Heather & Ryan’s Fort Williams Park Engagement Session

Some couples show up to an engagement session ready to pose. Heather and Ryan showed up ready to have fun with each other and that makes my job ridiculously easy.

Heather arrived in a beautiful dress and heels, while Ryan kept things a little more relaxed in a button-down and shorts. Honestly, it was a pretty perfect combination for an evening wandering around Fort Williams Park. And wander they did.

From a Friend’s House to Japan

Heather and Ryan first met at a friend’s house. They had gone to neighboring high schools, so they knew of each other but had never officially met.

Fast forward a bit, and they found themselves on vacation in Japan with friends.

On the first day of the trip, Ryan proposed.

Apparently, he saw no reason to make Heather wait around for an entire vacation when he already knew what he wanted. So Japan became the place where their next chapter officially began.

Pretty damn good engagement story.

A Little Cloud Cover Never Hurt Anyone

We met up at Fort Williams on a cloudy evening, and just as we started, a light sprinkle decided to make an appearance even though rain wasn't actually supposed to be happening.

Classic Maine.

We started at one of the forts, which is one of my favorite places to begin a session here. I love getting that first shot quickly. It's simple, it gets everyone comfortable in front of the camera, and it sets the tone for the rest of the session.

With Heather and Ryan, getting comfortable didn't take long.

They were constantly laughing with each other, messing around, and enjoying the fact that they got an evening together to explore somewhere new. Heather had never been to Fort Williams before, so the session doubled as a little tour of the park.

And honestly, that’s one of my favorite things about engagement sessions. You don't have to spend the entire time standing in one spot smiling at a camera. You can actually do something together.

So that's what we did.

Gardens, Brick & A Road to the Ocean

From the fort, we made our way through the gardens.

It’s been pretty dry, so there weren't a ton of flowers happening, but the gardens at Fort Williams are beautiful regardless of the season. There are still plenty of textures, pathways, trees, and little pockets of good light to work with.

Then we moved on to the brick building and the road leading toward the ocean.

The brick gives us all that gorgeous texture and architecture, while the road creates a completely different look with a straight line leading right toward the water.

And through all of it, Heather and Ryan just kept having fun.

That's what stood out about them the most. They weren't trying to perform for the camera. They were just enjoying each other.

Heather would laugh. Ryan would make her laugh more. They'd somehow make even the simple stuff look good.

Which, frankly, is the dream.

Of Course, We Had to Visit the Lighthouse

Eventually, we made our way to Portland Head Light.

Portland Head Light is one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine ( I know this because Heather Googled it), and for good reason. It's hard to beat that view.

We did some dramatic lit portraits in front of the lighthouse before realizing we needed to make a quick escape toward the beach.

Fort Williams doesn't mess around when sunset rolls around. They start clearing people out, so we had to move.

And thankfully, Heather and Ryan were up for it.

Rocky Coast, Bare Feet & Cotton Candy Skies

We made our way back toward the rocky coastline, where Heather ditched the heels and went barefoot.

Ryan helped her across the rocks, they walked hand in hand, and the whole thing felt less like a formal engagement session and more like two people having a really good evening together.

Which is exactly what I want.

And then the sky decided to put on a show.

The clouds turned into these ridiculous cotton-candy colors as the sun went down, giving us the perfect ending to the evening.

Heather and Ryan just kept walking, laughing, holding hands, and enjoying the moment.

And that's what I loved most about photographing them.

Yes, we got the beautiful portraits. Yes, we got the lighthouse. Yes, we got the rocky Maine coastline and the pretty sunset.

But underneath all of that, we got them.

A couple who genuinely enjoys each other. A couple who can laugh through a surprise rain shower, navigate slippery rocks in bare feet, and spend an evening wandering around a park without taking themselves too seriously.

Honestly, that's the good stuff.

And I have a feeling their wedding day is going to be one hell of a good time.