Michael was calm, professional, and had a knack for catching moments of genuine joy. He shot did a maternity family session for me and I was thrilled with the results. I will 100% be a repeat customer. read more

My wife and I hired Michael to photograph our wedding. When we met with him to discuss our ceremony, it was clear that he was very experienced and professional. We explained that our wedding would be an immediately family only ceremony in a friend's backyard, followed by a Chinese tea ceremony, and he immediately was able to tell us his plan for photographing the day. We didn't even have to explain the tea ceremony process, and he was already familiar with many other cultures' wedding traditions! On wedding day, Michael was so easy to work with. He arrived early to understand and photograph the setup. During the ceremony, I didn't even know he was there taking photos. Afterwards, he gave us plenty of direction of where to stand, how to pose and, because we were outside, where to face and stand for scenic shots. He was very friendly and funny and will make you feel like you've known him for a long time. We appreciated that he didn't try to rush through the photos and took time to accommodate our requests as well. Michael sent us preview photos soon enough that we could include them in thank you cards, and the rest came much sooner than expected. They were incredible photos and the emotions of the day came rushing back looking though them, as they captured the moments perfectly. I could not recommend Michael enough and would definitely hire him again for future occasions! read more

We used Michael to take pictures of our family with our new son. He provided good insight on clothing choices to ensure that our family didn't clash or take away from the overall pictures. His dedication and commitment to us as his client was well received as he answered our last minute questions up until the night before the photo shoot. I don't have to tell you that a one year old boy is not the easiest person to get to pose and smile, but Michael handled the entire shoot with professionalism and class. He provided many ideas. We got lots of great pictures, and some fun ones as well that we got to share with family and friends. If we need a photographer again, Michael will certainly be the first person we call! read more

Michael was so easy to work with. He was calm, organized, and fun! Most importantly, the photos turned out amazing! He paid close attention to detail and gave us small directions when we needed them. We couldn't be happier with the end result. On top of that, we loved working with him. He dealt with our rambunctious family gracefully and professionally. He was also really flexible when we asked to upgrade our package. We'll hire him again when the occasion arises! read more

An Overdue Review for an EXCELLENT Session.. Overall, it was very easy to schedule, family portrait rate is very reasonable, access to digital prints was easy. He had suggestions for the good venues. Michael was patient and creative with the kids. Turn around time was about 2weeks for the digital prints. Michael came highly recommended by a friend. We had our photo session back in June. I initially had hesitations because we needed someone in a matter of a week as our extended family decided to have an impromptu family picture. Michael was very accommodating on the schedule and provided suggestions on venues. The venue did not disappoint! He even did an ocular inspection day prior to make sure the sun was just right when we had our portraits. When the day for the session came. It was raining. He was very patient and very cool even if I was clearly panicking. We had 2 toddlers and 3 families scheduled for the session. Michael was very good with kids. He was very professional in making sure each family had their own sets of portraits without reminding. The pictures came out very natural. His rate was also comparable if not less than the others that counted per head and each digital print released. We had a great experience and have beautiful memories to remember our family visiting us. We highly recommend him and would schedule another session when we have another family reunion. Thank you Michael! read more

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It was a pleasure working with Michael on our wedding day! He made us feel comfortable and he was so easy to work with. We were unpracticed and unnatural at first. But he helped us feel at ease. He guided us throughout the process, and the end result was fantastic. We were impressed with his creativity and the variety of poses and shots he suggested. I can't even really explain it, but there's something about him that's really calming. He listens, he's patient, and you can tell he's got the experience to boot. We got our photos back and couldn't be happier with them! He really captured our personalities and the happiness we felt on our special day. Michael is a true professional, and I guarantee you will enjoy working with him. Thanks so much, Michael! read more

Absolutely amazing experience with Michael. Such a great experience. He made it easy and fun! Not only was it a great experience, but the photos turned out AMAZING! Thank you!! read more

