When couples ask where I love to shoot an engagement session, I always have an honest answer: it depends on a few things. The light, the logistics, and how much patience we’ll need for foot traffic. New York is beautiful, but it is also always busy. Knowing where to go, and more importantly, when to go, makes the job easier.

Here are my top four spots, ranked by how often I book them and why they keep making the list.

4. New York Public Library

The library has been in my rotation for a while, mostly for the exterior. The architecture is beautiful, and the way the building naturally filters the light means you’re not fighting a harsh sun. You get that soft, diffused look without much effort.

What I didn’t take full advantage of until recently was the interior. Once I started shooting inside, I couldn’t believe I had been leaving that on the table. The natural light that comes through indoors is genuinely beautiful, and the space itself gives you something worth working with.

Timing matters here. My preference is to arrive around 9 or 9:30 AM. The library opens at 10, which means we can start outdoors while the space is still relatively quiet, then transition inside once the doors open. It’s a tourist destination, so it will never be empty — but New York rarely is. In my experience, people are typically respectful when they can see an engagement session happening. Most give you your space, which helps.

3. Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of those locations where the time matters the most.

Unlike a park or plaza, this is a bridge. People run it, walk it, and bike it throughout the day, and the foot traffic makes it genuinely difficult to shoot comfortably at any other time than sunrise. So when I take couples to the Brooklyn Bridge, I’m upfront about the early call time. It is non-negotiable, and it is always worth it.

The light at that hour is some of the best natural light you’ll encounter anywhere in the city. The clouds act as a natural diffuser, and you get a soft, even quality that a bright midday sun just doesn’t give you.

The Brooklyn Bridge doesn’t start and stop right on the bridge itself. The surrounding neighborhoods have some really cool spots too. If getting up early for sunrise seems like too much, you can still snap some great pics pretty close by. There’s also this elevated spot nearby where the bridge’s in the background I’ve been meaning to check it out. Still on my list!

2. Liberty State Park

Liberty State Park makes this list mainly because of its variety. In just one session, you can take shots on brick, by the water, on the grass, and through the Empty Sky memorial — all without leaving the spot. That means couples walk away with a bunch of awesome photos that don’t all look the same.

The Empty Sky spot has a photography style all its own – it’s architectural, meaningful, and it really makes a standout visual. I’d say get there early if it’s on your list since it tends to get pretty crowded later in the day. The other spots at Liberty State Park are a bit more chill when it comes to timing, but for that specific spot, the earlier you go, the better.

1. Domino Park

Domino Park has become my most-booked engagement location. I think it comes down to what the space actually feels like. It has a certain texture to it; a little grit, a little romance, waterfront views, and a bridge in the background. That combination photographs amazingly.

The elevated rail area is where I love to take couples once we’ve worked through the lower sections. The shots up there are different. They have a quality to them that I keep coming back to. I’ve shot engagements there, I’ve shot weddings there, and every time I deliver a gallery I’m proud of.

One note for couples who are still venue shopping: there is a wedding venue right next door. If you haven’t booked yet, it’s worth looking into.

These four locations represent what I keep returning to, but they’re not all of what I do. Part of what I do is adapt. If a couple has a vision for a m engagement session at a location I haven’t shot before, that’s not a reason to say no. A new space is an opportunity, not a risk. Some of the sessions I’m most proud of happened somewhere I’d never been before.

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Photographer: KB Visualz

Blog Editor: Kat D