Earthy Engagement Photos at Rainbow Falls in Watkins Glen State Park | Brooke and Joe
When Brooke, Joe, and I began planning their earthy engagement photos at Rainbow Falls in Watkins Glen State Park, I knew the gorge’s mossy cliffs, dripping stone pathways, and sun-drenched forests would be the perfect setting.
Aspiring for imagery that felt equal parts enchanted and wild, playful and candid, intimate and romantic— our vision for their nature-inspired session instantly came into focus against the scenic backdrop of the gorge, leaning into my love for landscape-forward photography.
Brooke and Joe have been together for five years and (like so many opposites-attract couples, Jon and me included lol!) are wonderfully different, yet perfectly complementary.
Where Joe is carefree and the life of the party, Brooke is more grounded and quietly reserved. And yet, they work so well together. One of their favorite ways to spend time is outdoors— hiking, gardening, and spending summers at their family lake house on Seneca Lake— so Watkins Glen State Park felt like the perfect place for their engagement session (and hands down, is one of the best engagement shoot locations in Upstate New York).
Brooke and Joe have been together for five years and (like so many opposites-attract couples, Jon and me included lol!) are wonderfully different, yet perfectly complementary. Where Joe is carefree and the life of the party, Brooke is more grounded and quietly reserved. And yet, they work so well together. One of their favorite ways to spend time is outdoors— hiking, gardening, and spending summers at their family lake house on Seneca Lake— so Watkins Glen State Park felt like the perfect place for their engagement session (and hands down, is one of the best engagement shoot locations in Upstate New York).
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If you’re looking for joyful, emotion-rich imagery, then I maaaay be your gal!
I’m an Upstate NY Wedding Photographer who specializes in a laid-back photography approach, and I’d love to help tell your love story!
The gorge at Watkins Glen State Park is honestly otherworldly, and is one of the most gorgeous destinations in the Finger Lakes region.
(If you want to see another adventurous session here, check out this Watkins Glen State Park engagement session!) Full of narrow pathways that wind between stone walls, it’s as if God Himself carved a hidden corridor of stone and water out of the earth. It’s a place where sunlight breaks through the treetops and drips into the canyon in warm, golden shafts and the ground literally glistens with sheen puddles of water, reflecting soft light like liquid glass. The gorge’s layered rock formations, weathered and sculpted over years and years, create dramatic curves and overhangs that feel both ancient and immersive.
There is a constant movement in the gorge— water cascading over ledges, catching the mist from nearby falls, and rushing through the narrow creek as it threads its way between the shale walls.
Every corner reveals another majestic scene of water trickling from the cliffs above, scattering mist into faint, fleeting rainbows, and collecting into shallow pools along the trail— before gathering, swirling, and continuing its journey downstream.
Brooke, Joe, and I kicked off our engagement session at the Upper Entrance of Watkins Glen State Park, which offers the quickest path down into the gorge toward Rainbow Falls. The Upper Entrance is a quiet, unsuspecting pocket of the park, where spacious picnic grounds, rustic park buildings, and wide walking paths sit beneath a canopy of tall trees. It tends to be a bit less busy than the main entrance, plus it’s actually closer to Rainbow Falls than the main parking lot, so it made the best starting point for our photoshoot.
After beginning the descent into the gorge via Jacob’s Ladder— a steep, winding switchback staircase of roughly 180 stone steps carved into the cliffs— Brooke, Joe, and I arrived creekside and immediately felt dwarfed by the scale and beauty of the gorge around us.
With water slipping over the rocks beside the trail and early autumn leaves scattered underfoot, we leaned into movement-based prompts and natural poses that felt effortless and most authentic to them.
Rather than anything overly directed, I simply asked Brooke and Joe to walk the trail together, step through puddles, look out over the creek, and pull each other close from time to time. The prompts were simple— hold hands, wander slowly, steal a kiss, look back and laugh— but the result felt just like two people taking a cute hike through the woods. Surrounded by golden foliage, winding stone pathways, and the sound of rushing water, their session resulted in the type of earthy engagement photos that feel deeply rooted in nature and the landscape around them.
Psst… in case you haven’t noticed, awkward photos aren’t really my vibe.
My goal is to get you feeling comfortable and yourself, so you can enjoy personality-driven imagery for years to come!
If you’re looking at this gallery, thinking, “YASSSSS!”, then we need to talk… like yesterday!
Keep scrolling to see more of Brooke and Joe’s engagement gallery! ↓
That sense of ease was especially important to Brooke and Joe. When we first started planning their engagement session, Brooke told me how much she loved that none of my photos appeared overly staged.
Instead, she hoped their gallery would feel authentic, playful, and true to the way they naturally interact with each other. So that was our MO— we embraced simple prompts and lots of movement, which allowed their personalities to shine through so that we could create images that felt relaxed and candid.