Finding a good photographer for our wedding was one of my top priorities, because it's one of the only things left after it's all said and done. It was pretty overwhelming to find the right person for the job. You have to get along/vibe from them, they have to be within the right price point and definitely have a style that you like. It was pictures from a friend's wedding that tuned me in to Vivir Photography, I really liked the way he captured the event. So I asked my friend how she liked working with Micheal and she had positive things to say. We ended up setting up a meeting with him to get a vibe of his personality since we already liked his work and his fees were reasonable. He was really helpful right from the beginning, providing tips regarding our program and recommending people if we needed any other vendors, etc... Day of, everything went pretty smoothly and fast forward a few months post wedding..the pictures are amazing !! we love them !! read more

Although I know Michael as a wedding photographer, my siblings and I hired Michael to take family portraits for us at Puu Ualakaa lookout on Tantalus. Michael was always very professional and easy to work with. He responded quickly whenever I had questions about color schemes, group arrangements, timing of the photo session, etc. He is great with kids (we had 2 newborns and 4 toddlers) and knew how to draw their attention toward the camera. He didn't hesitate to lie down on the grass to get specific angles and was constantly taking opportunities to get candid photos of all of us. We also loved that Michael brought blankets with him to the photo shoot. We hadn't thought about bringing any but appreciated that he did because we incorporated them into several shots. We absolutely love the edited photos we received from Michael and have received numerous compliments on all of them! He provided us with a link to Dropbox so that we could easily access all the photos. We highly recommend Michael and would definitely hire him again. read more

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I needed to take some professional photographs for my business webpage. I came to Michael and he did an amazing job on the photos. The shoot itself was quick and enjoyable. Michael has a great personality and gave excellent direction during the shoot. When I saw the edited pics, I was amazed at how good he made me look. No small task! He gave me a lot of options to choose from. Since that time, I've got a lot of compliments on the webpage and the photos. Very professional looking! I'd definitely recommend Michael and Vivir! read more

Michael is an amazing photographer. We have now used him twice for family photos and the photos are just stunning. He's super patient with kids, knows the angles, captures the mood and works with you to get the right shots. We first used him in 2014 -- we were staying at Disney aulani -- a) he made time for us b) extremely patient with out then 3 and 6 yr old and c) took some amazing photos of the family and kids. In 2016 -- we were back at Disney aulani and called him for family photos ... exact same experience. Amazing as always. Looking forward to seeing him again next year as we keep capturing family photos through michaels lens and photography. Highly recommended. read more

Anyone who has been married will tell you that the wedding day is stressful, for a number of reasons. Fortunately, Michael was a breath of fresh air and a calming influence as his style of photography is professional as well as fluid. My wife and I are goofy, love to laugh, and we wanted that reflected in our photos. We also wanted the "serious" shots as well. Michael was able to accommodate all of our wishes and did so with ease. Our final portfolio is incredible! It encompasses the entire event from getting ready to the final songs on the dance floor. Looking through our photos I am able to truly relive my wedding and the loving moments shared with my wife and our family and friends. 5 stars across the board, Michael and Vivir are the way to go. read more

Having Mike as our photographer was one of the best choices we made for our wedding. He was so easy-going and personable that he mixed right in with the crowd at our ceremony and reception in Mijas, Spain. And of course, it goes without saying he did a beautiful job capturing all the little moments of our big day. From my husband spending time teaching my younger brother the Ukulele (seems the guys always have more time for fun on the wedding day, right?) to my father building a bamboo backdrop for our ceremony, Michael was able to catch it all. On top of that, he made our small wedding look intimate and unforgettable. Mike also did a wonderful job with our day-after session, which produced some of our favorite shots from the wedding because he did such a great job of showing off the small Spanish village that we'd chosen as our destination. After a year of living in Spain, we really wanted our wedding to look quintessentially Spanish, and Michael was able to capture just that! We would recommend him to any couple looking for a great photographer. read more

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Michael is wonderful to work with and has a great eye for stunning photos! As part of a wedding planning company, I especially love hiring him for his professionalism, dedication for getting the perfect shot, his ease with with working with others and on top of it all the clients love him! He has a way of making everyone feel comfortable and relaxed around him as he catches special moments and details throughout the event, but still coming off as fun and happy to be part of the festivities. We have another event coming up with him in a few weeks and later this year, and I'm so excited to have him on board! read more

