Studio Ghibli-Inspired Couples Photography Session at Merryspring Nature Center

Alyssa and Shane share a love for Studio Ghibli films. When we started planning this session, Alyssa told me her favorite movie was Howl’s Moving Castle. Drawing on Sophie and Howl’s costumes, and playing in to the surroundings at Merryspring Nature Center in Rockport Maine, we created our own Studio Ghibli-inspired photographs (with a Maine twist of course). We walked the fields and trails, seeking out the sun and the last of the flowers at the start of autumn.

Alyssa & Shane had never had their photos taken before, so we tried a couple of prompts, and simply leaned into their natural dynamic together. Through chatting and exploring, they surprised me with how comfortable they seemed in front of the camera by the end.

We even tried to replicate some of the signature Sophie and Howl interactions during the movie. The garden shed at Merryspring was the perfect spot to capture the last scene of Howl’s Moving castle as the movie rolls to credits.