We met Sela and Sylvie for a golden hour engagement photo session at Little Stony Point Park in Cold Spring, New York. The late summer light was still warm and gold when we arrived, and the sky stayed clear the entire evening. Sela and Sylvie showed up ready to explore, and their energy carried the whole shoot. As a Hudson Valley engagement photography team, we love sessions that let a couple move through a real landscape instead of standing still.

Starting the Engagement Photo Session on the Beach

We started right on the sandy beach along the Hudson River. Storm King Mountain rises up across the water, and it gave us a dramatic backdrop from the first frame. Sela and Sylvie were relaxed almost immediately, laughing and finding their rhythm together. That ease is something we always hope for during an engagement photo session, and it showed in every shot.

Hudson Valley Queer Engagement Photos Full of Range

The beach at Little Stony Point offers open sand, scattered driftwood, and unobstructed river views. We used the width of the shoreline to get some wider shots with the mountain in frame. Then we moved in closer for portraits that focused just on the two of them. We absolutely love capturing LGBTQ engagement photo shoots in the Hudson Valley like this one.

Moving Onto the Little Stony Point Trail

After the beach, we followed the trail as it wound through the trees. Dappled light filtered through the leaves and gave us some soft, natural backlighting. Sela and Sylvie held hands and walked ahead of us, which let us catch candid, unposed moments. We love this part of a session because it feels less like a photo shoot and more like an afternoon walk.

Fun and Active Engagement Photos on the Trail

This is where the real fun started. We asked for lifts, dips, and a few spins, and Sela and Sylvie went all in. Movement-based poses like these photograph beautifully when a couple commits to them fully. Their laughter in these shots feels completely genuine because it was.

Reaching the Overlook at Little Stony Point Park

The trail climbs slightly uphill toward the overlook at the top of Little Stony Point. From up there, Storm King Mountain fills the view across the Hudson River, and on a clear day you can see for miles. The golden hour light hit differently at this elevation, casting long shadows and warm tones across the whole scene. We had Sela and Sylvie take in the view together for a few quiet, candid frames.

A Beacon-Based Team’s Take on This Hudson Highlands Spot

Being a Beacon-based photography team, we know this stretch of the Hudson Highlands well. We have shot here in different seasons and different light, but a sunny late summer evening is hard to beat. The colors had not started changing yet, so the greens were still deep and lush. That gave the whole session a rich, saturated feel from start to finish.

Winding Down in the Tall Grass in the Hudson Valley

On the way back down, we found a patch of tall grass just off the main path. The grass caught the last of the golden hour light and glowed around Sela and Sylvie as we worked. We had them walk through it together, and the movement created some of our favorite frames of the day. This is often how the best moments happen, in the in-between spots nobody plans for.

Best Spot Off the Metro-North for Engagement Photography

Little Stony Point works so well for an engagement photo session because it offers so much variety. In one shoot, we captured beach portraits, forest walks, sweeping overlook views, and golden grass fields. That range means the final gallery never feels repetitive. For any Hudson Valley engagement photography session, having multiple backdrops within a short walk is a huge advantage.

Access and Timing for Little Stony Point Park

Little Stony Point sits just north of Cold Spring off Route 9D, with a large parking area right across the road. We always recommend arriving early for golden hour sessions since the light window moves fast this time of year. Sela and Sylvie’s session ran during that sweet spot right before sunset when everything turns warm and soft. Planning around that window made a real difference in how the whole gallery turned out.

Top Hudson Valley Engagement Photography Team

Sessions like this remind us why we love engagement photography so much. Sela and Sylvie brought genuine joy and playfulness to every single spot we visited. From the beach to the overlook to that last stretch of tall grass, their connection never wavered. As a married team ourselves, we always feel honored to document love stories like theirs.

Book Your Own Hudson Valley Engagement Session

If you are planning an engagement photo session in the Hudson Valley, we would love to talk with you about your own story. We shoot all over the Hudson Valley, Catskills, and Westchester, and we are always looking for new spots to explore with our couples. Little Stony Point has quickly become one of our favorite locations for exactly this reason. Sunny days, golden light, and a couple willing to have fun make for an unforgettable session every time.