My fiance and I had found about Michael through one of our hiking buddies. We were interested in getting an engagement photo shoot done, especially given my fiance's secret dream to be a model (just kidding! kind of! always practicing the "blue steel" look). Michael had done the engagement photo shoot for an acquaintance of mine (Coty G) - the couple's theme was vintage with an urban vibe (Chinatown! pretty cool!) - those photographs had stuck in my mind. For our photo shoot location, we picked Lanikai Beach where our relationship had blossomed early on. Michael suggested sunrise or sunset for the time given the lighting. Though we live in the area, this was my first time catching sunrise on Lanikai Beach - pretty amazing and beautiful! Michael was really good at coaching and directing us through different shots since we didn't have a specific idea and he's clearly the professional. We just received a DVD of the photos. Pretty awesome! Just trying to figure out which photo (out very many many super ones) to include on our Save the Date card. We're hoping to work with him on The Big Wedding Day as well! read more

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It was a pleasure to have been able to work with Michael during our engagement shoot, on our wedding day, and even during our post-wedding day shoot. He was always professional, courteous, and thoughtful. Before doing our engagement shoot, he called us and allowed us to share some of the ideas that we had brewing in our head. It was great to be be able to freely brainstorm with him, and from this we picked out a really awesome engagement shoot location. Michael mentioned to us that he had prior experience as a fashion photographer, and so he encouraged us to dress up. We made sure to follow his advice (and we encourage you to do the same), and we were blown away with the results. He has the keen eye of a seasoned photographer, and his photographs will leave you no less than impressed. My wife and I definitely look forward to our next shoot with Michael. He is a great photographer, but more importantly, a great person to work with. If you are looking for an excellent wedding photographer, then I highly recommend Michael of Vivir Photography. A bazillion thumbs up! read more

Writing this review after hiring Michael as our wedding photographer, spending some time getting to know him and just finishing up our engagement session with him. More to follow after the wedding...but there is no doubt in my mind that my opinion of him will only go up! He has been nothing short of amazing and worth every penny! I didn't want to spare any expense when it came to the photography of our big day....but lets be real - this is Hawaii. Wedding costs here are two or three times what you would pay on the mainland. So when I first started shopping around for a quality photographer, I was blown away by what they were charging. Michael is not only fair and reasonably priced - he is extremely professional. I met him through one of our mutual friends (who highly recommended him) and felt comfortable almost immediately after sitting down with him for the first time. He has a fun, easygoing personality but when he gets down to business mode, he is straightforward and professional. Which is a difficult balance to strike. My fiance and I were pretty nervous being photographed for the first time, but Michael put us at ease as soon as we started. Cracking jokes, asking us to tell stories about each other...there were times when it didn't even feel like we were being photographed...it felt like we were just hanging out together. He indulged my odd request to be photographed in a non-traditional urban environment vs the usual beach shots, arrived early at our location, scoped out the site and found some creative and unique angles to capture us. The whole session was well planned, incredibly executed and we never once felt rushed or silly. I would recommend him to my closest friends and family and truly can't wait to see what he'll create after our wedding night. More to follow in a few weeks!! read more

Michael helped me take photos while transitioning and rebranding my business. He made my entire team and I feel comfortable in front of the lense, even though it can easily be such an artificial experience. By the end of the day of shooting, we were all gathered by our parked cars talking story and having drinks (kombucha drinks of course)! Michael is genuine, warm-hearted, and super chill. It was refreshing to meet someone like him in the small local photography industry. I will definitely hire him again for website, social media, and family photos. read more

Michael helped level up my professional image on social media and LinkedIn. He was professional, communicative, a blast to work with, and gave great results. What else can you ask for? read more

