Winter Engagement Photos at Green Lakes State Park | Taylor and Dustin
There are some engagement sessions that feel instantly easy—the kind where conversation flows effortlessly, everyone immediately clicks, and by the end of the evening, it feels less like “client and photographer” and more like reconnecting with old friends. That’s exactly how Dustin and Taylor’s winter engagement photos at Green Lakes State Park unfolded.
Despite the fact that getting there involved one of the most treacherous winter drives imaginable (paired with me being three months postpartum and pumping to and from the session lol 🫡), every snowy mile ended up being worth it. Between the peaceful winter atmosphere, Green Lakes’ impossibly blue water, and Dustin and Taylor’s playful, laid-back personalities, their engagement session felt equal parts adventurous, relaxed, and incredibly meaningful.
A Long-Distance Military Love Story Years in the Making
Dustin and Taylor’s story honestly feels a little bit like fate stepped in and said, “Yep, this one’s meant to happen.”
The two originally met while serving in the Army during COVID—and in the most rom-com-coded twist imaginable, Taylor was actually the nurse who administered Dustin’s very first COVID vaccine. They immediately hit it off, but as if that wasn’t enough of a coincidence already, she also ended up being the nurse who gave him his booster shot later on! From there, the two quickly began talking, and the rest is history.
For the next three years, their relationship was long-distance, with Taylor stationed in Texas and Dustin in Georgia. Between military schedules, distance, and constantly coordinating time together, their relationship required intentionality from the very beginning. Yet throughout it all, they continued choosing each other over and over again.
In fact, they had only reunited for Christmas in Dustin’s hometown near Syracuse the very week of their winter engagement photos—and directly after our shoot, the two were relocating to New Orleans to finally live in the same city together. 🥹 After years of long-distance, this season felt especially sweet.
Hi, I’m Emilee!
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!
Why Green Lakes State Park Is So Magical for Winter Engagement Photos
Nestled just outside Syracuse, Green Lakes State Park feels almost surreal in winter.
Even beneath snow-covered trails and icy temperatures, the lakes themselves remain this striking shade of deep turquoise-blue—vibrant against the muted tones of winter and surrounded by towering evergreens dusted in fresh snow. The contrast between the water, crisp white snowbanks, and dark pine trees honestly feels like something out of a storybook.
Part of what makes Green Lakes so visually distinct is the lakes’ rare meromictic waters, meaning the water layers don’t fully mix. Because of this, the lake maintains its vivid blue-green color year-round, creating one of the most uniquely beautiful landscapes in Upstate New York. (You can read more about the Finger Lakes region through Visit Finger Lakesvor I Love NY’s Finger Lakes travel guide!) During winter especially, the color becomes even more striking against the snowy scenery surrounding it. BTW, if you love winter scenery, you may also love Hannah and Darren’s cozy winter engagement session or Taylor and Caleb’s snowy winter elopement.
The entire park carries this quiet stillness in winter. Snow softened the winding pathways, evergreens framed the shoreline in deep green, and the symmetry of the towering A-frame woods created the dreamiest backdrop for winter engagement photos.
And tucked among it all sat the old-world stone chapel, weathered and timeless, looking as though it had been standing there for centuries quietly watching snowfall drift across the lake.
If you love scenery-heavy imagery like this, you’ll probably also love my approach to landscape-forward photography, where the environment becomes just as much a part of the story as the couple themselves.
A Cozy and Playful Approach to Winter Engagement Photos
From the very beginning, Dustin and Taylor made my job incredibly easy.
They were the kind of couple who naturally melted into each other without needing much direction—walking hand-in-hand through snowy trails, bumping shoulders, pulling each other close for warmth, twirling, tickling, laughing, and fully leaning into the cozy atmosphere of the afternoon. Their chemistry felt effortless in the best way possible.
Going into winter engagement photos, a lot of couples worry about feeling stiff or awkward in colder weather, but honestly? Winter sessions often end up feeling even more intimate because everyone naturally gravitates closer together. My approach during sessions like this is intentionally movement-based and relaxed—less “stand here and smile” and more prompts that actually create interaction and connection.
Throughout their session, I guided Dustin and Taylor with prompts like:
walking slowly together along the snowy shoreline
swaying together for warmth
playful spins and twirls
forehead touches and eskimo kisses
cozying up shoulder-to-shoulder beneath the trees
The result was imagery that felt warm, personality-driven, and genuinely reflective of who they are together.
