Keri Nakahashi Photography

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Keri Nakahashi Photography Capturing the life and love of your furry family member with natural, fun, and expressive photos.

Finally getting around to sharing some of my images I entered to the International Pet Photography Awards This set of 10...
09/08/2026

Finally getting around to sharing some of my images I entered to the International Pet Photography Awards

This set of 10 images of Cathy Bautista were my highest scoring entry to the Commissioned Portfolio category and honestly, that makes me especially proud 🥹

Unlike the other categories that judge a single image, this one was created to recognize a photographer’s ability to deliver a complete, cohesive gallery for a client - using light, location, and their unique skill set to capture the personality and distinctive look of each pet across a full session.

And that feels so aligned with what I strive to create for every client.

Of course I love creating that one stunning image. The dramatic sunset. The dreamy light. The photo you hang larger than life in your living room. But when I photograph your dog, my goal has never been to walk away with just one perfect photograph.

I want to create variety. Everything from the big landscapes and the little details. The happy, goofy expressions and the quiet moments. The portraits that you want to hang on the wall and the ones that tell your dog’s story in an album.

Because a session isn’t about proving I can make one beautiful image. It’s about creating an entire collection that feels like them. A whole collection of memories ❤️

Happy Birthday Kobe, I miss you every single day ❤️
08/21/2026

Happy Birthday Kobe, I miss you every single day ❤️

This is your sign to visit the sandbar during low tide, with minimal wind and some clouds.Every once in a while, nature ...
06/16/2026

This is your sign to visit the sandbar during low tide, with minimal wind and some clouds.

Every once in a while, nature puts on a show so magical it doesn’t feel real. The ocean becomes a mirror, the sky stretches on forever, and Kenai, Koda, Nalu, & Carina looks like they’re wandering through a dream (or the Bolivia Salt Flats!).

As AI generated images are becoming more common, I will always chase moments like this instead. Even if it means paddling a kayak loaded with dogs for 30 minutes, waiting for the tide and winds to be just right. Because real art isn’t about creating something perfect, it’s about being present when something genuine happens, and preserving it exactly as it felt.

Some cultures believe the Milky Way is more than a galaxy of stars. It’s a pathway, a bridge between this world and the ...
05/27/2026

Some cultures believe the Milky Way is more than a galaxy of stars. It’s a pathway, a bridge between this world and the next. A place where souls travel, watch over us, and sometimes guide us exactly where we need to be.

A year ago today, we adopted Cappy from But her story with us almost ended before it even began. We originally fostered her for just 3 days before she went to a foster-to-adopt home. At the time, I had absolutely no intention of bringing another dog into our lives so soon after losing Kobe. We just wanted to foster to help other dogs in need.

But during the week she was gone, something felt missing in our home. The silence felt heavy again. And then, unexpectedly, she was returned.
The moment she came back, it felt like a sign.

Like Kobe was that brightest star in the night’s sky telling her, “Go find them. They need you.” Cappy was never meant to replace Kobe, no one ever could. But somehow she arrived exactly when our hearts needed some saving.

I’ve learned to appreciate that cyclical rhythm between love and loss. The connection never really disappears, it just changes in ways we can never fully explain 🌌

Happy Gotcha Day ❤️

05/02/2026

If you’ve followed my business for a while, you know the Hawaii Pet Expo has been an annual tradition for me. It’s the biggest event of the year and a chance to meet new dog lovers, reconnect with past clients, and celebrate our local pet community.

So I wanted to share honestly why I’ve decided not to participate this year. The simple answer is that it didn’t feel right.

The deeper answer is that I’m still moving through the grief of losing Kobe. Last year, I pushed myself to do the expo a few months after he passed. I thought staying busy and showing up like normal would help, but the truth is it was emotionally overwhelming.

