Kristin & Sean’s Princeton Battlefield engagement photos were cold, fun and filled with Legos! This couple is so amazing to be around since we first had our initial meeting. I love to learn and find out about couples’ interests when we first get to know each other, and they had some pretty impressive little tidbits to share. First, they both love Legos and build them together. Second that Sean builds and races drones which are incredible and he was excited that I use when for shooting venue scene setter photographs.
About Princeton Battlefield State Park: Princeton Battlefield State Park marks the site of the 1777 Battle of Princeton, one of George Washington’s first major victories of the Revolutionary War. The open meadows, centuries-old trees, and iconic stone columns create a backdrop unlike anything else in New Jersey. What most couples don’t realize is that the Thomas Clarke House at the park’s edge actually served as a field hospital during the battle, so there’s real weight to the ground you’re standing on. It is one of those locations where history is all around you, and it makes every frame feel a little more significant.
Palmer Square
We first met at Palmer Square by the Nassau Inn to start their session. It was a few weeks before Christmas, and they had put out holiday lights on trees and another décor. The Nassau Inn was an excellent location to start as it was relatively quiet and a right place to start having this couple warm up to shoot. The crazy part was across from the Nassau Inn there is a toy store. In the window display it just so happened to be filled with tons of different Legos sets. After seeing the windows display, I knew this location was meant to be for them.
The holiday lights made everything glow, and Kristin and Sean were just comfortable from the start. That is rare. A lot of couples feel the pressure during their first shoot, but these two fell right into it. The Lego window display was one of those perfect accidents you can’t plan for. We ended up doing a whole series of photographs with them pointing at the display like little kids, which was genuinely fun and gave us images that felt completely them.
Princeton Battlefield State Park
Typically, I would shoot on the campus of Princeton, but it was so beautiful out on their day that we went to a second spot for the Princeton Battleground engagement photos. We decided to go right to the historic site to finish their GTKY (Getting to Know You) session. The skies were incredible, so we captured a few frames with my infrared camera to show off the landscape and clouds. The session ended at the Princeton Battlefield in front of the columns. I had fun with Sean there. He is relatively shy, and I was joking with him like he was a professional model, similar to the Zoolander scene when he was photographing.
It was a perfect session and can’t wait for Kristin & Sean’s wedding at Grounds for Sculpture this year!
The infrared frames came out stunning that day. The skies were those big, dramatic November clouds and the infrared turned them into something almost cinematic. I brought the infrared camera specifically for wide landscape shots at locations like this, where the architecture and open sky work together. The columns in particular gave us a frame that looked like it belonged in a magazine spread. Sean loosened up a lot by the end, which made those last frames at the columns the best of the entire session.
If you are looking for a fall or winter engagement session location near Princeton that is not just the University campus, Princeton Battlefield is worth serious consideration. The park is free, parking is easy, and the variety of backdrops is genuinely impressive. We have shot everything from intimate portraits in the tree line to wide open landscape shots at the memorial, and it photographs beautifully in every season. For couples getting married at nearby venues, it pairs especially well as a pre-wedding or engagement location.
Their Wedding at Grounds for Sculpture
Kristin and Sean are getting married at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ, which is one of the most unique wedding venues in New Jersey. The outdoor sculpture gardens and indoor gallery spaces give you something completely different from a traditional ballroom. If you are considering Philadelphia-area wedding venues that offer something with real character, you might also enjoy our guide to the best Philadelphia wedding venues.