British Virgin Islands Engagement Session
When Sarah and Tom reached out to ask if I’d photograph their engagement session during a once-in-a-lifetime 10-day liveaboard trip in the British Virgin Islands, it was an easy “hell yeah.” Combining some of my greatest loves—photography, the ocean, and spontaneity, how could it get any better?
With so many incredible backdrops to choose from, we decided to split the session into three parts: in the water, on a stunning beach, and aboard the catamaran. Nothing was planned—we simply waited for the right moments. When inspiration struck, they got dressed, embraced the spontaneity, and dove right in (literally).
Session 1: Underwater Play
We arrived in the BVI a few days early to get a taste of land life there, and we stayed in an incredible hillside airbnb with views overlooking the most vibrant blue ocean and just a short walk down to a quaint little beach.
I brought out an underwater camera housing to attempt to capture some underwater play. Turns out, underwater photography is a whole new ball game. Between adjusting settings and compensating for distortion, at times it felt like learning to photograph all over again. But Sarah and Tom were naturals, and we made the most of the rainy evening. The gloomy image of them floating under the pouring rain was from this night and it is one of my favorites from the whole trio.
Session 2: A Remote Island
Our second session was pure magic. Anchored off a tiny, remote island, we hopped into the dinghy and made our way to a pristine sandy beach. After a few swigs of pussers rum, iykyk, we were ready to go. The light truly couldn’t have been more perfect as it set behind the most gorgeous mountainous backdrop.
But if you’ve ever visited the Caribbean, you know nature has a way of deciding what’s going to happen. Sand flies joined the party uninvited, cutting our beach session short — but as serendipity happens, we left the beach, dinghy’d around for a few minutes, and stumbled on an epic vertical rock wall emerging out of the turquoise waters that they of course had to climb.
Session 3: On the Catamaran
Our final session took place on the heart of the trip: the 45-foot Leopard catamaran that had become home for ten unforgettable days. As the Caribbean sun hung high in the sky, we danced on deck, relaxed on the trampoline, and even jumped off the boat fully clothed (because why not?). At one point, during a particularly spirited dance move, someone lost a toenail (RIP) —but it didn’t stop the good times.
A Trip to Remember
This entire journey was centered around one word: play. And that’s exactly what we did. From the sandy beaches to the cliffs, from the underwater world to the open deck of the catamaran, Sarah and Tom’s engagement session wasn’t about posed perfection. It was about capturing their playful spirits.
Here’s to more saltwater swims and cliffside climbs, friends.
