Blog— 2021 —
Colt State Park Engagement Photos
Zachary & Jennifer
Colt State Park, Bristol, Rhode Island
August 17th, 2021
When I start an engagement session with a bride and groom, one of the first things I tell them is that the first 15 minutes are probably going to be pretty awkward. The reasoning, in my head anyway, is it takes that long for a couple to get comfortable being in front of the camera. In actuality, it's also because that's how long it usually takes me to know what works or doesn't work for a bride and groom.
Sometimes, though, I know right away we're in for a good day. Such was the case for Zachary and Jennifer on the afternoon of their summer engagement session at Colt State Park.
Zachary and Jennifer are an absolute delight of a couple and we had so much fun together that what was supposed to be an hour and a half or so session went nearly twice as long and our reward? One of the most beautiful sunsets of the entire summer.
To say I loved working with this couple is an understatement.
Zachary and Jennifer's engagement session took place at Colt State Park in Bristol, which is one of my favorite places for a portrait session. What I loved about this day, in particular, was the fact that it was a bright and sunny afternoon but not nearly as sweltering as we'd had the week or so before.
Add in some cloud cover as the session went on and we had all the ingredients for a great session. The more important one was, of course, an awesome couple and Zachary and Jennifer are just that.
These two were up for all of my weird ideas right from the start as we began their session outside the actual park and down the street on a path overlooking the water and boats in beautiful Bristol.
I always love when couples go all-in on their engagement photos and Zachary and Jennifer did just that. I knew the minute they told me they had three outfits in total that this would be a fun day and once we got to the beautiful shaded tree areas at the entrance of the park, I was obsessed with their second outfit choice and the way they made each other laugh.
It took us well over an hour to actually get INSIDE the park but I'm so glad we took our time as the first spot we shot at inside of actual Colt State Park was the iconic bridge. And our timing? Absolutely perfect.
Seriously. Look at those amazing clouds in the sky. It's a photographer, and by extension a couple's, dream come true.
What I loved the most about Zachary and Jennifer was the fact that they never got sick of taking photos. By the time they switched into their third outfit, which was more along the style of a fun day on the golf course, the sun was starting to set but they were still as excited and happy to pose as when we began.
I'm so glad because on the way to our final location in the park, we were treated to an absolutely awesome sunset that put the perfect bow on this fantastic afternoon.
Overall, I honestly don't think I could have had more fun working with Zachary and Jennifer. During their entire shoot, their energy was infectious and it made me wish their May 2022 wedding was a lot closer than it is.
And, honestly, that's kind of the entire purpose of an engagement photo session.
So, thank you Zachary and Jennifer for a wonderful afternoon spent together taking more photos than I think you could ever need and I can't wait to do it all over again in the spring. Here's hoping we're lucky enough, once again, to get a day as perfect as the summer afternoon we documented your engagement. See you in 2022!
-Paul J. Spetrini