Michael photographed my wedding when he worked with fisheye studios. Now that he has his own company, I just wanted to take a min to sing his praises and share some details that make him such a great photographer. 1. He embraced and honored us as a couple. I adore those weddings and videos where the groom gushes over his bride emotionally and verbally during the event...but that's not my groom. My groom leans hard on humor. He claims to only have cried due to hitting his hand with a hammer. I secretly worried my day wouldn't be as easy to capture the meaningful moments. Michael understood us. There's this one clip that sticks out to me of us secretly practicing our first dance in a corner and he was making me laugh. Those are the sweet moments where my man shines. 2. From fashion to posing...he's a team mate. I don't know why it didn't dawn on me to practice posing prior to my big day...but it didn't. I often found myself thinking "I'm not sure what to do with my hands!". Michael figured this out early on and helped me strike poses that were natural but also flattering. He also helped me decide on a belt for our engagement shots. thanks Michael for making this tomboy look and feel beautiful. 3. He captured all the details I wanted and more. My wedding was very DIY so naturally I wanted all that hard work to be captured (which he did). But also, he caught some beautiful things that I was quick to overlook. At the church wedding I made a cake. It tasted delicious but looked...well...less than professional. I found michael taking a picture of it. When I asked why he said he just loved the texture of it. When I looked again, something that I had written off as ugly, took a whole new look for me. It's small and silly but that's another beautiful memory. That picture makes me smile so much. Long story short, Michael did a great job capturing our day and our story! read more

I've partnered with Michael for numerous projects over the past 8 years and can testify to his incredible photography skills as well as being an awesome human being. He's able to get clients to do the one thing that matters the most when being shot...that is to be natural. Eliciting that emotion from subjects can be difficult for someone who does not have the talent and experience as Michael does. Beyond that, his style is original and beautiful. Hire him for any project! read more

Michael is a fabulous photographer!!! He's efficient, extremely versatile, and experienced. As an event coordinator, it's important for me to have someone professional, reliable, quick, value-rich and who takes AWESOME photos for my clients. He fits the bill on all accounts. I especially love the shots he took of our Wa'ahila Ridge photo shoot that was a complete hit on social media. He's able to capture the true ambiance and essence of the event in a tight time frame which is important for a professional wedding photographer. So many things happen quickly and if you don't have a professional, many of those moments will pass and not get captured (or you'll get them, but the picture isn't very nice). Michael is super talented and all about catching those moments that you'll never want to forget. Cheers to Vivir!! Tips for hiring Michael - Michael is easy to work with and responds within 48 hours. Pop him an email to get a quote and to book. You can even email him for tips on how to get the best photos during the best times of day. read more

Michael is utterly amazing. He won me over during our phone consultation with his personality. He was not a vendor that tried to sell me, he was genuine and easy to talk to. When choosing a photographer you want to make sure that you are comfortable with them and Michael did just that. He made our wedding day perfect. He made sure to always check in and see how we are feeling about the photos. The photo process was painless, easy, and fun. He did not make us feel too staged or fake. His work is beautiful and you will not regret booking him! read more

Michael is so wonderful to work with! We used him for two professional family photo shoots because both sides of our families had decided on doing professional photos for their Christmas cards. The first photo shoot was with my extended family with newborns, toddlers, and small kids, and he was able to capture their personalities so well! The second photo shoot was with my husband's family and again he was able to work so well with all the kids in the photo shoot. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Michael for family or wedding photos! Thank you Michael! We love the photos and the moments that you captured. read more

Michael is awesome! He shot our wedding photos and we loved him so much we called him to do our family photos too! He is professional, courteous, and pays great attention to detail. He pulls amazing candid shots that become instant favorites. He was very patient with our 10 month old and his lack of smiles and was able to get shots out of nothing! He's magic. Hire him for anything you need. He can do it all. read more

We were very fortunate to have Michael's services as our wedding photographer. One of the hardest things when planning a wedding is to do so from the mainland. Open communication is key, and from the start, Michael was easy to reach and always available when we needed him. He went above and beyond during our consultations by not only answering our questions but letting us know advice from what he had seen work well at other weddings. For the wedding, Michael will enlist a second photographer to make sure all the pictures desired are taken. Both showed up promptly to scout the area and find good areas for pictures. Michael had no shortage of ideas for group and individual photographs. During the ceremony, they were present but did not get in the way of the special event. One of the good tips was that oftentimes in this age of social media, people are caught up in taking photos on ipads or cellphones during the ceremony, and that can hurt overall group photos taken during the ceremony to see Grandma with a ipad up to her face! That was a good reminder to pass along to our guests. After our group photographs, Michael and the second photographer stayed in the background but kept snapping away during the reception. There was even time carved out so we could slip away to get some sunset photographs. Michael gave good direction, was courteous, and fun with the guests. Our photo preview came in within 3 weeks as discussed and Michael delivered on our photography list. The lighting and family intimacy was well captured, and we are very excited to see the final product. Michael meshed so well with our family-oriented wedding and was such a pleasure to work with. You could tell he obviously cared a lot about his work and wanted to be proud of the results he delivered. He also worked with our budget, which was a godsend. Highly recommended and we wish Mike much aloha! read more

