portrait photography in lake worth: goddess inspired sunrise sessoin

sunrise beach photography session in lake worth

There’s something about a sunrise beach portrait session that feels different from any other time of day. The beach is almost empty, the light is soft and it feels like you are in a time warp. For me time slows down, and all of your worries and to-dos are blown away by the gentle ocean breeze. My most favorite time to photograph, I feel the magic of it, and it always fills me with a deep sense of awe.

That morning, I could hear the roar of the ocean from the parking lot. The waves were intense and that created this ethereal shroud of salty fog above the shore. The colors were bluish and purple in the beginning, but I was optimistic we would have a beautiful golden sunrise. All I had to do during this natural light portrait photography session, I thought, was to be present.

more than a photoshoot: Corey’s story of healing

Before I tell you and show you more, you must know something about Corey.

The moment I laid my eyes on her during one of events that I was photographing at Casa Mannabliss, I knew she would be my muse. I don’t have any tattoos myself, and maybe that’s why I am fascinated by girls with tattoos. I feel like Corey’s body is canvas and she wears her heart and her life on her sleeves. Literally.

Corey and I have done several photoshoots over the years that we’ve known each other. Her gorgeous website is adorned with branding photos we created. In 2025 Corey hired me to be her wedding photographer and I had the honor of witnessing her beautiful beach wedding with my camera.

Corey is a yoga teacher now. She guides others through movement, through fascia release, through reconnecting to the body in a way that feels safe again.

But that wasn’t always her reality.

There was a time when her body felt like a mystery no one could solve. Doctors couldn’t find what was wrong. She was in constant pain. And somewhere in that space, she found herself relying on painkillers just to get through.

What she found on the other side of that chapter wasn’t just relief—it was a completely different way of living.

A softer way.
A more intuitive way.
A way that listens.

This Lake Worth beach photoshoot wasn’t about creating pretty pictures. It was about honoring everything she had already walked through.

To learn more about Corey and her story of healing, you can watch this video we created.

Keeping It Simple for a Natural, Effortless Photoshoot

Our plan was simple: two outfits, a few pieces of jewelry, and the ocean.

I know I have a talent for getting carried away and over-planning, and that was the reason I wanted to keep it simple with Corey.

As a portrait photographer in Lake Worth, I’ve learned that the most powerful images often come from simplicity. When there’s less to manage, there’s more space to feel—to move, to breathe, to connect.

And that’s where the magic lives.

Movement, Flow, and Feeling Comfortable in Front of the Camera

Since Corey and I had worked together before, she already knew how to soften into the moment. I guided her with gentle prompts—walk slowly, let your body sway, follow the rhythm of the water.

For anyone who feels unsure in front of the camera, this is always the beginning.

A beach photoshoot in South Florida isn’t about posing perfectly—it’s about allowing your body to open, little by little. Just like warming up before a workout, when I start photographing a woman, there’s always time in the beginning when she is getting used to me pointing the camera at her. And most importantly, she is learning to trust me, and to feel safe being witnessed by me. And when she fully drops in her body and stops trying to pose - that’s when she looks the most radiant!

Corey moved through a few yoga flows, grounding herself in the sand, breathing with the ocean. There was laughter, a few near run-ins with the waves, and that feeling of being completely in it.

Before the golden sun was about to show itself, Corey changed into another outfit. It was a black two-piece goddess set very similar to the first one. She donned a crown made of crystals, and I created the beautiful golden portraits of her. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

There was more splashing and playing with the waves. At a certain point, when Corey was lying on the sand and doing something that looked like sand angels, a lady walked her dog walked by. Corey is an animal lover who has so many rescued and her own dogs that I lose track, and this fluffy dog came by and gave Corey a lick on the nose. It was so cute!

A Different Kind of Portrait photography Session

The type of photography session Corey and I did can be neatly labeled Goddess Photoshoot. Or divine feminine photography. For me a portrait photography session like this is about honoring who you are, unapologetically inhabiting your body, and not trying to be someone you are not. It’s about giving yourself the permission to take up space, to play, to feel, to express, whatever it may look like. There is so much honesty in a session like this.

A photography session like this is about honoring the divine feminine energy, the GODDESS in you. It is about bringing out that goddess and without bragging or loudly showing off, remembering how perfect, powerful and beautiful you are.

If I had to choose a favorite photo of mine from Corey’s photoshoot, it would be these two. (I know I’m cheating with choosing two photos instead of one :))

I love how powerful Corey looks as she is looking at a gigantic wave coming toward her. There is water dripping from her hands from the wave that she was pounded by, but she looks fearless. She looks strong and powerful, and there is so much beauty in her. I love the expression on her face, I love how sunlight is bouncing off the wave on the left and the shroud of fog is rising above powerful water rushing forward. And in the second image, she is standing IN the wave, water surrounding her. She is laughing because that’s not what SHE planned, and the whirlwind of water is sparkling around her. I feel that this image is a beautiful metaphor for life: you will be knocked down and it may not look like fun when you are in it, but when you look at that picture later, you will see the magic in it and see how it contributed to making you into a powerful and amazing human being you are today.


recreate the magic

Every image is shaped by small, intentional details. Here are a few of the elements that helped Corey and I create this look—feel free to draw inspiration and make it your own.

Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share what I truly love.

 
 
 

BEHIND THE SCENES MAGIC

Come with us to the morning when Corey and I created these photographs.


Interested in having a photography session like this for yourself or a loved one?

Please fill out this free discovery call form or contact me here and and let’s create magic together

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Love in action: my greatest lesson through depression (Stephanie’s story)