When your life and business revolve around dogs, grief can show up everywhere. It’s in the the stories people share about their dogs, capturing the legacy of a senior dog, loving on the dogs in front of the camera while quietly missing your own. It’s smiling through the day while your heart hurts. This year, I wanted to listen to myself instead of forcing it.

Rather than stretching myself thin trying to show up the same way I always have, I’m choosing to protect my energy and attend as a guest instead. I’m very much looking forward to walking around and supporting some of my favorite local small business friends like Hawaii Doggie Bakery, Dis-and-Bark, Poi Dog Treats, and many more. Simply enjoying the expo in a way that feels happy instead of heavy.

Sometimes growth looks less like pushing harder and more like giving yourself permission to do things differently. This year Iʻve been quietly working on something very different that I canʻt wait to share with you.

I know many clients wait for my annual Pet Expo special, so I didn’t want to let that tradition disappear completely. Instead Iʻll be running that along side the launch of this new type of session.

Thank you for supporting my business through every year, both the joyful ones and the hard ones. I hope to see many of you around this weekend!

If you have an adopted or rescued a dog, I’ll be putting out a model call this week for an upcoming project! As always, ...
02/24/2026

If you have an adopted or rescued a dog, I’ll be putting out a model call this week for an upcoming project! As always, my email list gets first dibs 🙌🏻

Bonus points if you’ve done a DNA test! According to Cappy’s test, she is
❤️ 54% Pit Bull
❤️ 21% Supermutt
❤️ 13% Chow Chow
❤️ 12% Shar Pei
❤️ 0.01% Capybara and Hufflepuff

Missing you a little extra today. Christmas was always your favorite with extra treats, extra cuddles, and extra joy. I’...
12/25/2025

Missing you a little extra today. Christmas was always your favorite with extra treats, extra cuddles, and extra joy. I’m always grateful for these memories, even when they ache ❤️

I’m back on IG after an unintentional, but much needed break and will be getting back to all my DMs soon! I hope you all are having a very Merry Christmas! 🎄

📷

The scores have been released for the and I love seeing everyone’s work being recognized! Instead of posting my top awa...
09/15/2025

The scores have been released for the and I love seeing everyone’s work being recognized! Instead of posting my top awarded photos, I wanted to post my “worst” one. This one of Kobe got a score of 69, which puts it in the Professional Standard range.

Does that make it a bad photo? No

Does that score and feedback change how I feel about the photo? Nope, I still love the story behind it.

Am I mad at the judges or award organizers? Absolutely not. I’ll never understand how some photographers can get so negative about this part and feel the need to spread it online.

What will I do about it? Work on conveying the story of the image without words for next time. At first glance, this image looks like a dog running down the beach - not an original idea at all. The judges liked the composition, location, and felt the joy in Kobe’s expression, but felt there was a color shift on the bottom half of his arms.

As Kobe got older, he got a ton of dark spots under his fur which became visible when he was wet at the beach. While I could’ve edited differently, I wanted to leave it with his arm lump because that’s how he looked at 15 years young. I wanted to tell a story of this dog who lived his best life and wanted to act like a puppy til the very end. At the beach, his age didn’t matter. Just the pure joy and freedom. When I find Kobe in the next life, I imagine he’ll run to me just like this 🥹

Overall I’m happy with the results of this year, knowing I did the best I could with everything that life threw at me. To my fellow photographers, how did you guys do?

Just yesterday I was talking to as we were getting drenched in rain that I don’t think my style of photography does wel...
09/01/2025

Just yesterday I was talking to as we were getting drenched in rain that I don’t think my style of photography does well in awards. So imagine how surprised I was this morning when I found out that my set of action photos made it to the finals!

It is such an incredible honor to be named a finalist in the amongst such talented group of dog photographers 🥹

Each of these three images has a good story behind it and I’ll dig up some behind the scenes to share here soon! But for now, thank you for speed hiking up Kuliouou in the dark and enduring an unhinged kayak ride to the sandbar 😅

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Honolulu, HI
96822

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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(808) 354-0549

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