Best Scenic Photography Locations in Maui + Stunning Drone Video

Best Scenic Photography Locations in Maui

There are few places in the world where you can watch the sunrise above the clouds, photograph sea turtles resting on golden sand, and finish the day with a fiery Pacific sunset—all on the same island.

That is what makes Maui unforgettable.

As a Maui photographer and FAA-certified drone pilot, I’ve spent years exploring the island with both a camera in hand and a drone in the air. Every location offers something different, whether it’s dramatic volcanic landscapes, lush rainforests, towering waterfalls, or miles of coastline.

This short video showcases many of the places that continue to inspire my work and reminds me why Maui is one of the most photogenic destinations on Earth.

Watch the scenic reel below.

Why Maui Is One of the World’s Most Photogenic Islands

Maui packs an incredible variety of landscapes into one relatively small island.

Within a single day, you can experience:

Sunrise above the clouds at Haleakalā National Park @ Haleakalanps
Bamboo forests and waterfalls along the Road to Hāna
Golden beaches in Wailea and Makena
Black sand beaches near Hāna
Rugged lava fields stretching into the Pacific
Seasonal humpback whales breaching offshore
Hawaiian green sea turtles basking along the shoreline
Tropical rainforests filled with vibrant vegetation

Few destinations offer this much diversity within such a short drive.

Capturing Maui from the Ground and the Air

Photography isn’t just about documenting a location.

It’s about showing what it feels like to stand there.

Many of the aerial scenes in this video were captured using FAA-certified drones, revealing perspectives that simply aren’t visible from the ground. Combined with traditional photography, drone imagery helps tell a more complete story of Maui’s mountains, coastlines, reefs, and dramatic ocean cliffs.

These perspectives have become an important part of my work with couples, families, luxury resorts, real estate, and commercial clients throughout Hawaii.

Wildlife That Makes Maui Special

One of the highlights of photographing Maui is its incredible wildlife.

During whale season, humpback whales migrate thousands of miles from Alaska to the warm waters surrounding Maui, creating one of the best whale-watching destinations in the world.

The island is also home to Hawaiian green sea turtles, often seen resting peacefully on beaches or swimming through the clear turquoise water.

These moments can’t be scheduled.

They simply happen—and they’re often the photographs people remember most.

Where Were These Photos Taken?

Many scenes featured in this video were photographed throughout Maui, including:

Haleakalā National Park
Wailea
Makena
South Maui
West Maui
Road to Hāna
Upcountry Maui
Maui coastline

Every season brings different lighting, ocean conditions, and wildlife encounters, making each visit unique.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the best scenic photography locations in Maui?

Some of the most popular locations include Haleakalā National Park, the Road to Hāna, Wailea Beach, Makena, West Maui, and the island’s many coastal overlooks. Each offers unique landscapes, especially during sunrise and sunset.

When is the best time to photograph Maui?

Golden hour—shortly after sunrise and before sunset—provides the softest light. Winter also brings humpback whales to Maui, creating incredible opportunities for wildlife photography.

Can drones be flown everywhere in Maui?

No. Drone operations must follow FAA regulations and additional restrictions within national parks, protected areas, and certain private properties. Every flight should be planned carefully and legally.

More Than Scenic Photography

While scenic landscapes inspire much of my personal work, I also photograph and film:

Maui weddings
Surprise proposals
Family portraits
Engagement sessions
Luxury resorts
Commercial campaigns
Corporate events
Real estate
Professional drone photography and videography

Every project benefits from the same attention to light, composition, and storytelling showcased in this scenic reel.

Experience Maui Through Photography

Whether you’re planning a vacation, celebrating a milestone, or looking for professional photography or drone video, Maui offers unforgettable scenery at every turn.

If you’re ready to document your own Maui experience, I’d love to help you create photographs and films you’ll treasure for years to come. Book here.

Golden sand, swaying palms, and turquoise water showcase the timeless beauty of Hamoa Beach on Maui’s scenic Road to Hana. Photography by Sean Michael Hower.

The summit of Haleakalā National Park rises above a sea of clouds during sunrise with warm golden light illuminating the sky over Maui.

A breathtaking sunrise unfolds above the clouds at Haleakalā National Park, revealing one of Maui’s most iconic landscapes. Photography by Sean Michael Hower.

