Mapuana Reed Photography

There are not enough words to express how great Mapuana is!I'll start by saying that she does her shoots from a small studio in kaimuki. I recommend parking in the lot where you pay on your way out rather than in the metered parking because once you start with hair and make up, you'll lose track of time from having so much fun and you may get a parking ticket from an expired meter. When you walk in, Mapuana and her beautiful hair and make up assistant, leigh greet you with the warmest greeting. They make you feel like you've been friends forever!They seat you down and that's where leigh does magic with your hair and make up. Her personality is so sweet and so outgoing and I swear I could just talk and laugh with her for hours! Also while doing hair and make up, Mapuana pulls up and a chair and just talks with you and gets to know you. *you won't realize it then, but that's how she gets to know you and is able to really bring your story out through the photographs that she takes of you!)After hair and make up comes the shoot. Mapuana is so amazing! She really guided me with how to position my Body from literally head to toe. She tells you how to smile and how to look at the camera. While you're in these positions, you'll feel uncomfortable and think that your pictures may come out with you looking crooked, but I assure you that the pictures will be nothing but fabulous! In a couple of weeks, Mapuana will call you back and that's when you'll view your pictures and determine that you do indeed want them ALL! With this said, I want to Share a little bit of my own testimony with Mapuana. I've seen her once a year for the last 3 years. This year I went for my yakudoshi birthday and while I knew what to expect, I can honestly say that I didn't expect what happened after the shoot was done. Mapuana took a photo of me in one of my outfits with my iPhone. That one picture changed how I looked at myself. For so long I'd beat myself up on how I look, but this one picture showed me who I am really. It showed me I am a mother. A beautiful mother of two beautiful boys. It showed me that the body that I've been so insecure of carried two babies in there. It showed me that I am human and that I am real. For the first time, I saw me and really felt like I loved myself for the first time. I promise you that if you do a shoot with Mapuana, you won't be disappointed. She brings out your story and your beauty and I believe that every woman should know how beautiful they are.

If you're like me and you don't think you're photogenic, generally just dislike your photos and think you'll never ever have the luxury of having a beautiful picture of yourself, then you NEED to have your photos done with Mapuana! My photo shoot with her from start to finish was incredible in many levels and the finished products spoke a million words! I. loved. them.

Mapuana Reed, you are more than just an AMAZING photographer; you are a therapist and a healer. It started as soon as I walked into your studio; I was met with kindness, and acceptance; there was no a feeling of judgement. While your hairstylist and makeup artist enhanced the outside, you reminded me that true beauty is inside. I'll be able to draw on the confidence that this experience has given me for a long time. When I see the photos you've taken of me, the critical voice in my head that has been putting me down non-stop since I was 12 is quiet. This is the best gift I've ever given myself. I'm urging every woman I know to email Mapuana at [email protected] and book your session today!

I don't think I have had any kind of portraits done since 2nd grade, and only because it was mandatory. haha. Never saw myself that way and definitely wasn't raised that way, as my family almost never takes pictures. Which is sad because you miss out on memories. Plus, my family since I can remember would tell me how fat and unattractive I was. Well, through the crazy world of Facebook, I kept seeing friend after friend posting these stunning photos. One who is getting divorced and handling life as a single mother a two. One happily married with SEVEN kids plus a full time job. etc. All walked away feeling BEAUTIFUL, taking away a much needed lift and inspiration. With so many transitions and trials in my life, I wanted a boost too, to see myself in a more positive light. So I thought, "Why not?"Well, with Mother's Day around the corner and my grandmother getting up there in age, I thought it'd be good -whether they liked it or not- to get some photos done. For them to have memories for later and to feel good about themselves. So I booked my appointment with Mapuana.Mapuana is such an incredible warm, inviting person from the moment you walk into her studio. Malia, who does hair and makeup, explodes with energy and personality. What's comforting is they both listen to what you want out of your look and shoot and work their tails off making that happen.I was so surprised with the space. If you take the time to look at her website or Facebook page and browse through the remarkable photos and watch the behind the scene videos, you would never guess how small the studio is. But Mapuana is a wiz at her craft and uses the space in such a creative, efficient manner turning out breathtaking stills.Also, give them much credit for handling a family photo shoot was such class and grace. My mom is not easy to please at all and makes faces all the time that can be discouraging. And my sister can be quite tough too. But Mapuana and Malia were absolute pros!I did have to dock off a star (would've been two...but see the next paragraph) because I was disappointed in being charged for my sister's hair and makeup which wasn't nice or any kind of transformation. They used my sisters makeup and it wasn't full face either. And just the bottom of her hair was curled. The top didn't look good. It wasn't their fault. She said she was going to come with it done but didn't. However, being charged full price, full hair and makeup should've been done with her walking a way looking enhanced and she did not. In spite of that, my sister's baby also came along for the shoot. And as fussy as she was, crying nearly the entire shoot, Mapuana went above and beyond trying different settings to get a few good frames, taking breaks when needed for my sister and the baby to calm down. She even spent extra time after the shoot was done to get some photos with just my sister and her baby.That kind of care and effort is so hard to come across. Overall, it was a good experience and that's based on not seeing the photos yet. We have a viewing scheduled for April 30th. Will post an update then!Hassle-free parking behind the First Hawaiian Bank on 12th ave instead of feeding the meters. Easy walk to the studio!! :)