I have been so excited to show you these photos!! My bestie is becoming a mom!! When she first told me she was expecting, I knew I had to take her maternity photos. And it was no question that Rosario Beach in Washington would be the perfect location. It’s one of her favorite places in the world!
We have been best friends since we were 11, so getting to document this season of her life in one of her favorite places felt especially meaningful.
We played around with artistic poses. Different outfits. All to the backdrop of the golden hour setting over the water. I know I’m biased, but WOW they looked so good!!
Rosario Beach has no shortage of beautiful scenery.
Towering evergreens open up to rocky coastline, calm water, and distant islands. The landscape somehow feels wild. Which just adds to the charm.
We started among the trees, where the warm evening light filtered through the branches. Emily wore a black fitted top with relaxed denim and a chunky cream knit layered over it. She’s such a gorgeous, glowing mom already! (Okay I’ll stop gushing about my best friend haha)
From the evergreen trees, we wandered slowly toward the water. The changing landscape gave us plenty of variety in their final gallery while still keeping the session cohesive to Rosario Beach.
A few details that made this session feel especially special:
- Warm, golden-hour light (my favorite!!)
- Evergreen forest and rugged coastline in Washington
- A mix of intimate portraits and wide environmental images (something I try to include in every gallery!)
- An elevated second outfit for a more editorial feel to their pictures
If you’re planning a maternity session, those are the kind of details you want to think over with your photographer. I know Emily is my bestie, but that’s not the reason I helped her plan this out. I help all of my clients think through every aspect of their session. From location, to lighting, to outfit choices.
What It’s Like to Photograph in Rosario Beach in Washington
As the evening continued, Emily changed into a beautiful white off-the-shoulder maternity gown. The delicate lace bodice and flowing fabric added this ethereal vibe to the photos.
The gown also gave us the opportunity to get into the water. Emily walked barefoot along the shoreline, the dress trailing behind her. In other poses we styled it so they stood together in the shallows with the trees and coastline stretching out behind them. Um are you kidding me?! They looked like they were straight out of a magazine spread!
There is plenty of beauty in the landscape, but the photographs always come back to the connection between the two of them .
As a destination wedding photographer, you know I’m all about the gorgeous locations, but I firmly believe that it’s my job as a photographer to capture you as the center of the image, and use the landscape to support that. I’ve studied posing, lighting and camera techniques for years, in order to accomplish that.
This session reminded me why I love photographing people in places that actually mean something to them. I love that Emily now has memories from one of the most special times in her life, at one of the most special places of her life. How freaking cool is that!?
But Rosario Beach isn’t just a sentimental location, it’s an unbelievably epic landscape.
And while this was a maternity session for two very dear friends, I can already imagine returning for an engagement session at Rosario Beach someday. There is something incredibly inspiring to me as an artist about celebrating a love story against a great landscape like this.
If you’re getting married soon and want an engagement session here, I’m your girl! Reach out to me here to chat!
