There are some couples who seem to move through the world with a particular kind of grace, and Mike and Beata definitely fall into that category.
For their fall engagement session, we spent an afternoon wandering through Beaver Brook Reservation in Belmont, MA. Beata and Mike would often spend their afternoons here traversing the trails. On this day, we took our time, stopping whenever we found a particularly beautiful patch of foliage. Eventually, we found our way to Beaver Brook itself, which despite the dry fall season was still flowing and scenic.
Mike and Beata are an adventurous pair; they’re always finding something new to explore together. They’ve traveled around the world in search of bird species and have done cross-country road trips as well. And, Beata does aerial silks, so perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised me that they were so elegant when I asked them to dance under the trees. They have a lovely way of moving together, with an ease and joy that made photographing them feel effortless.
Part of what also made this engagement session feel so effortless is the playful dynamic these two have. Beata and Mike are unafraid to be silly. They were laughing, dancing, booping each other on the nose. I’ve got plenty of prompts and directions I can give to help people relax and loosen up, but with this couple they were already comfortable being themselves in front of the camera.
By the time we reached the woods, the fall foliage had grown dense—deep greens mixed with yellow, orange, and red—and the whole park seemed like it was dressed up just for our autumn engagement shoot. The golden sunset light was soft, so soft it was a glow that barely cast shadows.
I love doing these kinds of portrait sessions so much because they don’t feel like a photoshoot. Here we were in a beautiful place where Mike and Beata had already visited many times, doing what they would often do: walking, talking, joking, and finding little things to be delighted by. I didn’t want it to end!
Mike and Beata, I loved wandering around Beaver Brook Reservation with you both. I know there is so much joy, play, laughter, and love to come for you!
