There’s something especially beautiful about summer family portraits by the water in Rhode Island. For the Pettersen family’s session, we headed to Sachuest Point in Middletown, just outside Newport, for an evening filled with sunshine, ocean views, and some incredibly sweet moments with their little one.
Sachuest Point is one of my favorite locations for family photography because it offers so much variety within one area. The coastal landscape gave us beautiful open fields, tall grasses, and sweeping views of the water—the perfect setting for a relaxed summer family session.
We started among the beach grasses and coastal scenery, capturing a mix of traditional family portraits and more candid moments. The soft blue and floral tones the family chose for their outfits worked beautifully against the greens and blues of the Rhode Island coastline. Coordinating without matching perfectly is always a great approach for family portraits—it keeps everything cohesive while still feeling relaxed and natural.
Of course, their little girl was the star of the session! Some of my favorite photographs are the ones that weren’t overly posed—being held by Mom while looking across the water, cuddling between her parents, and those little smiles that happen when everyone forgets about the camera for a moment.
After exploring Sachuest Point, we finished the session at nearby Third Beach in Middletown. It was the perfect way to add another look to their portraits without traveling far. The calm water, sandy shoreline, sailboats in the distance, and warm evening light gave us that quintessential coastal New England backdrop.
Ending the evening barefoot in the sand by the water made the session feel even more relaxed. The combination of Sachuest Point’s natural landscape and Third Beach’s shoreline gave the Pettersen family a beautiful variety of images while still telling one cohesive summer story.
For families visiting Newport or those who call Rhode Island home, a summer portrait session is a wonderful way to document a season of life that always seems to pass too quickly. Babies grow, families change, and photographs like these become even more meaningful with time.
Planning family portraits in Newport, Middletown, or along the Rhode Island coast? I photograph relaxed and natural family sessions throughout Newport County and Rhode Island, focusing on genuine interactions, beautiful scenery, and photographs that truly feel like your family.
