Ashokan Reservoir Engagement Photos | Sara + Bryan

Okay, I think I found a new favorite location for engagement sessions!

Sara and Bryan chose the Ashokan Reservoir for their engagement photos, and from the moment I arrived, I could see why this location is so incredible. Between the beautiful water, Catskill Mountain views, wooded trails, and gorgeous natural scenery, there seemed to be another perfect photo spot everywhere we turned.

Even better, I got to spend the evening getting to know two incredibly sweet people before their wedding day!

Ashokan Reservoir Engagement Photos

The Ashokan Reservoir offers such a beautiful combination of scenery for engagement photos.

The expansive water and surrounding Catskill Mountains create a dramatic backdrop, while the wooded paths give the session a completely different look just a short walk away.

I love engagement locations that give us this kind of variety. We can create those big, scenic portraits that really show off the location and then move into the woods for photographs that feel a little more intimate and romantic.

For Sara and Bryan’s Ashokan Reservoir engagement photos, we took advantage of both.

And honestly, I could have kept exploring and photographing these two all evening!

Getting to Know Sara + Bryan

One of my favorite things about engagement sessions is simply having time to get to know my couples before their wedding.

Wedding days move FAST.

There are timelines, family members, wedding parties, ceremonies, receptions, and a hundred little things happening around us. An engagement session is completely different.

We get to walk around, talk, laugh, and create beautiful photographs without having to worry about what’s coming next on a wedding-day timeline.

As we explored the Ashokan Reservoir, I loved getting to know more about Sara and Bryan and seeing how naturally they interacted with each other.

They were so easygoing and fun to photograph, and their connection came through beautifully in their photos.

Engagement Photos in the Catskills

The Catskills are filled with incredible locations for engagement photography, but the Ashokan Reservoir definitely earned a spot near the top of my list after this session.

If you love mountains, water, wooded trails, and a more natural setting, it’s hard to beat this view.

It’s also one of those locations where I don’t feel like I need to over-pose a couple. The scenery gives us room to walk, move, laugh, and create photographs that feel relaxed and natural while still taking advantage of that incredible Catskill backdrop.

Sara and Bryan absolutely rocked their session, and spending this time together made me even more excited to photograph their wedding later that year.

A Little Lesson About Photographing at the Ashokan Reservoir

Now for a little behind-the-scenes story from this session that I definitely wasn’t expecting!

A few days after Sara and Bryan’s engagement session, I received a phone call from the DEC Police.

Cue the immediate panic.

Apparently, photographing at the Ashokan Reservoir requires a permit—and I had absolutely no idea. Whoops!

Thankfully, the officer I spoke with was incredibly nice. I explained that I hadn’t realized a permit was required, and he walked me through the process of getting the proper permit for photography at the reservoir.

Let’s just say that is one mistake I will NOT be making again!

Because the Ashokan Reservoir is part of New York City’s protected water supply system, there are specific access rules for the property, and certain activities require permits. Photographing there without the proper permission can have serious consequences.

So while Sara and Bryan’s session gave me some absolutely gorgeous photographs, it also taught me a very important photographer lesson: always check the permit requirements before photographing at a new location!

Thankfully, everything worked out, the officer was wonderful to deal with, and now I know exactly what needs to be done before heading back.

And yes—I would absolutely go back. Just with my permit in hand next time!

From Their Engagement Session to Their Wedding Day

One of the best parts about looking back at an engagement session after the wedding has happened is knowing how much more of the couple’s story I’ve been able to photograph since then.

Sara and Bryan went on to celebrate their beautiful November wedding at The Desmond in Albany, NY.

From exploring the Ashokan Reservoir together during their engagement session to documenting their private vow reading, ceremony, portraits, and celebration on their wedding day, I loved getting to capture both chapters of their story.

Congratulations again, Sara and Bryan!

Thank you for trusting me to photograph such an exciting time in your lives.

Planning an Ashokan Reservoir Engagement Session?

If you’re dreaming about engagement photos surrounded by mountains, water, and beautiful natural scenery, the Ashokan Reservoir is an incredible location to consider.

As an Upstate NY engagement photographer, I photograph couples throughout the Catskills, Hudson Valley, Albany, Saratoga, and the Capital Region and love helping couples choose a location that fits their personality and vision.

Whether you’re looking for mountain views, an urban setting, fall foliage, or somewhere meaningful to your relationship, we’ll create engagement photos that feel like you.