Alli and Steve: West Haven Beachfront Engagement Session

Alli and Steve invited me into their home to take some photos of them with their dog before heading down the street to the beach for a breezy summer golden hour engagement session. Their dog was hilarious and hyper and not all about the modeling gig, but we got some pretty cute ones despite her reluctance to be a part of it all.

Once we got to the beach, the nerves they had admitted to on the walk over melted away–mostly because Alli and Steve are so natural together that they seem to put each other at ease in any situation. I had them (and me) walking over snail-covered rocks (occupational hazard when you take photos of people near the ocean–not complaining), and as is usually the case, Steve had better shoes for the task than Alli. He was always at her elbow, making sure she didn’t lose her footing, and it made me feel better making them do crazy stuff knowing he wouldn’t let her slip in those cute sandals.

They were self-deprecating, quick to laugh at themselves and each other, and so easy to work with. My favorite thing about them, and about these photos, is the specific smile they have only for each other. It’s a knowing smile, one that spans years together, and it totally warms my heart.

As time went on, they relaxed even more, and towards the end of our session they let me play around with reflection shots as they hung out, oh-so-cool together, against a wall with the sun setting on the cove behind them. It was such a fun shoot–I know these two will be successful, in all the ways. And fun fact: the next time I saw them, Alli’s hair was totally different. Pitch black, in fact. She says she changes it up all the time. So it was extra fun to have captured one of her fleeting looks so fittingly–her lighter hair, that carefree summer night, that golden California-looking sun along the Long Island Sound.