An aerial photograph of La Perouse Bay on Maui showing black lava fields, turquoise ocean water, rugged volcanic coastline, and storm clouds over the island.

Ancient lava flows meet brilliant turquoise water along the dramatic coastline of La Perouse Bay on Maui. Photography by Sean Michael Hower.

June 29, 2026/by Sean Hower

Commercial, Landscape, Maui Photographer, Media

Royal Kona Resort FPV Drone Tour | Big Island Hawaii Resort Photography & Video

The Big Island of Hawaii offers some of the most dramatic coastlines, breathtaking sunsets, and iconic resort properties in the world. Recently, we had the opportunity to create a dynamic FPV drone highlight reel showcasing the beautiful Royal Kona Resort in Kailua-Kona.

Using our FPV drone system, we captured a unique perspective that traditional photography and standard drone flights simply cannot achieve. FPV technology allows viewers to experience a property from a natural, flowing point of view, creating an immersive visual experience that is perfect for hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, real estate listings, and tourism marketing campaigns.

Why FPV Drone Video Works

Modern travelers want more than static images. They want to experience a destination before they arrive.

FPV drone flights create movement, energy, and excitement by guiding viewers through a property in a way that feels natural and engaging. For resorts like the Royal Kona Resort, this means showcasing oceanfront views, guest amenities, pools, restaurants, common areas, and the overall guest experience in a single seamless flight.

A short 30 to 60-second FPV highlight reel can often communicate more about a property than dozens of individual photographs.

Commercial Photography and Video for Hawaii Businesses

At Hower Photo + Video, we specialize in helping businesses showcase their properties, products, and services through professional visual content.

Our services include:

Commercial Photography
Resort Photography
Hotel Photography
Vacation Rental Photography
Real Estate Photography
Commercial Videography
Drone Photography
FPV Drone Video
Social Media Content Creation
Corporate Event Coverage

Whether you operate a luxury resort, boutique hotel, vacation rental, restaurant, activity company, golf course, or tourism business, professional visual content plays a critical role in attracting guests and increasing bookings.

Showcasing the Royal Kona Resort

This FPV highlight reel was designed to capture the atmosphere and beauty of one of Kona’s most recognizable oceanfront resorts.

From sweeping ocean views to inviting guest spaces, the goal was to create a fast-paced visual experience that helps potential visitors imagine themselves enjoying everything the property has to offer.

By combining FPV drone technology with professional editing and storytelling, businesses can create engaging content for websites, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, advertising campaigns, and sales presentations.

FAA Certified Drone Services Throughout Hawaii

Drone operations require experience, planning, and compliance with FAA regulations.

As an FAA Certified Drone Pilot, Sean Hower provides professional drone photography and video services throughout Hawaii, including:

Maui
Big Island
Oahu
Kauai
Lanai
Molokai

We work with resorts, hotels, real estate professionals, corporate clients, destination management companies, event planners, tourism organizations, and small businesses looking to elevate their visual marketing.

Looking for Resort Photography or FPV Drone Services?

If you’re searching for professional photography, videography, drone photography, or FPV drone services in Hawaii, we’d love to help.

Our goal is simple: create visual content that helps businesses stand out, attract customers, and tell their story from a unique perspective.

Watch the Royal Kona Resort FPV Drone Tour and experience one of Hawaii’s iconic oceanfront properties from an entirely new point of view.

June 19, 2026/by Sean Hower

Commercial, Landscape, Maui Photographer, Nature

FPV Drone Videography at Maui Sunflower Farm | Commercial Drone Services on Maui

A Rare Bloom Captured From Above

Maui’s sunflower fields are one of the island’s most spectacular hidden gems.

Blooming only a few times each year and lasting for a brief window of approximately fifteen days, the vibrant yellow fields create an unforgettable landscape that draws attention from locals and visitors alike.

During one of these rare blooms, we had the opportunity to capture the Maui Sunflower Farm from a unique perspective using FPV drone technology, creating an immersive aerial experience that showcases the beauty, scale, and energy of the fields in a way traditional photography simply cannot.

Special mahalo to Pacific Biodiesel Technologies for granting permission to fly and document this incredible location.

What Is FPV Drone Videography?

