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Charleston Metro and Beaches, South Carolina

Sunset Engagement Session on Kiawah Island

Feb 23, 2026 | By: Erin Rose Photography LLC

Couple sitting closely on sandy beach surrounded by dry grass under a clear sky.

Sara and Bryce, winter engagement session on Kiawah Island

Escaping the cold snowy winter in Connecticut brought Sara and Bryce in front of my camera this February. Having never traveled to Charleston together it made the perfect escape for them to explore, relax, and enjoy Bryce's birthday. They're newly engaged and really wanted a session that captured them both in a beautiful place, something they could always look back on and remember doing together before their wedding.  An engagement session is a perfect time to learn to be comfortable in front of the camera together and doing silly things on a very empty beach made it easy to let loose.

A couple embracing on a wooden pathway in a field, with warm sunlight in the background.
A couple embraces on a wooden walkway surrounded by tall grass, lit by a warm, golden sunset.
Couple standing on wooden path surrounded by tall grass at sunset.
Couple in a field standing on a wooden path with woman leaning on man's shoulder in a black and white photo.
A couple in a desert landscape, embracing and smiling at each other in black and white.
A couple stands on a boardwalk in a field, embracing and smiling at each other.

Meeting up with them felt like hanging with old friends you haven't seen in a while. We caught up on their adventures through Charleston, a mishap at their Airbnb, and what foods they wanted to try while they were in town. Luckily they rented a car because staying out on the islands can make you feel a little limited on where you can go since most people don't realize that Seabrook and Kiawah Islands are about 45 minutes away from Charleston.

Couple sitting on a sandy hill, with a house and trees in the background, during sunset.
Couple sitting on sandy dune with dry grass during sunset at a beach, houses in the background.
A couple sitting on a blanket at the beach during sunset, smiling and holding hands.
A couple sits closely on a sandy beach, facing each other affectionately.
Couple embracing on a beach at sunset with soft waves in the background.
A couple holds hands, walking barefoot on a beach during sunset.

Visiting Charleston in February you never really know what weather you're going to be graced with. Just two weeks before their trip we actually got a good dusting of snow and ice here, and that's absolutely not the best time to visit since the city and airport tends to shut down. Lucky for them we actually had a week of about 60 degree weather but sunset was windy and around 50 degrees this day. Tolerable, but will leave you will some pretty numb toes, so be prepared!

A couple embraces on a beach at sunset, with waves gently lapping the shore.
Couple embracing on the beach at sunset, with waves in the background.
A couple embraces on a beach at sunset, with the ocean in the background.
Couple enjoying a piggyback ride on the beach at sunset, smiling and wearing casual clothing.

We had so much time to watch the sun go down I was able to play with some more easy and natural prompts to really let these two shine. Having him shower her with kisses, wiggling away, even a good piggy back ride as we headed into blue hour. And if you know me, you know I absolutely never love out of focus or blurry images BUUUTTT I'm also learning to embrace some trends just for the fun of it. Creating something more intentionally artsy is something I can lean into provided my clients because they DO serve a purpose in the gallery and really lean on the memory of the moment than perfection.
Couple holding hands and dancing on a beach, waves in the background, black and white photo.
A couple holding hands and walking on a sandy beach path with grassy dunes in the background.

All in all, I just really wanted to showcase this session because I think all three of us were able to let loose and really have fun with it. I think the images are ones that will be remembered for a long time both in my memory and definitely theirs. Creating lasting moments that embrace their love while also showing their personality as a couple is always the goal. And I think we achieved it!
Hands holding a solitaire engagement ring around a broken shell
A couple in summer attire poses on a wooden path surrounded by tall grasses under a clear sky.
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