This kind of movement-based approach also lends itself beautifully to GIFs, which we incorporated throughout their gallery to make the experience feel even more immersive. There’s something about winter specifically that feels especially cinematic in motion— snowflakes drifting through the air, jackets brushing together while walking, little bursts of laughter, and hands instinctively reaching for warmth. Instead of simply freezing a moment, it allows couples to remember what the afternoon actually felt like in real time. If you’re curious about why I love incorporating motion into galleries so much, you can read more about my approach to GIFs in wedding and engagement photography here.
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 Dustin and Taylor’s engagement gallery! ↓
What to Wear for Winter Engagement Photos
Taylor and Dustin absolutely nailed their winter engagement session outfits—warm, relaxed, and perfectly in step with the snowy landscape surrounding Green Lakes State Park.
Taylor opted for a soft winter-neutral palette with light wash denim, cream-colored winter boots, and a plush ivory sherpa jacket layered over a sweater. Her look felt casual in the best way possible—warm, approachable, and inviting against the deep evergreen tones of the forest. The texture of her sherpa jacket played so naturally against the snowy scenery and added so much movement and dimension throughout their winter engagement photos, especially whenever she and Dustin were walking hand-in-hand along the icy trails or bundled close together beneath the trees.
Meanwhile, Dustin leaned into a more rugged, outdoorsy look with medium-wash denim, brown leather boots, and a classic camel-colored workwear jacket layered over a cream sweater. His outfit fit naturally into the earthy winter tones of Green Lakes while still feeling polished and intentional!
Together, their outfits complemented the environment effortlessly without feeling overly formal or overly styled—which honestly tends to photograph best during winter engagement sessions anyway. The warmth of their neutral layers balanced so naturally against the cool blue water, shadowy evergreens, and snow-covered trails, helping the entire gallery feel cohesive, and natural beginning to end!
Lean Into Neutral and Earthy Color Palettes
As an Upstate NY wedding photographer, I almost always recommend leaning into layered textures and tones that feel natural within the environment itself. Snowy landscapes already carry so much visual interest between the muted skies, evergreen trees, icy trails, and reflective light, so outfits usually photograph best when they complement the scenery rather than compete with it. Neutral and earthy tones—creams, camel, browns, muted greens, charcoal, denim, and warm whites—tend to photograph so well on camera.
Prioritize Texture and Layers
Texture honestly does so much of the heavy lifting during winter engagement photos. Knit sweaters, sherpa jackets, wool coats, structured layers, scarves, and boots all help add movement and visual depth without requiring anything overly formal or complicated.
Winter scenery can sometimes lean muted and more monochromatic visually, especially once snow covers the ground and trees, so layered textures help keep galleries feeling dynamic and dimensional. Plus—from a practical standpoint—being warm enough to actually enjoy your session matters SO much!
Coordinate Instead of Perfectly Matching
I also usually encourage couples to coordinate rather than perfectly match. Choosing colors that naturally work together tends to feel much more effortless and organic on camera, while still allowing each person’s personality and style to shine through individually.
Instead of identical outfits, I typically recommend building around a shared palette or overall vibe. This keeps everything feeling cohesive without crossing over into overly “matchy-matchy” territory (because respectfully… we are leaving the identical white shirts and jeans engagement photo era in the past where it belongs lol 🫡).
Choose Outfits You Can Comfortably Move In
Comfort matters way more than people think during winter sessions. When couples feel warm and comfortable, they naturally relax into the experience more—which almost always leads to imagery that feels more playful, connected, and authentic.
Since my approach to engagement photography is very movement-based and interactive, outfits that allow couples to walk comfortably, snuggle up naturally, twirl, sit, run around a little, and move freely throughout the session tend to photograph the best. As your Upstate NY wedding photographer, the goal is never for you to feel stiff or overly posed—I want your session to feel like an experience you actually enjoyed together, not just something you checked off a wedding planning to-do list.
Love These Winter Engagement Photos at Green Lakes State Park? Book Me as Your Upstate NY Wedding Photographer!
All in all, Dustin and Taylor’s winter engagement photos at Green Lakes State Park felt like the perfect blend of playful energy, quiet intimacy, and adventurous winter scenery.
Between the snow-covered evergreens, the impossibly blue water, their long-distance military love story, and the ease they carried together, the entire session felt deeply personal from beginning to end. I’m so grateful our paths crossed during such a meaningful season of life for them—and honestly, I’d brave another treacherous postpartum winter drive all over again for a session like this one. 😂
Cheers to Dustin and Taylor—to their finally-in-the-same-city era; their long-distance-defying, military-life kind of love; their playful, laid-back connection; their snowy Syracuse Christmas reunion; and the brand new adventure waiting for them in New Orleans. I’ll be cheering you two on every step of the way. 🥂