This engagement photoshoot with Elisa and Cameron took place at Tredegar Iron Works in downtown Richmond at the beginning of April. They booked about a month in advance, and I’m pretty sure they originally found me through Google. They live in North Chesterfield, close to us, so we drove into Richmond and met right in the Tredegar parking lot. As their Richmond engagement photographer, I loved how easy this location was for everyone to find and meet up. Tredegar Iron Works sits beside the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar along the downtown Richmond riverfront.
It was cloudy when we started and a little chilly because it was windy down by the James River. They each brought two outfits, and we planned to photograph around Tredegar Iron Works first. Then head over toward Brown’s Island later in the session. With the James River, Brown’s Island, and Belle Isle all in this part of downtown Richmond, there are a lot of different backgrounds for engagement photography in Richmond, VA.
Engagement Photos Around Tredegar Iron Works
We started close to the tall gray iron steps and then moved over to the big brick area. Elisa had warned me that Cameron was a jokester but started out kind of shy, so I played on that a little to help them relax.
Elisa started in a red knee-length dress with orange and black in the pattern, a light blue denim jacket and white sandals. Cameron wore a mustard and brown long-sleeve shirt, dark jeans and black Vans.
They had hoped to bring their two long-haired dachshunds, Günther and Oscar. But they decided it would be too difficult to manage them while we walked around the different areas at Tredegar.
I used a lot of funny prompts to wake them up and help them relax, especially over by the old historic brick walls. At one point, I had them hold hands and look at each other. Then I said, “pretend you are drunk coming out of a club when you were in your twenties!” That definitely got some laughs.
We also photographed them in the archway rubbing noses. I told them to hold hands and pretend like they were really cold. I made sure to get a photo of their hands together showing off Elisa’s emerald-cut diamond ring with side diamonds.
Then I had Cameron stand behind her with his arms around her and whisper his favorite vegetable into her ear in his bedroom voice.
He whispered, “asparagus.”
That brought out one of the biggest laughs from Elisa during the whole session.
Browns Island Photos Next
I also had them stand forehead to forehead and hold hands. Positioning them parallel to the golden-hour sun allowed the light to come through between their faces. Then I had them close their eyes and just breathe in the moment of being engaged and in love.
Then they changed outfits. Cameron put on a navy half-zip sweater, and Elisa changed into jeans with a dark maroon top and patterned cardigan.
We walked across Brown’s Island toward the bridge and train tracks. This is a 6-acre riverfront park located on the James River. I photographed them with the clouds, golden-hour sun and river behind them.
Cameron’s hair kept blowing around in the wind and looked like a rooster! This gave us something else to laugh about. One of the last photos I took was Cameron carrying Elisa piggyback.
You could really tell throughout this session how much fun Elisa and Cameron have together. He makes her laugh so easily. It was definitely a playful and silly engagement photoshoot in downtown Richmond.
Top Richmond Locations for Engagement Photos
There are so many great places to shoot engagement photos in Richmond! Some popular Richmond engagement session locations include:
- Maymont – One of Richmond’s most popular locations for engagement photos, with the Italian Garden, fountains, landscaped gardens, mature trees, and historic architecture.
- The Fan & Monument Avenue – Historic Richmond neighborhoods filled with row homes, brick sidewalks, tree-lined streets, and architecture that works especially well for a more urban engagement session.
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) – A well-known Richmond location with modern architecture, landscaped grounds, open lawn areas, and both casual and more formal backdrops.
- Belle Isle – Located along the James River, with rocks, trails, wooded areas, river views, and the Richmond skyline nearby.
- Libby Hill Park – A popular Church Hill location with mature trees, open green space, historic surroundings, and one of the best views of the Richmond city skyline.
- Downtown Richmond – Offers a mix of historic buildings, cobblestone streets, city architecture, and urban backgrounds within a relatively small area.
- Virginia House – A historic Richmond estate with Tudor-style architecture, landscaped gardens, stonework, and grounds overlooking the James River.
More nearby options:
- Forest Hill Park – Wooded trails, open green spaces, stone features, and natural scenery in Richmond.
- Estate at River Run – About 30 minutes northwest of Richmond, with formal gardens, terraces, river views, and an estate setting.
Looking for a Richmond Engagement Photographer in VA?
If you’re planning engagement photos in Richmond VA and want a session that feels relaxed and gives you plenty of variety, I’d love to hear from you.
To see more examples of my work, check out my family photography portfolio.
Hi! I’m Sarah, founder of Sarah Creal Photography. I’ve been photographing beautiful couple in the Richmond area for over 10 years and I’d love to do the same for you. I’m a member of PPA, Professional Photographers of America and have over 90 five star reviews on Google.
Sarah Creal is a family, maternity, newborn, and birth photographer serving Richmond, Virginia and Lawton, Oklahoma. With 10+ years in business and 95 five-star reviews, she is known for relaxed, connected photography and her ability to work with children and families of different needs. Sarah was also an occupational therapist for 25 years and is a member of Professional Photographers of America and the American Occupational Therapy Association.
