Katie & T.J. decided to take their engagement photos in the West Village. It was a beautiful morning in NYC—we had the streets of the city to ourselves!

We made the short walk to The Highline to take a few pictures before heading down towards West 11th Street.

There are so many beautiful spots for engagement photos as you walk around the West Village. This cute little stoop located on Horatio St. was perfect!

My favorite spot in The West Village for engagement photos—this building covered in ivy is so photogenic!

We took photographs at The Standard Grill, which is where Katie & T.J. went on their first date together!

We had the restaurant all to ourselves as Katie & T.J. enjoyed a glass of wine together.

I loved how every table had a different set of dogs for their salt and pepper shakers.

The outside of The Standard was a beautiful location for photos too!

 

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As a wedding photographer who frequently works in the Hudson Valley, Bear Mountain is one of my favorite locations to take photographs. The short drive from the base up to the Perkins Memorial Tower summit make it feel like you’re deep within the mountains. The best part is you’re only about 45 miles from NYC!

It was a beautiful day in November for Zach & Sam’s engagement session. We began at the summit and made our way into the surrounding areas to take photos.

 

I love the way these two look at each other!

Zach and Sam’s outfits were on point—look at those colors!

 

Here’s Zach describing how he and Sam met: “We actually went to school together all the way back to 1st grade. We didn’t really talk much until 7th grade when I asked Sam if she would go to a dance in Boston with me on our school field trip. We danced once together but we were both shy and it never amounted to anything more. Sam went away for college and I stayed in New York and we didn’t really talk for 2 years.

It wasn’t until Sam transferred schools and came home to Long Island and that we ended up right back in the same group of friends without even realizing. This reignited some old feelings for both of us and we found out how much we had in common. Cue endless nights driving around in my pickup truck, listening to Taylor Swift (side-note—yes!!!) We quickly became inseparable and fell more and more in love with each other!”

 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these boards on Pinterest!

After the first look, we decided to do the second from the top of Taft Point, a short hike from the road to Glacier Point. We were treated to one of the most amazing sunsets I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing!

There are few places in the world better suited for an adventure session than Yosemite National Park!

Alexis and I have met years ago when I worked at Apple. When her and Reuben told me they were living in San Jose (only a few hours from Yosemite) and soon to be married, I knew we were going to create some amazing photographs together!

Yosemite Valley is absolutely breathtaking, but it can get insanely busy during the summer months. To avoid the crowds (and the heat), we decided to capture their Yosemite adventure session in September.

Alexis & Reuben did a few separate looks, with the first focusing on the floor of Yosemite Valley. We made sure to hit up the iconic Tunnel View and the fields and meadows of the Valley before heading to Taft Point for sunset.

 

Are you interested in planning an adventure elopement? If so here are a few tips!

Are you looking for some more adventure wedding inspiration? Check out these boards on Pinterest!

Joe & Risa’s Central Park Engagement photos were taken on The Lake at Central Park. The Lake is located right next to Bethesda Fountain and the Loeb Boathouse—in the warmer months, you can rent a boat for around $20 an hour and paddle anywhere you want on the lake!

Capturing Joe and Risa’s session was so much different than my usual sessions, which made it a blast! I started in their boat taking a few close up images. Afterward, I rented a second boat to follow them around on the lake. It’s not easy paddling and taking photographs at the same time!

The Lake at Central Park is one of my favorite locations to take romantic photos in New York City. This incredible session was straight out of a fairytale!

The view of the lake from the shore.

We got lucky with amazing light as the sun was setting. Look at that glow!

After taking a second boat out for a few pictures, I jumped to shore and followed them around the path surrounding the lake.

One of my favorite pictures from the session.

This was a tricky image to capture, but it was so worth it.

See more Central Park engagement photos in these galleries:

Merrily & Eugene at Bethesda Fountain

Mabel & Troy’s Central Park Wedding Session

Ankita & Dhruv in Central Park

 

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these boards on Pinterest!

There are lots of incredible spots to take your wedding photos in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

If you’re not careful, however, what should have been a dream photo-session could end up being overcrowded and filled with stress.

Here are tips to ensure you get the most out of the time you spend taking pictures around the famous Brooklyn Bridge.

DUMBO offers amazing backdrops for your wedding photographs. This one of Dane & Carolyn was taken at Plymouth Street.

 

Before Your Wedding: Have a Game Plan

There’s plenty of amazing locations in DUMBO—Pebble Beach, the Brooklyn Bridge Park, or even the Brooklyn Bridge itself to name a few.

Though these locations are relatively close, you wouldn’t want to walk back and forth between them in your high heels and wedding dress!

Figure out what spots resonate with your vision and then create a map of where you will go to take pictures. Make sure those locations are within a short walking distance.

This will ensure there are no surprises, and that you can get the best photographs possible.

This image of Arleny & Daniel was taken at Pebble Beach.

