Award Winning Boston Based Portrait Photographer

Humpback Whales in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary ~ Gloucester & Provincetown 2026

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

I took my love of whales to a new level this year. Not only did I go on five whale watches out of both Gloucester and Ptown but also started a catalog learning the names of the Humpback Whales I saw too. Every whale fluke (or tail) is like a human fingerprint – unique and identifiable. Thanks to the website Happy Whale I was able to search their data base and also upload my own photos of flukes for identification. Within a few days I got a list back with the names of all but one.

Here are a few highlights from my trips starting with A Plus’s curious calf who surfaced next to the boat with Mom. If you look closely you can see the eye looking right up at us. So many of the calves this season were inquisitive and playful approaching boats and spy hopping to get a better look at everyone.

If this interests you at all, I suggest following the 7 Seas (Gloucester) and the Dolphin Fleet (Ptown) to see more of the daily activity. And if you’re like me and like to know which whales you are seeing that day, I highly recommend the former especially if naturalist Amanda is on board. Hopefully I can get on another boat this Fall before the season ends and they all head back down to their winter home at Silver Bank in the Caribbean.

“Compassion is the awareness of a deep bond between yourself and all creatures.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

Humpback whale calf on surface next to boat with left eye visible

Humpback whale under the surface of the water coming up with eye visible

Four huge humpback whales right next to each other in different stages of going down for a deep dive

Humpback calf with head up on surface blowing air

There was also lots of pec slapping on several of these trips. This behavior is most likely to communicate with each other but cetologists think they may do it just for fun too.

Humpback whale with its pectoral fin up in the air

Huge splash in the wide ocean of a humpback whale slapping it pectoral fin

Here’s another whale (no ID because never saw its fluke) rolling around upside down on its back.

Humpback whale laying upside down with both pectoral fins up in the air

Lastly are a few from our small boat Sunset trip out of Ptown in early July. While you don’t see the whales as clearly as the sun sets and the water is darker, it made from some nice backlighting of their whale blows including some with rainbows too.

Whales diving and blowing at sunset off Ptown

Sun setting on Ptown harbor at the return of this voyage.

Sunsetting on Provincetown harbor with sun flare and duck swimming in the front ripples

©Kiki Larouge Photography. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

The most well known Humpback Whale out at Stellwagen is 50+ year old Salt. She was the first whale to be identified and given a name back in the 1976. She was out there again this year and is known for her extensive family tree. I’ve yet to see the Grand Dame herself but did see several of her offspring this season including: Sanchal, Epsom, Etch-a-Sketch & Toboggan.

Diagram of famous East Coast humpback whale named Salt and her family tree of calves and grand calves

“Regardless of its purpose, the humpback-whale song is the most complex piece of nonhuman composition on earth. Whether it’s art, prayer, or booty call, the humpback song is an amazing thing to experience firsthand, and I suspect that even once the science of it is put to bed, it will remain, as long as they sing, magic.” ~ Christopher Moore

Timeline 9/23/26

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Newburyport Senior Photographer ~ Jacqueline from Phillips Academy at Plum Island Sneak Peeks

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

It felt like that quintessential and idyllic early Fall night out on Plum Island for our Labor Day Session with lovely Jacqueline and her family yesterday. The beach roses are still hanging in there and the goldenrods are *just* starting to come into bloom too. We are coming into the best time of year for Portrait Sessions where the crazy hot days are (hopefully!) behind us and these more temperate evenings are now the norm.

This is also the perfect time of year for your beloved four-legged family members who come to join you for some portraits on your shoot too – like Lulu who was such a good girl and with us most of the session too. If you follow us on IG @klpseniorportraits you can see crazy Lulu in our current BTS story. We also have been doing some fun polls this season voting for favorite outfit. Jacq def made this one hard. While I always love a classic white sundress, her first outfit – a shorter satin style with a fun blue and brown print – might just be my fave of the night. Here are a few sneak peeks.

“To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall.” ~ Ann Patchett

High School Senior girl in blue and brown print silk dress blowing in wind backlit by sun sitting on old canoe

High School Senior girl in blue and brown print silk dress sitting on cement bench with hand at neck and big smile

©Kiki Larouge Photography. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Timeline 9/8/27

Newburyport Senior & Family Photographer ~ Plum Island

Monday, August 31, 2026

Got two rising Seniors? You can book a longer session to capture them both and with the family too. Not only is this a milestone moment for Leah (Newburyport High) and Michael (St. John’s Prep) but Mom and Dad are also celebrating their 20th Anniversary so we made sure to get it all. Here’s some highlights with the Enes Family on the always picturesque Plum Island. They had it all from sun to a moody overcast and ending with a vibrant orange and pink sunset.

“The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” ~ George Santayana

Senior girl long blonde hair in navy blue dress leaning agains a white wall smiling

Senior girl long blonde hair in navy blue dress leaning on shed door with reflection and sun flare

KLP Signature Album and this gorgeous Family Portrait on Canvas in the works:

Thank you Leah for the lovely Five Star Google Review too! Always am so appreciative of clients taking the time to share their experiences and especially when it’s one of our Seniors. 🙂

Timeline 8/31/26

Boston Maternity Photographer ~ Sneak Peeks from Plum Island

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

An August switch up from the Class of 2027 to the Class of 2045 this week! 😉 We lucked out with another night of perfection out on Plum Island for this recent Maternity Session with Alison and Cameron – dramatic skies and the beach all to ourselves. Here are a few sneak peeks as the countdown is on to Baby Riley arriving late September.

“Everything grows rounder and wider and weirder, and I sit here in the middle of it all and wonder who in the world you will turn out to be.” ~ Carrie Fisher

Pregnant woman in long pink dress and man in blue shirt hugging her belly in the dunes of Plum Island with beach and water in the backdrop

Close up image of a man and woman holding hands atop a pregnant belly woman in a long pink dress

Timeline 8/19/26

Newburyport Photographer ~ The Chatson Family on Plum Island Sneak Peeks

Friday, August 7, 2026

A few sneak peeks from The Chatson’s Eighth Annual KLP Portrait Session! I first worked with oldest Emma for her Senior Portraits in 2017 and every summer since 2018 they book a Family Session together after their also yearly week spent on Nantucket. We’ve shot these all over from Sandy Point to Downtown Boston and this year headed back to Plum Island for their shoot. Watching and documenting the kids grow and become adults – Emma now living in Michigan getting her doctorate, David starting a new teaching gig this Fall at a private school and Nikki heading back for her sophomore year at Elon – makes this session always a highlight of the season. #klpfrequentfliers 😉

“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” ~ Mother Teresa