Grace & Peter's Sandy Session

July 3, 2025

From Golden Glow to Blue Haze: Capturing Grace & Peter in the waves

Some of my favorite creative moments happen when I get to shoot with one of my best friends, Caitlin (@reilleyphotography). Every time we collaborate, something special unfolds—and this session with her sister Grace and Grace’s boyfriend Peter was no exception.

Caitlin styled the shoot (she always has the best eye for details), and together we headed to the beach with no real plan other than to let the light and their connection guide us. Grace and Peter were so easy in front of the camera—it was effortless. They’re one of those couples who just fit, and you can feel it in the way they move together, laugh together, and forget you’re even photographing them.

We embraced the direct sunlight early on, which gave us the most stunning golden tones. As the sun dipped lower, we stayed through blue hour, when everything turns soft and cinematic. Those last frames were quiet, moody, and full of warmth—a perfect contrast to the bright joy of the first half of the session.

Grace & Peter both have the most amazing hair, which really added to the emotion of the session.

This shoot reminded me why I love what I do. When you mix creativity, connection, and the people you love—magic happens.

How did you two meet?

We met the way all great love stories start these days-Peter slid into my DMs on Instagram. Very romantic, very 21st century. It was summertime so we did lots of cutesie summer dates and got to know each other really well. It was the best summer of my life!

What do you love most about each other?

What I love most about Peter is how incredibly thoughtful he is. He goes above and beyond every single day to make me feel seen and loved-whether it’s through the small gestures or big surprises. I also really admire how family-oriented he is. He cares so much about both of our families and always makes them a priority, which says so much about the kind of person and partner he is. 

My favorite thing about Grace is how nurturing she is in every facet of her life. She has very meaningful relationships with everyone around her and makes everyone feel seen and important. I know I can always lean on her. No matter what she makes me feel loved and cared for. 

What’s your favorite thing to do together?

We LOVE to go out to eat!! Our favorite hobby is finding hidden gems around Buffalo and adding them to our restaurant list. Right now, we are talking about these questions at Artusi!

Was there a moment during your session that felt especially meaningful or fun?

Everything about the session felt so natural-it never felt overly posed or forced. Gab has such a calming presence and a way of making you feel completely comfortable in front of the camera. She gave us fun and creative prompts that brought out our genuine connection, and we were just able to be ourselves. It honestly felt more like a date than a photo shoot!

Do you have any advice for other couples thinking about doing a session like this?

DO IT! Book the session! These photos are so special to us and Gab did such an amazing job documenting our love. 

What do these photos mean to you?

These photos mean so much to us. They are something we’ll be able to look back on for years to come. I can’t wait for Gab to continue documenting us throughout those years.