FPV stands for “First Person View.”

Unlike traditional drones that capture scenes from a distance, FPV drones allow viewers to feel as though they are flying through the environment themselves.

This immersive style of aerial storytelling creates dynamic movement, dramatic reveals, and engaging perspectives that are ideal for modern marketing campaigns.

Whether flying through sunflower fields, luxury resorts, event venues, golf courses, commercial properties, or vacation rentals, FPV footage delivers a level of excitement and engagement that stands out online.

Why Businesses Are Using FPV Drone Content

Today’s audiences consume content differently than ever before.

Businesses need visual content that captures attention quickly and encourages viewers to stop scrolling.

FPV drone videography helps businesses:

Create memorable marketing content
Showcase large properties and venues
Highlight unique experiences
Increase engagement on social media
Strengthen website content
Produce dynamic promotional videos
Differentiate themselves from competitors

For many businesses, FPV footage has become one of the most effective ways to showcase their brand, location, or customer experience.

Commercial Photography, Videography & Drone Services

At Sean Michael Hower Photo + Video, we help businesses tell their story through professional visual content.

Services include:

FAA-Certified Drone Photography
Drone Videography
FPV Drone Videography
Commercial Photography
Commercial Videography
Resort Photography & Video
Real Estate Photography & Video
Vacation Rental Marketing
Corporate Event Coverage
Incentive Group Coverage
Agricultural Photography & Video
Destination Marketing Content
Tourism Marketing Content

Our goal is to create compelling imagery and video content that helps businesses attract attention, build trust, and connect with their audience.

Maui Tourism, Agriculture & Destination Marketing

The Maui Sunflower Farm demonstrates how visual storytelling can transform a location into an experience.

Whether promoting a farm, visitor attraction, resort, golf course, event venue, vacation rental, or destination experience, professional photography, videography, and drone coverage help communicate what makes a place special.

FPV drone content adds an entirely new dimension to that storytelling process.

Looking for Professional Drone Services on Maui?

Whether you’re marketing a resort, vacation rental, visitor attraction, agricultural operation, golf course, commercial property, corporate event, or tourism experience, we’d love to help showcase your business from a new perspective.

Sean Michael Hower Photo + Video provides professional photography, videography, FAA-certified drone services, and FPV drone videography throughout Maui, Hawaii, and destination locations worldwide

June 18, 2026/by Sean Hower

Engagement, Landscape, Recent Weddings, Wedding

Maui Beach Wedding Photography | Sweet and Simple Maui Weddings + Sean Michael Hower Photography

Romantic Maui Beach Wedding

There is something magical about a Maui beach wedding. With golden sand, gentle ocean waves, and breathtaking coastal scenery, this beautiful wedding was the perfect example of why couples travel from around the world to say “I do” in Hawai’i.

We had the pleasure of working alongside Sweet and Simple Maui Weddings to capture this intimate celebration on one of Maui’s stunning beaches. Their team helped create a seamless experience for the couple, allowing everyone to focus on what mattered most: celebrating love and creating lifelong memories.

As a Maui wedding photographer, Sean Michael Hower specializes in capturing genuine moments, natural emotions, and the incredible beauty that makes destination weddings in Hawai’i so unforgettable. From romantic portraits along the shoreline to candid moments shared between family and friends, every image tells part of the couple’s story.

Maui offers some of the most beautiful wedding locations in the world, and beach weddings continue to be one of the most popular choices for couples seeking a relaxed and memorable celebration. The combination of ocean views, warm tropical weather, and unforgettable sunsets creates a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

In addition to wedding photography, Sean Michael Hower Photo + Video also offers professional wedding videography and FAA-certified drone coverage, allowing couples to preserve every moment from both the ground and sky.

We are grateful to Sweet and Simple Maui Weddings for their partnership and for helping create such a beautiful wedding day for this wonderful couple.

If you’re planning a destination wedding in Maui and looking for professional photography, videography, or drone services, we’d love to help tell your story.

Click below to visit their website for more info on Maui wedding planning services.

Contact Us

April 17, 2026/by Sean Hower

Cityscapes, Landscape, Nature, Portfolio, Travel

Dubai Travel Photography | Architecture, Culture & Luxury Travel Images

Dubai Travel Photography | Architecture, Culture & Desert Adventures

Photography has the power to tell stories that transcend language, culture, and geography. During a work trip to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, I had the opportunity to explore one of the world’s most fascinating destinations through my camera lens.

