Aloha! My name is Colton West and I am from Maui, Hawaii. 
For the past three years, my biggest passion has been photography. It all started with my dad teaching me the ins and outs of real estate marketing. This soon evolved into a full-blown real estate photography business in which I had the privilege of working closely with over 20 realtors, as well as prestigious companies like The Wall Street Journal, Berkshire Hathaway, and Keller Williams. Through this experience, I was able to photograph houses ranging from $500,000 to $12,000,000, and with each property, I discovered a new way of telling its story through my camera lens.

      Finding out what beauty can come from something as simple as taking pictures of houses, it inspired me to try out other forms of photography. It started with me bringing a beater camera everywhere and I discovered the beauty of nature. I might not have been producing 45.7-megapixel, perfectly framed and exposed pictures, but I learned capturing moments of friends living life is priceless.

      Once my camera was an extension of my body, I was able to try out and find what forms of photography were calling to me. In this, I realized my favorite subjects to shoot were people and nature. Landscape portraits if you will. I became addicted to the chase. Chasing that next photo. Whether it was hiking hours into the depths of the Hana forest to find a hidden waterfall, or driving to the top of the Haleakala volcano to catch the stunning sunset, I was always on the lookout for the next beautiful spot. 

Without trying to sound too much like a cliché, photography is not just a job, it is a way of life. It is about connecting with people, exploring the world, and capturing moments that will last a lifetime. I am honored to share my passion with others and grateful for the opportunity to be able to do what I love every day. If you're looking for someone who is passionate about their craft and dedicated to capturing beautiful moments, look no further than West Film & Photo.