This Mill Race Park engagement session with Andrea and Eddie captured the best of fall in Cambridge: vibrant colours, warm sunlight, and the scenic Grand River. Their weekday session brought calm surroundings, creative backlit portraits, candid moments by the ruins, and a memorable surprise when local musicians played for them. With sunset views of the Cambridge Mill and emotional, relaxed portraits by the river, this Mill Race Park engagement offered diverse images that beautifully tied into their upcoming wedding day.

When Andrea chose Mill Race Park for their photos, I knew we were on the right track for some fantastic images. Not knowing what the weather would be like on October 25th, we decided to meet at 2 p.m. for two reasons: if the day was cold, that time would be the most acceptable for photos, and if there was no sun, we could still work with the daylight available at that time of day.

To our biggest surprise, we had a fantastic day for their Mill Race Park engagement photos.

Mill Race Park Engagement Photos by the Grand River

Andrea and Eddie’s Mill Race Park engagement photos were the last session of the fall season for me. I had planned hernia surgery five days after their shoot, and it was a bit stressful, hoping for a perfect day so I could finish their engagement session exactly as we had planned.

I had photographed at Mill Race Park before, so I already had a clear idea of what I wanted to do. Once I realized we were going to have beautiful weather—a full day of sunshine and blue sky—my focus shifted to how I could work in full sun while still preserving amazing skin tones for my clients.

I arrived at the park early and scouted the location to make sure no surprises were waiting for me. With the sun illuminating the park from the west, a beautiful light washed over the scene, creating vibrant scenery that I was excited to incorporate into their Mill Race Park engagement photos.

There was a group of people playing guitars and having fun, and I wasn’t sure if that would cause any issues for the session, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it because my couple had just arrived.

Andrea and Eddie wore sweaters that matched the colours of the environment and blended perfectly with the vibrant fall trees. Both of them were super nervous, and I knew I had to help them relax and build their confidence so we could create some great photos.

Fall Photo Session in Cambridge

Since we had scheduled the photo session in the middle of the week, the park was quiet, with only one group playing music.
To get a sense of my couple’s likes and dislikes when it comes to photography, I started by working with them in a shaded area so their eyes could adjust to the bright sunlight.

Giving them enough space and photographing from a distance, I wanted them to get comfortable taking photos in public, read the light, and prepare for the next steps.
The sunlight was strong, so I used it as a backlight and balanced it from the front with my off-camera flash.

The whole scene was glowing with warm sunlight, and the leaves on the trees were vibrant and beautifully backlit.
As we slowly moved toward the park’s ruins, I wanted to highlight the contrast between the blue sky and the large tree with yellow leaves rising above the park.

I walked down the stairs to the lower part of the park and photographed them from below, capturing the vibrant view exactly as I had planned.
Having photographed at Mill Race Park in every season, I’ve learned to use the ruins’ walls to shelter my clients from windy days, and this time, I used them to shield them from the harsh sun.

As we began moving toward the group of people, I wasn’t sure how my clients would react.

The Surprise Music Offer for this Mill Race Park Engagement

As my couple approached the group, one of them asked if they could play some music for us. Andrea and Eddie were obviously surprised and did not expect that kind of question.
To help them, I asked the group to choose whatever song they felt would suit the moment while we worked nearby during the music.

The group started playing while I posed my couple for a signature shot of this location, with the view of the Cambridge churches in the background and the Grand River lined up diagonally, creating a leading line toward my couple in front of it.
I loved the atmosphere and how everything worked out. The group was very respectful, which gave my shy couple an extra sense of comfort.

Once the song finished, I thanked the group, and we moved to the riverbank, where I photographed the two of them from different perspectives, showcasing the view of Cambridge in the background.
At one point, we walked onto the concrete riverwalk on the other side of the Cambridge Mill, where I captured a few more candid walking shots, carefully framing the trees with their vibrant colours and my couple within the scene.

Andrea and Eddie’s wedding day was October 25th, one year and one day after we took these photos. To better connect their Mill Race Park engagement photos with their wedding location, I wanted to incorporate the Cambridge Mill into their session, since their wedding venue was Whistle Bear, and both venues are part of the Pearle Hospitality Group.

 

Photos With Cambridge Mill in The Background

The sun was slowly setting, and the light was now coming from the side, illuminating my couple perfectly—especially if I wanted to showcase the Cambridge Mill and the entire venue from the opposite side of the bridge.
I walked to that side of the bridge and asked my couple to begin crossing. This gave us some photos with natural movement that felt completely different from the others we had taken at Mill Race Park.

When we reached the far side of the bridge, I captured a few more intimate photos, and by this point, the two of them were so comfortable that their emotions came through beautifully in every shot.
I’m happy to say that one of these photos ended up on their wedding invitation, and I had the privilege of photographing their wedding just a couple of weeks ago at Whistle Bear in Cambridge.

At this spot, I also captured some close-up photos of Andrea’s unique engagement ring.

Finishing their Mill Race Park engagement photos in this part of the park gave my couple a lot of variety and many options to choose from. I’m happy to say that the work we did during this session helped us create some amazing images on their wedding day as well.
Stay tuned for that blog post.

Check this winter wedding at Mill Race Park and Cambridge Mill. View our post “See how I turned this everyday location into something stylized and photo worthy” for some inspiration if your planing Cambridge engagement photos.