A Military Couple’s Fort Pickens Photo Session: Austin and Caitlin
Austin was preparing to leave the Air Force. His wife, Caitlin, was just beginning her Navy career. During a Labor Day weekend visit to Pensacola, he wanted to surprise her with photographs of a time they would not have together forever: both still serving, both in uniform, and finally in the same place.
I’m Austen Hunter, the photographer behind Austen Hunter Photography and an Air Force veteran. Sessions like this are personal for me. My own military career ended earlier than I expected, and I know how much a photograph can mean once that part of your life is behind you.
For Austin and Caitlin, we planned an evening at Fort Pickens that included relaxed beach portraits and photographs in their service dress. The two looks gave them room to be themselves as a couple while also documenting their individual service.
Key Takeaways
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Why We Chose Fort Pickens
I suggested Fort Pickens because its military history suited their story, and because we could make several different kinds of photographs without driving between locations. We had the beach nearby, brick walls and archways inside the fort, and an elevated view toward the water for the end of the evening.
The National Park Service dates the fort’s completion to 1834. Walking through it with two people in uniform felt like a fitting place to document this particular moment in their lives. I also enjoy sharing a little of the location’s history as we move between photographs.
The setting changes the feel of a portrait. The beach gave us open space and movement. The fort gave us texture, structure, and places to slow down for a more deliberate photograph.
Starting With Sand, Water, and Each Other
Austin and Caitlin arrived dressed for the beach, so that is where we began. We had roughly an hour and a half for the evening, with their uniform portraits still ahead of us. Starting in what they were already wearing kept things moving comfortably.
They were naturally affectionate. They held hands, leaned into each other, and made room for plenty of kisses. I gave them small adjustments as we went—a hand moved slightly, their heads brought closer together—but I did not need to manufacture that closeness.
Every couple approaches the camera differently. If you are quieter or feel awkward at first, that is fine too. My job is to help you settle into the session and give you something manageable to do, rather than expect you to arrive knowing how to pose.
A Uniform Check Worth Photographing
Before we began the service-dress photographs, Austin and Caitlin helped check each other’s uniforms and ribbons. I saw the moment unfolding and picked up the camera.
It became one of my favorite parts of the story. There was nothing elaborate about it: two people helping each other look their best before stepping in front of the lens. The photographs belong in the gallery alongside the finished poses.
Austin wore his Air Force blues and Caitlin wore her sailor whites. Their uniforms showed two different stages of military life. I wanted to photograph them together, but I also wanted each person to have portraits that recognized their own service.
Two Uniforms, One Shared Story
We began outside the fort wall, moved to the front arch, and then worked farther inside for seated portraits. From there, we went up the stairs and finished on the upper deck.
One idea I tried was having them hold out their shared surname on a name tape. I had not made that photograph before. It was a small detail that connected their marriage with the uniforms they were wearing, and it became another favorite from the evening.
We made room for humor too. They wanted a playful knife-hand photograph, so we took one. A gallery can include a serious, confident portrait and a photograph that makes the two of you laugh. Both can feel like you.
“I want you to have photographs of the person you love and the service you are proud of.” — Austen Hunter
Ending With the Sunset
On the upper deck, we made individual portraits and photographs together with the sky behind them. Then Austin dipped Caitlin for the final romantic portraits.
Those frames are some of my favorites from the session. The bright uniforms against the sunset give them a dramatic, almost movie-poster feel. After the quieter beach photographs and the close moments inside the fort, this was a beautiful way to finish.
Planning Your Own Military Couple’s Session
If you are visiting Pensacola together, preparing for a move, or approaching the end of one person’s service, tell me what you want to remember about this time. That helps me suggest the location and decide how we should use the session.
We can discuss casual clothing and uniforms, photographs together and individually, and any small detail that matters to you. If your time together is limited, share your travel dates early so we can talk through the options.
My military portrait preparation guide covers what to bring and check before your session. For a broader look at locations and portrait options, start with my guide to military portraits in Pensacola.
Questions About Military Couple’s Portraits
Can We Include Casual Clothes and Uniforms?
Yes—we can discuss a session that includes both, as Austin and Caitlin did. We will plan enough time for changing and moving between backgrounds. The number of looks and locations should be agreed on when we plan your session.
Can We Have Individual Portraits Too?
Absolutely. Let me know that you want individual photographs as well as portraits together, and I can build both into the plan.
Do We Need to Know How to Pose?
No. I will help with where to stand, what to do with your hands, and the small adjustments that help a photograph work. You can bring ideas, but you do not need a rehearsed shot list.
Is Fort Pickens Always Available?
We will check access and conditions while planning your date. Outdoor sessions depend on the location and weather, so we will discuss what makes sense for your visit rather than assume every part of the fort will be available.
Let’s Plan Photographs of Your Time Together
Tell me when you will both be in Pensacola, which uniforms or outfits you have in mind, and what this session would mark for you. We can build the photographs around that.
