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Business phone system for photography studios in Hawaii

102 photography studios operated in Hawaii in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
102CBP 2023
Employees
281mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
7.1U.S. 3.4
State rank
31st of 51by count

The photography studio industry in Hawaii

County Business Patterns counts 102 establishments in Hawaii classified as Photography Studios, Portrait (NAICS 541921) for 2023. They employed 281 people in mid-March and reported $7,673,000 in annual payroll. That is the 31st highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Photography studios make up 0.31% of the 32,911 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Hawaii has 7.1 photography studios, 108.9% above the national rate of 3.4. The average establishment has 2.8 employees against 3.3 nationally. Payroll per employee is $27,306, 20.0% below the U.S. figure of $34,133.

Photography studios: Hawaii compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureHawaiiUnited States
Establishments10211,483
Mid-March employees28137,479 (moderate noise)
Annual payroll$7,673,000$1,279,256,000
Employees per establishment2.83.3
Payroll per employee$27,306$34,133
Establishments per 100,000 residents7.13.4

Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Where photography studios in Hawaii are concentrated

Census published photography studio counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Hawaii. The largest is Urban Honolulu, HI, with 49 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 100% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Photography studios by metro or micropolitan area, Hawaii, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Urban Honolulu, HI491474.9
Kahului, HI3411020.8
Kapaa, HI101613.5
Hilo, HI984.3

Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Team sizes at photography studios in Hawaii

86.3% of Hawaii's photography studios with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 87.7% nationally. 94.1% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.

Photography studios in Hawaii by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees8886.3%87.7%
5–9 employees87.8%7.2%
10–19 employees32.9%2.7%
20–49 employees32.9%1.7%
50 or more employees00.0%0.6%

Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.

Why the phone matters for photography studios in Hawaii

Photographers are often behind the camera when the phone rings, and inquiries for weddings, portraits and events tend to go to whoever responds first. Capturing every inquiry and calling back quickly matters. That holds for photography studios in Hawaii as much as anywhere.

A few of the calls that come in to photography studios in Hawaii:

Calls after closing time

Evening inquiries are common, so a voicemail that is transcribed and flagged helps prioritize callbacks.

Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.

Phone system pricing for a 3-person photography studio

Photography studios in Hawaii average 2.8 employees, so the comparison uses a 3-person team. Priced per seat, 3 users would run $90.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $74.85 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata is $99.00 a month with 5 users included, which is more than either per-seat plan for 3 people; it becomes the lower price at 4 users or more.

At this team size the per-seat plans cost less than Callata's $99 base price, which already covers 5 users; Callata becomes the lower price from 4 users.

Monthly list price for a 3-person photography studio
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$99.00$1,188.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$57.00$684.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$69.00$828.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$74.85$898.20
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$81.00$972.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$90.00$1,080.00

Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.

Area codes in Hawaii

Hawaii has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your clients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.

Area codes in Hawaii by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
808693—1957none

Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.

How Callata works for photography studios in Hawaii

For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.

If you already have a number in Hawaii, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.

Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.

Frequently asked questions

How many photography studios are in Hawaii?

102 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 281 people in mid-March.

Which Hawaii metro area has the most photography studios?

Urban Honolulu, HI, with 49 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 3-person photography studio?

$90.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $74.85 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Hawaii number?

Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.