Nope. Dorchester isn’t the first place that comes to mind when discussing where to do an engagement session. That’s probably why Ariel didn’t bring it up initially. But once we started talking, she mentioned how much they love their neighborhood and that there was this one area- the Lower Mills– that had beautiful old factory buildings. They reminded her of her past life in Pittsburgh. But when she and David looked around, they didn’t really know how we would be able to use the space for photos. I was intrigued, to say the least, so I popped down for a peak and instantly fell in love with the area. And so it was settled. The Baker Chocolate buildings would be the sweetest backdrop for their portraits.

The only thing sweeter than the reminder of chocolate in the air was watching Ariel and David together. They totally support each other and absolutely enjoy their time together.

Working with these two was definitely a collaboration, they were willing to try anything and pointed out architectural elements they saw that were interesting to them, such as the lines of the wood ceiling in this alleyway.

Plus they had just the right membership to gain access to this fire escape. When I found out about that, I was ecstatic. I have always wanted to shoot a couple on a fire escape- reminds me of the languid Porgy and Bess song Summertime. I so enjoy the steaminess of this image. Take your time on this one. Slow down. Look around. Dive into it. And enjoy.

After a quick outfit change, we made our way across the street to the Baker Chocolate Factory lofts. We played around a bit in the courtyard.

So while this area was perfect, I was a little concerned about all the red brick and really wanted Ariel and David to have another color in the mix. Plus Ariel had shared how much David liked to climb rocks and enjoyed green space. On my scouting mission, I came across an area with beautiful granite rocks down by the river. It only required a short walk to the water’s edge.

The rock above was the safe rock; the easy one to get to. Of course, David saw another rock- one that required some of his skills and a balancing act on mine and Ariel’s part as well. I happen to enjoy scrambling on rocks myself, so I was up for it, as long as Ariel was. Fearlessly, she took David’s hand and ventured to the rock hanging over the water. You can’t quite tell the tight rope walking adventures required to get there, but let me just say, I was impressed.

It was worth the effort. Looking back on the Mills.

A loving gaze and beautiful reflections in the water. Doesn’t look like Dorchester. And it felt like a million miles away from everything.

What a great afternoon! Thank you, Ariel and David, for your adventurous spirits. I absolutely can’t wait for your wedding at the Fruitlands Museum.