As a Raleigh wedding photographer who grew up in Ahoskie, North Carolina, I do not get back to eastern NC nearly as often as my heart would like. So when Cassey and Zeb reached out about their Goose Creek State Park engagement session in Washington NC, I did not hesitate for even a second. These two are from my hometown. I have known this place my whole life. And getting to photograph two people in love in a landscape that shaped me felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Goose Creek State Park, Washington NC
Goose Creek State Park sits along the southern shore of the Pamlico River and it is one of those places that eastern North Carolina locals know and love but the rest of the world has not quite discovered yet. The maritime forest is dense and ancient feeling, Spanish moss draping from the trees, the light filtering through in a way that is completely different from anything I shoot in the Triangle.
The trails wind through swamp forest and open up onto the most beautiful stretches of shoreline where the river stretches out wide and golden in the late afternoon. It is quiet out there. Unhurried. And that energy showed up in every single frame we made together.
About Goose Creek State Park
Located in Washington, NC along the Pamlico River, Goose Creek State Park offers over 1,600 acres of coastal plain habitat including maritime forest, freshwater marshes, and pristine shoreline. It is one of the most beautifully preserved natural spaces in eastern North Carolina and an incredible backdrop for engagement sessions.
Cassey and Zeb
These two were so easy to photograph. There is a comfort between them that you cannot fake and cannot manufacture, the kind that comes from genuinely knowing each other and genuinely choosing each other. They laughed easily, they leaned into each other naturally, and they made my job feel less like work and more like just being present with two people who are really, really happy.
"We wandered the trails, found pockets of light along the water, and let the session breathe. No rush. No checklist. Just the two of them and one of the most beautiful corners of eastern North Carolina."
The Light Out East is Different
Anyone who has spent time near the Pamlico Sound or the Outer Banks knows what I mean. It is softer, warmer, and it arrives earlier and stays later than it does inland. The landscapes are wide and open and the colors are muted in the most beautiful way.
As someone who grew up running around these fields and waterways, photographing here feels like a completely different creative experience than my work in Raleigh and Durham. I would come back every single chance I get.
If you are planning an engagement session or a wedding in eastern North Carolina and you are looking for a photographer who knows this part of the state in their bones, I would absolutely love to talk.
Ready to book your engagement session? I would love to hear from you.
Hi, I'm Nikki
I am the owner and lead photographer at Fancy This Photography, a Raleigh-based wedding and engagement photography team. I grew up in Ahoskie NC and have been photographing couples across North Carolina and beyond for over 13 years.
If you are looking for a photographer who will show up with full creative energy and a real connection to this state, I would love to hear from you.
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