There are sessions that stay with you long after you hand over the gallery, and Amber and Stephen's is absolutely one of them. These two flew all the way up from Tennessee to celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary here in New England. Newport, Rhode Island in June is something special. The light is long, the air smells like salt water, and everything feels a little more alive. Pair that with a couple who is completely comfortable in front of the camera, and you've got the recipe for a session I'll be talking about for a long time.
We split their session across two iconic locations: Newport Vineyards and Second Beach in Middletown, RI! two very different vibes, two very different outfit changes, and one incredible evening.
We kicked off the session at Newport Vineyards, one of my absolute favorite spots in the Newport area for couples photography. If you've never been, it's tucked right in the heart of Middletown and offers this gorgeous contrast of lush vineyard rows, a beautifully rustic winery building, and that unmistakable New England charm. For a June engagement session or anniversary session, the vines are in full bloom and the green is just electric.
Amber and Stephen went with a more formal look for this first half of the session. She wore a dreamy blue satin slip dress and he was sharp in navy slacks, a white dress shirt, and a navy tie. When couples ask me what to wear for their Newport engagement photos, I always say: dress for how you want to feel, not just how you want to look. These two nailed it.
We started inside the winery at the bar... glasses in hand, laughing, totally in their element. I love beginning a session somewhere that naturally relaxes people, and nothing does that quite like a good glass of wine. From there, we made our way out into the vineyard rows and wandered through the winery building itself, including the barrel room, which gave us this beautifully moody, intimate light that was such a great contrast to the bright blue sky outside.
Amber and Stephen were the kind of couple every photographer dreams of working with! Completely at ease, willing to go wherever I pointed them, and genuinely just happy to be there together. That comfort in front of the camera? You can't manufacture it, it comes from a decade of choosing each other.
One thing I always encourage my couples to consider for a longer session is a second outfit. After wrapping up at the vineyard, they changed into something much more relaxed and flowy for the beach. Amber switched into a flowing white strapless dress, and Stephen went casual in light jeans and a white button-down. The shift in wardrobe completely transformed the energy of the session in the best way.
If Newport Vineyards is the refined, romantic half of a session, Second Beach is where things get a little wild and wonderful. Located just minutes from Newport in Middletown, Second Beach is one of the most beautiful stretches of shoreline in all of Rhode Island. With a rocky island backdrop, crashing Atlantic waves, and that warm golden hour light, it's genuinely hard to take a bad photo here.
We arrived right as the sun was starting to drop, and the light was everything. Soft, warm, and wrapping around Amber and Stephen in that perfect way that only happens for about 45 minutes at the end of the day. We walked the shoreline, they laughed, she grabbed his hand and led him along the water's edge. It was natural and real and exactly the kind of storytelling photography I live for.
And then came the ocean moment. Stephen was very much not on board with getting his feet wet... I'll just say that for the record. He held out for a solid 30 minutes. But eventually, the waves won, and both of them ended up splashing through the surf with their clothes getting soaked and their faces absolutely lit up with joy. Those images? They turned out to be some of my absolute favorites from the entire session. There's something about letting go of the plan and just playing in the ocean that creates the most genuine, alive photos. It always does.
We wrapped things up dancing along the shore as the last light faded behind the rocks, and I genuinely didn't want the evening to end.
I'm based right here in Newport, RI and I photograph couples throughout New England and beyond. Whether you're local, planning a destination engagement session, or flying in specifically to celebrate something worth celebrating, I would love to be part of it.
If you're looking for an engagement photographer in Newport, Rhode Island who is going to show up fully invested in your story, make you feel comfortable, and chase the very best light, I'd love to connect.