t want everyone using my same spots 😏
West Maui (Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua) is where most of the tourism is, along with commercial restrictions on the Kaanapali coast, I would recommend sunrise in West Maui as sunsets can be very busy.
Permits:
I do obtain the proper permits for shooting on Maui – the last thing you want is a shoot getting shut down because your photographer isn’t properly permitted… especially when there’s a short window of good light (around sunrise/sunset).
Available upon request, these beaches require additional permitting (+$40) for commercial activity because of how busy they are:
- Makena Cove – Popular for weddings, it’s a small tucked away beach, it can be a good option at sunrise. Personally, I don’t recommend it for sunset anymore as it’s one of, if not the busiest beach per square foot in South Maui.
- Ironwoods – Ironwoods Beach in Kapalua is another popular wedding location with options of lava rock overlooking the ocean. Parking is limited to about a dozen spots.
Are there any good private beaches for surprise proposals at sunset?
I get this question a lot. All beaches are public, and of course beaches tend to be busy around sunset. But I do know a good spot. It’s a long stretch and usually doesn’t have more than 20-30 people on the beach.
I’ve tried other “non-beach park” beaches that aren’t frequented by visitors, but there’s a number of drawbacks. No parking, beach isn’t maintained as much as thus isn’t quite as nice, sand isn’t as nice, etc.
I’ll show you photos throughout the session and for some reason if you don’t like what you see – you won’t have to pay me… no questions asked!
Though just due to the digital nature of files, you’d have to tell me during the session.
Nonetheless, I’m proud to say I’ve had zero takers on this offer as I’m always striving to deliver great photos!
Thankfully, rain isn’t a huge issue on the island of Maui. And where I’m located in south Maui (Kihei), we receive less than 10 inches of rain per year. The west side of Maui, including Ka’anapali, Lahaina and Kapalua, does rain a tad bit more – but it’s usually brief, and just a light sprinkle.
And don’t be afraid of the clouds – it’s actually great for photos (think soft light!) and can lead to awesome sunsets.
Of course! Most visitors come for outdoor photos on the beach, but I do have a studio available – or we can rent one too!
My studio is located in Kihei, Maui. I had a full studio on the mainland, but I’ve decided to cut down on overhead and pass on the savings to my clients. I now have a complete home studio setup with a separate bathroom/dressing area. A large photo studio is also available to rent in Kahului for $75 per hour. I also have an office with a conference room suitable for headshots.
I love shooting in-studio, where I have control over the light. This allows us to figure out which lighting style works best for you. Natural light from the windows? Or is it the soft, flattering look of a ring light? Maybe the dramatic, contrasty look of a soft box or beauty dish with a grid? Let’s find out.
I love shooting outdoors too, and “golden hour” is the perfect time to shoot (ie. the hour before sunset) in Maui. And surprisingly, overcast weather is great too. While it might seem drab, clouds are the best light diffuser, leading to soft light and photos with a little more drama to them.
There are plenty of Maui photographers, so thank you for considering me!
Portrait Photography services include, but are not limited to:
- High School Senior Photos – I love working with high school seniors and capturing exactly what they have visioned!
- Family Photographer – Families of all sizes welcome!
- Newborn Portraits – Let’s chat about what you would like out of a newborn photo session!
- Engagement and Elopement Sessions
- and more!
I shoot all types of portraits, if for some reason I can’t help you with your project, I’d be more than happy to refer you to another photographer!
General Information:
your … and hey everyone loves a good ! – Everyone wants a good , and Maui is the perfect place to capture with
Let’s make sure the is a thing of the past. Keys to a good :
- . In any case, don’t stress too much over what to wear, at the end of the day, it’s the connection you make with the camera that’s the most important. : An aloha shirt or is fine, and of course a popular option in Hawaii, I personally prefer a little simpler, a consistent for your
- Every , the in particular (sometimes even !), should be well rested. It makes it a lot easier to create those that you’ll want in a , print on your wall, or just to share to !
– I . Whether it’s an , an elopement, or a surprise proposal, I would to capture your special .
is more than just a few cute , our will focus on creating moments that are raw and real. Think of it as date night, I want you to have , and I’m just there to tell your . No pressure. We’ll take hundreds of photos, we’ll throw in a here and there but I really want to capture the candids. If you have any ideas for a , feel free to bookmark them on your phone and we can use them for inspiration for your .
Maui is a beautiful place to plan your , honeymoon, heck even just to capture some memories out here. Contact me and we’ll set up your tailored towards you! And hey, ya never know, maybe you’ll like it out here so much that I’ll be your !
– I’d to capture your , and there’s nothing better than an on the island of Maui in Hawaii.
An or in Maui can save you a lot of money. If you need help with , including info, performers (ie. minister), etc., just let me know.
I’d to be your , contact me, I know the ! 🙂
Yes! For full-time residents of Hawaii (with ID), please inquire for kama’aina rates.