9 Years of Friendship A Coastal Engagement

Nine years ago, I was sitting in a hair and makeup chair in my hotel room on my own wedding day, chatting with Sarah. At the time, I just thought I had hired a great stylist for my wedding. I had no idea that moment was the start of a friendship that would span over a decade, multiple life milestones, and thousands of miles.

For nine years, Sarah has been my go-to person for my hair—even when it meant driving over an hour to her chair. And over those same nine years, I’ve been the person she calls whenever she wants to document her family’s history. I’ve photographed her daughter’s 10th birthday, their yearly holiday sessions, and even a styled lobster bake.

So when Sarah got engaged to Mike, celebrating them felt completely full circle.

My partner Gavin and I happened to be celebrating our own wedding anniversary that same week, so we met up with Sarah and Mike along the water in Newport for golden hour. Sarah is at her absolute best anywhere near the water—whether she’s on a boat, walking the beach, or sitting down for fresh seafood overlooking the coast. It was a pleasure getting to document two of our dear friends against the beautiful coast of both Newport’s Cliff Walk and along Ocean Ave that hugs the peninsula. 

If we had her session in Savannah, we would have wandered around Tybee’s North Beach near the Lighthouse and then hit up either Bubba Gumbo’s or The Wyld Dock Bar before we head back to the riverwalk to check out the view at Rocks on the Roof overlooking the Savannah River. 

Building Relationships That Outlast a Single Session

As a documentary photographer, stories like Sarah and Mike’s are why I do this work. My goal is never to be a transactional vendor you hire for a two-hour shoot and never hear from again. I want to build relationships grounded in trust, comfort, and deep familiar connection—so that when the next big chapter happens, stepping in front of my camera feels like catching up with an old friend.

Sarah has been working in the world of hair and makeup for a long time, from living in NYC and being in the fashion world then moving back to New England and emerging herself in wedding and styled sessions.  She knows the world of photography well, her fiance Mike needed a bit more guidance, but was an incredibly good sport when it came to being in front of the camera while we dragged him along the coast route. There were plenty of times when he would get distracted or look into the camera to pose when we were aiming for more of a candid moment.  We had so much fun just talking through the moments while still moving along the route and making sure we weren’t losing too much light as we got closer to the end of golden hour and moved into blue hour. 

The heart of each session is always the same even if we are exploring the dramatic coastal cliffs or wandering through the moss-draped oak streets and riverbanks right here in Savannah: low pressure, presence over performance, and an honest depiction of who you are together.

This engagement session was just part of their story I had the privilege of taking part in. When they called to say they were eloping in Myrtle Beach, I made a huge adjustment in my schedule to make sure I could be there for them emotionally and for all their photographic needs as well.