Dubai is a city of contrasts. Modern skyscrapers rise from the desert landscape while traditional markets, local businesses, and cultural landmarks preserve the rich history of the region. From the towering Burj Khalifa to quiet moments with local shop owners, every corner of the city offered a unique perspective.

One of the most impressive aspects of Dubai is its architecture. The city’s skyline is filled with innovative design, luxury resorts, world-famous landmarks, and breathtaking views. Whether photographing city lights after dark or capturing the intricate details of historic and modern buildings, the opportunities for photography are endless.

Exploring Culture and Local Life

While many visitors focus on the luxury and modern attractions, some of my favorite images came from exploring local markets, meeting residents, and documenting everyday life. Colorful spices, handcrafted goods, family-owned businesses, and authentic interactions reveal another side of Dubai that many travelers never experience.

Travel photography is about more than beautiful locations. It is about capturing the people, traditions, and moments that make a destination unique.

Desert Landscapes and Adventure

No trip to Dubai would be complete without venturing into the desert. Endless dunes, dramatic light, and expansive landscapes create incredible opportunities for photography. From off-road adventures to quiet desert portraits, the Arabian desert offers a striking contrast to the energy of the city.

Architecture, Commercial Photography & Destination Content

Experiences like this continue to inspire my work as a photographer. Whether documenting luxury travel destinations, architectural landmarks, corporate events, resorts, commercial projects, weddings, or cultural experiences, every assignment is an opportunity to tell a story through imagery.

Sean Michael Hower Photo + Video provides photography, videography, FAA-certified drone photography, and drone videography for weddings, resorts, incentive groups, commercial projects, corporate events, travel brands, and destination marketing campaigns throughout Hawaii and beyond.

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April 11, 2015/by Sean Hower

Landscape, Nature, Portfolio

Perfect Rainbow Over Maui’s North Shore | Maui Landscape Photography

Perfect Rainbow Over Maui’s North Shore

A Maui Moment Worth Stopping For

Living and working on Maui means experiencing moments that remind us why this island is so special.

While driving toward Maui’s North Shore, I spotted one of the most perfectly formed rainbows I’ve ever seen. Like many of the best photographs, this wasn’t something planned. It was a fleeting moment that demanded a quick stop and a camera in hand.

The rainbow stretched gracefully across the landscape, creating a vibrant arc above Maui’s rich red earth and green fields. The contrast between the dramatic clouds, bright blue sky, and colorful rainbow created a scene that felt almost unreal.

The Beauty of Maui’s Ever-Changing Landscape

One of the reasons Maui is such a remarkable place for photography is that no two days ever look exactly the same. Weather conditions can change within minutes, creating incredible opportunities for landscape photography.

Rainbows are a common part of life in Hawai’i, but occasionally nature puts on a display that feels truly extraordinary. This rainbow appeared at just the right moment as sunlight broke through the clouds, creating a nearly perfect arc across the horizon.

Photographs like these remind us that some of the most memorable images happen when we least expect them.

Maui Landscape Photography

While many people know Sean Michael Hower for wedding photography, family portraits, and event coverage, landscape photography has always been an important part of his creative journey.

From dramatic coastlines and waterfalls to sunsets, rainbows, and mountain vistas, Maui offers endless opportunities to document the beauty of Hawai’i. These images help preserve the natural moments that make the islands unique.

Photography, Videography & FAA-Certified Drone Coverage

Sean Michael Hower Photo + Video provides professional photography, videography, FAA-certified drone photography, and drone videography throughout Maui and beyond.

Services include:

Wedding Photography
Wedding Videography
Family Photography
Engagement Photography
Senior Portraits
Corporate Event Coverage
Incentive Group Photography
Resort Photography
Commercial Photography
Real Estate Photography
FAA-Certified Drone Photography
Drone Videography
Maui Landscape Photography

Looking for a Maui Photographer?

Whether you’re planning a wedding, family session, corporate event, resort marketing project, or simply looking to capture the beauty of Hawai’i, we’d love to help tell your story through photography and video.