Top 3 Parks to Photograph Fall Portraits in New Jersey

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”

If you are reading this and from the Tri-State area, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The leaves are changing color, the air is crisp, there’s so many fun outdoor activities for you and the family to do. This is the time of year everyone in the area looks forward to.

As a portrait photographer, walking out to do a shoot on a beautiful fall day, I get that feeling of a kid in a candy shop. There is just SO MUCH to work with! I’m not one to keep secrets so I would like to take a moment to share with you all some of my favorite places to photograph this time of year and why. Here’s my go to list of recommendations:

1. Skylands Manor, Ringwood State Park

2. Laurelwood Arboretum, Wayne

3. Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton

Interested to learn more? Scroll down to see some images from each location and learn more about hosting a photo session there!

Skylands Manor, Ringwood State Park

The pros: Chances are if you are a photographer from New Jersey you have been here before. If your not a photographer and reading this, chances are still likely that you’ve been here before because Skylands Manor is not just a popular photo destination but also a venue.

This park is #1 on my list for a reason. You can spend HOURS here and still discover a new hidden corner on your next visit. I’m surprised each time I photograph here (which is usually 1-2 times a week) because the landscape changes from one day to the next. As a photographer, you have the choice to keep your backdrop “scenic” by utilizing the landscape or more “ industrial” by incorporating the water fountains and buildings on the property.

The cons: There are two “downfalls” I would say about Skylands. One, don’t go here on a weekend. The place is filled with photographers, families and tourists. I have my “secret spots” that I’ve learned over time shooting here that are usually pretty empty, but I would recommend booking your shoots during the week.

The other downside is that the permits are a bit pricey at $175/year. However, as I previously mentioned I shoot here 1-2 times a week so I definitely get my money’s worth. Be careful not to shoot here without a permit as they do check.

Skylands manor is located at 5 Morris Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456

Small bridge in the Native Plant Demonstration Garden

Laurelwood Arboretum

The pros: If you are looking for a small park with a lot to offer, look no further! Laurelwood Arboretum in Wayne is beautiful year-round, but I do particularly love the fall colors you will get in their botanical garden and near Laurel pond at the top of Azalea Way trail.

As you can see from the image above, the park offers bridges, gazebos, flowers, trees and even more! You can do an entire session in the entrance area alone, but it’s worth making the short trek up the trail to see more.

Pro tip-If you are planning a shoot at Laurelwood Arboretum around golden hour, do your actual “sunset shot” 3 miles down the road at Terhune Park. It’s a four minute drive and the sun sets right over the water. No permit needed!

The cons: Like many parks, it does tend to get crowded here, especially after work hours. Because it is a smaller park it can be difficult to shoot around the people visiting so be sure to know your way around first to know where to work around.

The permit for this park is also priced high at $150/year, however you can book one session for only $50! Learn more by visiting their website.

Laurelwood Arboretum is located at 725 Pines Lake Drive West, Wayne, NJ 07470

Grounds for sculpture

Sculpture: Dorian by Bruce Beasely

The pros: There was no way I was going to make a list of my favorite places and not include Grounds for Sculpture. This park is an absolute gem and I would shoot here over and over again. The grounds are perfectly maintained and every corner you turn is different, so you can offer your clients a variety of looks.

During the fall there are many parts of the park that you can capture the beauty of the leaves changing. Besides the artwork there are bridges, hedges, fountains, and gardens that can be utilized to create a picturesque scene for your clients.

Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton Township

The cons: I’ll be honest, I don’t have anything bad to say about this place. The permit price is more than reasonable at $18/shoot. You do have to sign a waiver that you will give credit to the artists who’s work is featured in your photos which is a very reasonable request. I would recommend this location to anyone looking for a unique shoot location!

Grounds for Sculpture is located at 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton Township, NJ 08619

While it’s not much I hope I offered you all a few different options for locations to capture beautiful portraits that you can be excited about for your upcoming sessions. I look forward to all the portrait sessions I have coming up this season at all of my favorite parks! Don’t forget, you can still book your fall portrait session with me at any of these locations by clicking here. Thanks again for taking the time to stay up to date with my blog 🍂

How many hours of coverage do I need for my event?

This one is great for clients and photographers!

Many of you don’t know this, but I photograph about 50+ Weddings a year! 😱 I work for an awesome company called Milton Gil Photographers, which I’m sure if you are based in New Jersey you have probably heard of them. Seeing that I do so many Weddings, your probably wondering why I don’t advertise them. To be honest, it’s not my passion and it is much more manageable for me to prioritize my portrait work while still having a side hustle (because who doesn’t love a good side hustle?!). That being said, I am happy to photograph small events, anything up to 8 hours maximum. These include Baptisms, Mitzvahs, Baby or Bridal Showers, Engagement Parties, you name it.

Since I do so many events throughout the year, I’ve really nailed down exactly how much time is required for everything to be photographed. My hopes is that whoever is reading this post really gets something out of it whether you are trying to figure out how many hours of coverage is right for your Wedding/Event, or if your a photographer breaking into the field.

building a timeline is how you manage your clients expectations.

Where to start…

When having a consultation with a client you should be prepared with a list of questions. What time does your event start? Would you like photos getting ready? Who absolutely needs to be photographed? What time are guests arriving?

I send all my clients a questionnaire using an awesome booking software called Session. I’ve heard you can do the same with programs such as Honeybook. These questionnaires are essential in planning your clients day because if you don’t schedule enough time to capture everything they requested, that’s on you, not them.

That being said, it’s important I mention the next point…

Photographers don’t take “one or two” pictures of things.

This one is really important. I hear a lot “I only need one or two pictures of…”

But I’ve never had someone complain that I gave them “Too many pictures.”

