Julia and Viktor’s Niagara Botanical Gardens engagement photos marked my very first visit to the stunning Niagara Botanical Gardens. While I’m more familiar with working at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, I was excited for the chance to explore and capture the beauty of Niagara’s gardens this time. Since I hadn’t been to this location before, I made sure to arrive well in advance so I could scout the area before Julia and Viktor arrived.

Niagara Botanical Gardens Engagement Photos at Golden Hour

We began shooting in the late afternoon, just after the temperature had cooled a bit, though the sun was still fairly high in the sky. Since this was my first time photographing at this location, I wasn’t familiar with how the light moved through the gardens. So, we started a bit earlier than usual to give me time to get a feel for the area and to offer Julia and Viktor a variety of images.

They chose more formal outfits for the first part of their Niagara Botanical Gardens engagement session. To complement that look, I wanted to incorporate the garden’s architectural elements and structural features. That’s when I spotted an old house covered in lush green ivy, perfectly trimmed, with a striking opening around the door.

The moment I saw it, I started visualizing a whole series of poses just for that one location. Before we got there, we passed through the front part of the gardens, but the sunlight was still too harsh, casting unflattering highlights on the couple. To work around it, I focused on capturing more relaxed, walking-style poses with the sun behind them or in full shade.

As we reached the ivy-covered house, the sun had lowered just enough to create the most beautiful, warm light. I took full advantage of it, making sure to complete all my photos there, knowing we wouldn’t have time to circle back later.

Golden Hour Photos That Tell a Story

As I was photographing in front of that beautiful ivy-covered house, I noticed there were still plenty of unexplored photo opportunities behind me that we had planned to use. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by the number of potential locations, I paused, took a moment to refocus, and started a conversation with Julia and Viktor.

I said, “Let’s see what we have available here, what you’d like me to capture, and what plans we have for the rest of the session.”
It was important for me to make the most of our time together—taking photos that truly reflected what they wanted, while also creating a plan for the remainder of the session so we wouldn’t lose time on spots that didn’t matter as much to them.

Once we aligned our ideas and expectations, I captured some beautiful images in the maze near the greenhouse. The tall, neatly trimmed boxwoods provided shade from the direct sun while still allowing for bright, ambient light.

Exiting the maze, we found ourselves on a tree-lined path, with trees arching from both sides. This incredible setting naturally framed the couple and created a beautiful vignette effect, especially when shot with a wide-open lens.

Though the covered path was a bit darker, I wanted to use the change in lighting to create something different in mood and feel.

To wrap up this part of Julia and Viktor’s Niagara Botanical Gardens engagement session, we took photos by the pond just beyond the path, capturing the breathtaking view of the entire arboretum area in the background.

Part Two of this Niagara Botanical Gardens Engagement

For the second part of their Niagara Botanical Gardens engagement photos, Julia and Viktor changed into casual outfits that still felt stylish and bold in colour.

While they were changing, I took a moment to scout a few more great photo locations I wanted to use. One spot that caught my eye was the tree-lined path just in front of the parking lot. The trees looked like crabapples or something similar—more fruit-bearing and less uniform in shape—which sparked some creative ideas. Their natural, imperfect shapes inspired me to capture some of my favourite photos from the entire session.

This part of the shoot leaned more into candid, unposed images, which aligns beautifully with my style. Working with a couple so connected and open was such a joy, making it easy to create authentic and meaningful photos together.

The second location was right near the main entrance to the Niagara Botanical Gardens. There, I spotted a series of steel structures I was eager to use—both for their shape and the way they reflected light. This is where we captured our most creative shots of the day, playing with reflections and geometry to create something fun and unique.

The Sunset Photos at Niagara Botanical Gardens

While working with Julia and Viktor, I kept an eye on the sun—watching when and where it would start to dip. Since it was late September, we were losing daylight quickly, almost minute by minute. The sun was setting behind Niagara’s escarpment, which made it drop even earlier than expected.

As we were wrapping up the session near the steel structures by the parking lot, I realized that the sunset we were seeing was all we were going to get. It wasn’t the most vibrant or colourful, but the moon had already risen, and that gave me the idea to create some dramatic images in this light.

We were fortunate to capture a few sunset shots for their Niagara Botanical Gardens engagement session, followed by a few more photos as dusk set in—right up until it became too dark for my camera to focus on them properly.

Why I Love Engagement Photos

When we first started working with Julia and Viktor, I could sense some nervousness and discomfort—they were understandably a bit unsure at the beginning. But after spending a couple of hours together, taking photos, sharing smiles, watching me work, and openly communicating their preferences, we built a strong connection. That connection carried through beautifully, allowing us to capture their stunning wedding photos a year later at one of my favourite venues, Edgewater Manor.

All three of us contributed to the experience, and the decision to book an engagement session truly paid off. It resulted in a set of meaningful, lasting images they’ll treasure for years to come.

Thank you, Julia and Viktor, for trusting me with your memories. It was an absolute pleasure capturing your smiles and creating unforgettable moments during your Niagara Botanical Gardens engagement session.

Check Why Arranging Royal Botanical Gardens Engagement is Worth Every Penny, for engagements at Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. View our post Hendrie Park Engagements Are Exceptional and Here’s What I’ve Learned for some inspiration for your garden engagement.