 

Plan Lots of Extra Time for Traffic

If you live in New York, you probably know New York City is congested—sometimes even driving a short length of two to three miles could take close to an hour!

If you’re planning on having a limo or bus drive you to DUMBO for photographs, I recommend at least tripling the amount it takes to get there each way.

In addition to the usual New York City traffic, large vehicles may not be able to travel on some of the usual roads, which can add a significant amount of travel time.

Padding the timeline will ensure you don’t feel stressed on your wedding day if things start to fall behind.

You don’t want to arrive in DUMBO late because of traffic and only have 15 minutes to take pictures!

Wedding Photos in DUMBO Brooklyn Limo & Bus Parking

The intersection of Main Street and Plymouth Street (right next to West Elm) is where your limo driver will likely default to when dropping you off.

Though there is limo parking in this area, it can get filled quickly, especially on Saturdays. Plan for your driver to leave and return to pick you up just incase.

If you’re not sure where you’d want to take pictures, this particular drop off location is a great choice. It gives you easy access to both Pebble Beach and the iconic view of the Brooklyn Bridge from Plymouth Street (see the two above photos for examples of what those locations can look like), as well as a few other photogenic locations.

The view of the Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street is a short walk from the limo drop off point. However, photographs like this one will be impossible on weekend days (this photograph of Erin & Dave was taken at Sunrise). This street is always congested with people after 7AM.

Other Locations for Wedding Photos in DUMBO, Brooklyn

Are you looking for more intimate views of the NYC skyline as your backdrop? If that’s the case, plan instead to be dropped off at Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

From there it’s a short walk to the dock with beautiful waterfront views of the NYC skyline.

Backdrops like this are available from the Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 1 drop off location.

Accessing the Brooklyn Bridge

If you’re looking for access to the Brooklyn Bridge, the pedestrian entrance is at the intersection of Prospect Street and Washington Street.

Because the walkway is a small space, only you and your fiancé would be able to take photographs there.

Also keep in mind the bridge will be too busy for photographs any time after about 7AM.

The Best way to Avoid Crowds

Especially during the warmer months, DUMBO sees traffic from all over the five boroughs as well as Long Island.

Trying to cozy up and create a romantic atmosphere between you and your fiancé while hundreds of bystanders look on can be daunting, not to mention it’s almost impossible to get intimate photographs without bystanders in the picture.

As stated above, parking can be difficult on weekends and unless you live in Manhattan or Brooklyn, it can be very time consuming to get to the area by public transportation. 

If you’re having your wedding on a Saturday or Sunday but don’t want to deal with the weekend crowds in DUMBO, consider booking a post-wedding session instead.

This allows you to take advantage of the gorgeous New York views in your wedding attire without any wedding day time pressure and weekend bystanders. 

If you do decide to do a post-wedding session, you’ll have the added benefit of a few additional ways to get the best photographs possible.

Arleny & Daniel casually walking on the sidewalk of Plymouth Street.

Starting at Sunrise

I know it can be difficult to wake up early, (especially in the warmer months, where the sun rises at 5:30 AM) but there are a ton of advantages, especially in congested locations such as DUMBO.

For one, you will have the Brooklyn Bridge all to yourself.

This alone is worth drinking two cups of coffee (or more) to be wide awake at sunrise. In fact, it is pretty much the only time possible to get photographs on the Brooklyn Bridge without other people on it. 

You’ll also have the bonus of beautiful light—the Brooklyn Bridge is one of my favorite spots to watch the sun rise in New York City!

This photograph of Dave & Erin was taken minutes after this sun rose in the sky, around 6:00AM. You’ll never see the bridge this empty at any other time!

 

Alone in DUMBO

Additionally, less people around you equals less nerves!

DUMBO is one of the most congested locations in NYC during the day. Tourists from all over the world come to see the iconic landmarks and the downtown views of the NYC skyline.

An early morning session ensures that you get the area all to yourself. With less people around, it will be easier to feel relaxed, which will make you look more relaxed in your images.

Without the congestion and time pressure, you’ll be able to walk around and take pictures at a variety of different locations.

Dane & Carolyn’s bridal party walking the path to Pebble Beach.

Final Thoughts

I hope that helps you in your journey to take amazing wedding pictures in DUMBO, Brooklyn! It is easily one of my favorite locations in NYC.

To get the most out of your session, though, you’ll want to make sure to plan accordingly!

P.S. Here are more free tips and resources on all things wedding planning, from whether to have a first look to how to create the perfect wedding timeline for you and more! 

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• The Definitive Guide to Taking Amazing Engagement Photos
• How to Plan the Perfect Wedding Day Timeline
• Wedding Planning Advice From a Recent Bride
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• The Essential Guide to Incredible Bride Getting Ready Photos
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Want more wedding inspiration? Check out these boards on Pinterest.