The same way you wouldn’t want your hairstylist to rush through your haircut, we don’t want to be rushed to take a photo. We risk someone blinking, having their mouth open, the picture being out of focus or maybe the exposure wasn’t ideal because we were trying so hard just to get the shot in a matter of seconds.

It’s also nice to have a few different versions of the same type of image in case you want to make an album or product after the fact and we have different options to work with that will best fit the layout. If we take “one or two pictures” of everything we might miss something like an awesome candid moment or an opportunity to create a different look using lighting.

There will always be one family member that is running late for group photos.

How to plan for this…

If your scheduling group photos for 3:00 pm, tell everyone 2:45 or maybe 2:30 for that person you know is always late. There will ALWAYS be that one person that is stuck in traffic or forgot something at the hotel room or can’t find the spot where we are taking photos or maybe forgot about the pictures all together and is now hitting up all the stations at cocktail hour 🙈 I’ve seen it all! It’s better to have everyone ready a little bit earlier so we can get through the family photos quickly and easily.

If you want to learn more about different types of family photos I take with larger groups, check out my recent blog post.

Tell your hairstylist or makeup artist you need to be ready 15 minutes prior to the time the photographer actually arrives.

Let me start by saying I LOVE all my friends and family members that are hairstylists and makeup artists because I know a lot of them and they are probably rolling their eyes at me right now 😅

Not all the time, but a lot of the times our schedule runs behind because hair and makeup needs more time. Let me say this is usually not their fault! Same way that we can’t rush a photo, they can’t rush putting makeup on your face. If my start time is 12:00, I usually ask my client to let the makeup artist know I will be arriving at 11:45 and they need to be finishing up by then. This gives everyone a little extra time to work, and more time means less stress for everyone!

Companies I highly recommend: D’Amelio Cosmetics, The Lounge Hair Studio, Beauty on Demand, The Real Beauty and the Blush, Allyson Rubin Cosmetics

If your having “getting ready” photos done, here are the details we usually photograph to have them ready for when we arrive.

I always start with photographing details such as flowers, invitations, shoes, etc. Having all the details set aside for when we arrive so we aren’t interrupting you while having your hair and makeup done is super helpful! Here’s examples of details that are usually photographed:

• Invitations

• Flowers

• Balloons

• Rings/Jewelry

• Cufflinks

• Hair pieces

• Clutch

• Dress/Tux

• Baptism, Communion or Mitzvah attire

• Shoes

• Any customized details such as signs, shirts, flasks, etc.

• Family heirlooms

Basically anything that is important to you on your special day!

The timeline is not written in blood.

Expect the unexpected and be prepared for the timeline to change. I’m saying this for both clients and photographers because it is super rare that things go according to plan, and that’s ok! Your still going to have an incredible day and we are going to capture awesome images of you. I always try to create the timeline so I have enough wiggle room for things to change and be able to adapt to what’s happening in the moment. After all, being prepared to capture spontaneous moments and documenting the day is our job!

What you’ve all been waiting for…Here’s a sample of how I build my timeline!

First, I find out what time the ceremony/event is going to start. Let’s say I have a client for a Baptism and the ceremony starts at 12:00 pm…

If they want “Getting Ready” photos, I start 2-2.5 hours prior to the ceremony.

Here’s the breakdown…

-5-10 minutes to set-up

-30 minutes to photograph details

-30 minutes to photograph “getting dressed” and individual portraits

-1 hour to photograph family portraits (see blog post to see all the different combinations covered in a typical session)

-Break down and travel time

Without “Getting Ready” photos but family portraits prior to the ceremony, I usually start 1.5 hours ahead of time.

This also depends if the family portraits are at the same location as the ceremony, and how large the family is. Again, I always count on someone being late, so I like to allow for enough time.

No getting ready or portraits prior to the ceremony, I usually arrive 30 minutes before start time.

This allows me to have an adequate amount of time to set up my gear, check out the space, evaluate lighting, and meet my client prior to the start of the event.

If you do not do family portraits prior to the ceremony start time, it’s really important to stay organized.

If the Baptism is at 12:00, the reception following will most likely start at 2 or 2:30. A ceremony such as a Baptism typically takes around 30 minutes unless it is a Greek baptism for example which tend to take longer. The hardest part about having the portraits done after the ceremony is organizing everyone together because everyone starts to mingle, talk, or head out to the reception. In my experience the priest/pastor/rabbi has always made an announcement at the end of the ceremony to let guests know that there will be photos proceeding the event.

Also, you have to be sure that the Church does not have any events immediately proceeding. I usually encourage my clients to take as many family photos as possible prior to the ceremony for this reason.

Cocktail hour

Again, if all the portraits are not completed prior to the ceremony or at the church I will reserve a portion of cocktail hour for photos. Keep in mind, everyone wants to enjoy cocktail hour so it is important that if your using this time for any family photos you discuss this with the client prior to the event so they can let their family members know.

If you already did family photos, take a few pictures of the cocktail hour layout! ESPECIALLY if there are any ice sculptures, signature cocktails or custom decor.

Finally, if there is a separate room for the reception with decorations, be sure to reserve enough time to go in an photograph the tables, details, and an outside shot of the building.

Reception

Candid time! If your event has any special entrances or surprises be sure to let the photographers know ahead of time. This is where we capture speeches, people hitting the dance floor, cake cutting and lots of reactions from the guests! If you require any additional group shots this can be organized with the DJ to help bring guests together.

Night shot

This is more common with wedding photography but if you are working an event that goes past sunset be sure to take your clients out to create a memorable night photo!

I hope this guide helps anyone reading it plan their event or feel more confident when booking clients. If you are looking to schedule an event with me or have questions click here!