Getting to Napatree:

There is no designated parking area for Napatree (as I learned the hard way). I drove the area seeking longterm parking that would not solicit a ticket and almost could not find any. Accessing the area can be tricky as almost all of the nearby parking is designated for a yacht club or nearby business patrons. However, with this shoot being at the end of a day (close to sunset) I was granted permission by a parking lot guard to be able to park outside one of the business strips. Otherwise you can utilize the metered street parking or parking lots. After finding your parking, the walk to the entrance dune of Napatree  is about a 10 minute walk from the city center and boom! Your toes are in the sand.

Why Napatree:

Casey and Mike hired me for their wedding – but they knew they wanted an opportunity to get in front of my lens ahead of the actual event to become more confident and comfortable being photographed. We tossed around some ideas for a location – maybe their wedding venue for when they make a visit or a nearby state park or beach in Connecticut – the tried and true great spots for photos. But with them being out of state, a drive to CT’s shore prompted a thought for Casey – what if we go to the beach town, Watch Hill, Rhode Island, where my family used to vacation for our couple’s photos? Perfect, yes.

Having your relationship made into a time capsule via an online gallery is exciting as is – no matter where you host the shoot. But do you remember ever looking at family photos and realizing the way your grandparent’s house looked when you were a baby, or how your backyard looked as a kid, or the way your living room was setup differently back in the day – and just admiring those details? When photos are made in a setting that is already familiar to you, it adds an element of going back to that place, that moment and feeling the air in that space, hearing the surrounding sounds and remembering the places that brought you joy.

Casey opted for the Watch Hill Beach/Napatree Point Conservation Area of Westerly, Rhode Island where her family vacationed every year. If you are not from New England, there are so many lovely beaches along the Rhode Island and Massachusetts coast that are home to annual family vacations. And because of the finite length of the annual trip and the novelty of it happening just once a year, it always feels like you were just there and that nothing changed.

How a Couple’s Session Starts:

We started with the beach (obvs) – RI is known for their beautiful coast and rugged beaches. We played in the sand, in the dunes and made our way to the water. It was at sunset, so the warm low-lying light danced through the tall breezy beach grass and blew tiny granules of sand as we walked through the hot sand. I often design a walking route in my mind to bring a couple through a space – something I determine before they arrive on site. I arrive early and walk the area to get a sense of lighting, shadows, wind and crowds.

I will usually start with some basic shots of you and your lover standing, walking about and talking amongst each other to get a sense of your comfort level and interpersonal dynamic. I will then start to incorporate some more movement, prompts and eventually lending its way to more intimate and sweet moments. I try to make it all very slow, comfortable and guided, yet natural. I cannot personally stick to the same five poses from couple to couple – it all depends on your dynamic and comfort levels.

Ending the Shoot:

We ended the shoot by walking through Westerly’s little shopping strip and to ultimately hop on the merry-go-round. We caught the sheepish workers breaking down the area as the sun had already set and kindly asked if we could quickly capture just a few shots on the ride before they close the gates. It wasn’t actively running at this point, but we were able to still capture some fun shots using a long shutter speed and external flash. The moment was fun and giddy shots and reminiscent of riding the merry-go-round as a kid.

If you are considering a couples session – engaged or not – a great place to start is a personal space that you frequent and love. It could be your home, your neighborhood, a nearby park or coffee spot or somewhere sentimental like the place you met, the place you first said I love you or your first date location! It’s all up to you. If you’d like to learn more and discuss some ideas, I’d love to chat.


If you connect with these photos or want to learn more, I would love to hear from you. Reach out here 🙂