As we made our way along the trail toward Rainbow Falls— our ultimate destination— we stopped at scenic areas along the way, one of which was Mile Point Bridge, a massive stone arch perched above the gorge about one mile from the Main Entrance. The bridge carries a dark, old-world charm, and its weathered stone contrasts beautifully with the softness of the surrounding forest.
With that as our backdrop, Brooke and Joe’s light, airy outfits felt perfectly at home in the natural surroundings.
For the first half of their session, Brooke wore a thrifted look that was especially suited for the gorge— light-wash relaxed mom jeans paired with a fitted neutral long-sleeve shirt and a quilted floral vest. The outfit struck a lovely balance of pattern and texture, finished with stacked gold bracelets, slim rose-gold rings, and an almond-shaped manicure. A tiny bobby pin tattoo along her wrist— the sweetest little nod to her life as a hairstylist and salon owner— added one more thoughtful layer of personal detail.
Brooke’s engagement ring— a green Montana sapphire— felt like a natural extension of their earthy engagement outfits.
Known for their forest-like hues, subtle color shifts, and slightly translucent depth, Montana sapphires are especially beloved by couples drawn to non-traditional, nature-inspired rings. Brooke’s ring features a round, deep-green center stone cradled in a delicate rose-gold band, and the setting carries a soft vintage influence with fine detailing that gives it an heirloom-like quality. In the gorge light, the stone seemed to echo the greens of the mossy cliff walls, fern-lined creek banks, and the forest canopy overhead.
But Brooke’s ring wasn’t the only thing glowing with color that day. The entire gorge seemed aflame with the hues of autumn— crimson, amber, rust, and gold shimmered against the dark stone of the canyon walls.
(If you love fall sessions like this, you might also enjoy this fall engagement session in Upstate New York.) Maples and hardwoods blazed with color overhead, while patches of moss clung to the gorge walls and blanketed fallen logs. The landscape had a rich vibrance that felt almost painterly, and between the quiet echo of dripping water, the earthy scent of damp leaves, and the deep colors of fall, it was the kind of setting that heightened our senses and felt both wild and serene.
After trekking the half mile along the gorge trail, we finally arrived at its crown jewel— Rainbow Falls. This breathtaking natural feature sends a delicate curtain of water spilling over the face of the cliffs, creating the rare experience of walking directly behind the waterfall as sunlight filters through the mist. Tucked into the narrow passage behind the falls, the world suddenly feels hushed and luminous— towering rock walls draped in moss and ferns, slick stone paths underfoot, and water cascading in soft silver threads just inches away.
Before we dove fully into photos at Rainbow Falls, Brooke slipped away for a quick outfit change and reemerged in a soft, romantic look.
Wearing Free People’s All You Need Is Lace Midi Dress and Blundstone’s Classic Chelsea Boots, her ensemble of a flowing ivory dress— with delicate lace detailing and an open tie-back— and rustic brown boots felt whimsical and outdoorsy, perfect for navigating the gorge trail. Joe kept things relaxed and understated in tan pants and neutral layers, alternating between a light quarter-zip and a simple polo. Together, their outfits struck an easy balance, being comfortable enough for exploring Watkins Glen State Park while still feeling intentional for engagement photos.
With Brooke in her free-flowing dress and the mist of Rainbow Falls swirling around us, I had an absolute HAY DAY here.
The glowing mist, the way the light filtered through the falling water, the layered textures of stone and greenery— it was the kind of scene that practically begs for some long-shutter-speed magic. Brooke and Joe leaned effortlessly into all the wanderlust vibes, laughing and wandering the weathered, waterfall-lined pathway. And somewhere around my millionth “Okay, just one more shot!” we finally (painfully) peeled ourselves away.
From there, we slowly made our way back up the gorge trail, following the creek toward Jacob’s Ladder and eventually looping back toward the Upper Entrance.
The climb gave us one last chance to soak in the beauty of the gorge— the damp stone walls, the symphony of rushing water, rustling leaves, and distant waterfalls, and the golden canopy of fall foliage overhead— and we paused at the top of Jacob’s Ladder to take one last look at the sweeping vista views of the canyon. Here, Brooke and Joe even cracked open a couple of celebratory beers they’d brought along, one being a Sam Adams OctoberFest, which felt like a fun little punctuation mark for their fall photoshoot. 😊
By the time we reached the Upper Entrance, we were still wrapped up in the magic of their earthy engagement photos, which honestly felt more like a laidback afternoon drenched in the scenic outdoors of Watkins Glen State Park.
I’m so thankful for Brooke and Joe and their love of nature, and I just cannot wait to photograph their lakeside wedding this summer! Here’s to Brooke and Joe and their earthy style, adventurous spirits, and love of the great outdoors! 🥂