Westerly RI Senior Portrait

Portraits

An Evening of Golf and Golden Light with Tiernan

Senior boy holding a golf club on a gold course in Westerly

Part of the beauty — and the personal joy — of what I do is getting to share something meaningful with the people I love when the time comes. For my bestie, that meant creating this Westerly, RI senior portrait session for her son, Tiernan.

(Tiernan’s then-girlfriend, Gracelyn, joined us for the session as well. They’ve since parted ways — amicably and on good terms — and my very best friend Michelle graciously gave me permission to share images from the entire session.)

As a little aside, this experience taught me a valuable lesson: stay current with blogging! Doing so helps avoid potentially awkward situations down the road — especially if the client isn’t also a close, lifelong friend who gives you the green light. Consider that my gentle reminder to myself. 😉

From the very start, Tiernan came in with a vision. He had thoughtfully chosen a location and wanted to incorporate his love of golf into his portraits. I always appreciate when seniors bring their passions into a session — it instantly makes everything more personal and authentic.

What truly surprised (and delighted!) me was the confidence, personality, and magnetism Tiernan brought to the shoot. I hadn’t seen this side of him as fully before, and watching it unfold in front of my lens was such a joy. A charming, charismatic subject is about the best thing you can ask for in a senior session — or any session, for that matter!

The evening itself was just about a perfect 10. Golden sunlight, ideal temperatures, and later, a stunning beach backdrop. We began the golfing portion of the shoot at the Misquamicut Golf Club — where Tiernan worked last summer — which made the setting even more meaningful. From there, we made our way to one of Westerly’s most iconic seaside spots: Napatree Point in Watch Hill. If you’ve ever been there… you already know. 😉

We wrapped up the session on the beach with some playful, lighthearted moments and one truly epic sunset. It felt like the perfect storm of portrait sessions — but in the very best way possible. (There has to be a better phrase for that… but you get what I mean. Ha!)

When you combine a confident senior, a meaningful location, and a coastal sunset that clearly understood the assignment… you get magic. Tiernan absolutely nailed it — even though I’m pretty sure that sky was trying to steal his spotlight!