Michael was truly wonderful. He did such a great job with our engagement photo shoot. He was professional, prompt, creative and made the entire process a lot of fun. He even helped us set up the shoot! I love the finished product and can't wait to have him at our wedding! Thank you so much Michael! read more

Vivir Photography is the best wedding photography company in the business!! If you don't believe me, please go onto vivirphotography.com. Michael is a true professional and he creates priceless photos look magical. A brides wedding day is the most important day in her life and she can often be stressed out for numerous reason, Michael helps her stay calm and true enjoy the unforgettable experience. People will be looking at these pictures for the rest of the lives and remember this special moment, its important to hire the very best in the business. I highly recommend Vivir Photography!! read more

When we were in the throes of wedding planning, we were told that the photographer was the most important element of your day because those photos will be with you for the rest of your life. We were so lucky that we chose Michael to help capture our special day. He is an excellent photographer and a delight to work with. We were stunned by the perfect photos, even though the day was more overcast than we expected. From the posed family portraits to ones of just us to candid shots of our guests, Michael captured everything we loved about our wedding day. read more

My fiancé and I won an engagement photo session with Vivir Photography through The Wedding Café and are thrilled with the photos! Working with Michael was a pleasure from start to finish. He is friendly and professional and easy to be around, which greatly helps with relaxing during the shoot. We wanted an outdoor nature setting for our photos, versus an urban setting, and he made great suggestions and was very flexible and accommodating with our vision. We will be recommending Vivir if ever our friends are in need of a professional photographer in Hawaii. read more

A trusted friend recommended Vivir for our wedding photography. We loved the layout of the website, and the photography was elegant, so we decided to go with them. When we met with Michael, I had A LOT of questions. He was very patient and thorough in helping us plan for photography on our big day. Michael enhanced our wedding day and we are so grateful to have these beautiful photos to help us remember the entire day! We've recommended him to our friends and family. Michael is a very pleasant guy, easy to work with, and very professional. We consider Michael a friend, and we still keep in touch with him. read more

Michael impressed us from the very beginning. He was relaxed and professional and took interest in getting to know me and my groom. He was interested in all facets of us, not just our love story like other photographers. We found that we shared many interests and aesthetics and feel we formed a friendship along the way that made the day completely comfortable. Michael was prompt and attentive on our day and was able to give great suggestions for shots. We have beautiful, amazing memories thanks to him. I highly recommend him. read more

Michael and his team rock! I couldn't be happier with his services! He was so well educated in our location and near by beaches to do off property pics. He chatted with me multiple times prior to the wedding and gave me great tips. He makes you feel very relaxed and was efficient with my time frame. He even went over the pros and cons of first looks since I was hesitant and was so happy we decided for them! We even had a previous bride of his stop us on the beach and compliment his work on her wedding. Great Job Michael and Joseph, Chris and I couldn't be happier and are looking forward to the proofs! read more

My wife and I are so happy we chose to work with Vivir for our wedding! Michael took beautifully composed photos that now sit in frames on our mantle and adorn every room in our home. Michael was able to capture the spontaneous, loving moments of our ceremony and reception, as well as all of the subtle details - table settings, party favors, boutonnières, our rings. Looking back at the photos (which we do often) brings back all of the feelings of our special day. Michael has a particularly warm, magnetic personality - he'll be patient in snapping the perfect shot of your 5 year old flower girl and he'll make your grandmother-in-law belly laugh. It was easy for our guests to relax around him- he was even able to capture groups of 30 or 40 all looking at the camera, gently arranging our guests so that everyone could be seen. We couldn't have been more pleased. On top of all that, Michael was easy to work with following the wedding- he was communicative and professional, keeping us updated on the editing process. I highly recommend Vivir! read more