The Humber Bay Arch Bridge Engagement with Giselle and Aleksej was the perfect example of a fall engagement session in Toronto. Vibrant colours, stunning views, and comfortable temperatures came together to make this city engagement truly unique to them.

Having already shared their Sassafraz wedding on the blog, it’s clear that Giselle and Aleksej were drawn to a city vibe for their wedding experience—and their engagement session reflected that same spirit.

The Humber Bay Arch Bridge Engagement Photos at Golden Hour

To bring even more vibrancy to the session, we scheduled our Humber Bay Arch Bridge engagement photos for late afternoon, close to golden hour. This timing gave us unique lighting scenarios and stunning backdrops.

Another reason for photographing around dinner time was the chance to capture the bridge with fewer people around, as foot traffic is usually lighter then. As planned, the bridge was relatively quiet, with only a few cyclists passing and some kind pedestrians stepping aside so I could work with my couple.

Sensing their nerves, I explained that we would begin with candid shots to help them ease into the session. Once they felt more relaxed, we could move into more intentional posing. They were excited for the experience, and with complete trust in the process, we began exploring the possibilities of this fantastic location.

From photographing Renna and Lee’s engagement here, I had learned not to wait endlessly for the bridge to clear. Instead, I focused on capturing perfect expressions from the couple, knowing I could remove any distractions later in post-production.

As we moved across the bridge, I created two styles of images: candid shots full of movement and emotion, and posed, creative portraits that highlighted the unique structure of the Humber Bay Arch Bridge.

The Sheldon Lookout and the Perfect City Skyline View

After finishing the planned images at the bridge, we made our way to the Sheldon Lookout area. I remembered a few colourful trees from a marriage proposal I had photographed there years ago with Jessica and Jose, and I knew they would pair beautifully with the burgundy jacket Giselle was wearing. The combination was perfect and resulted in some stunning photos for this part of their Humber Bay Arch Bridge engagement.

As we moved closer to the water’s edge, Giselle and Aleksej sat on the large boulders with the Toronto skyline as their backdrop. I posed them carefully, then stepped back to let them enjoy the moment while I captured the full scene, perfectly lit and framed. The area was empty, so there was no need to edit out pedestrians, which made photographing and fine-tuning small details effortless.

By then, the sun had slipped behind the clouds, creating soft, even light that matched exactly what I had envisioned. From there, we continued walking toward the lakefront near the boardwalk, where we planned to access the beach for the final part of their Humber Bay Arch Bridge engagement photos.

The Boardwalk Images at this Humber Bay Arch Bridge Engagement

As we walked along the shores of Lake Ontario, I paused at every spot that caught my eye—each one different from the last. By this point, Giselle and Aleksej were fully comfortable with the session, and our smooth flow allowed me to capture even better photos of them together.

We returned to the parking area where we had started, and they went to change into their second outfits. While they were doing so, I scouted a few more unique locations nearby.

When they returned, the sun was low on the horizon, perfectly lighting the boardwalk that led toward the beach. Recognizing this golden opportunity, I decided to use my off-camera flash to experiment with creative lighting setups. In that moment, I completely set aside thoughts of the city skyline or the beach, focusing entirely on capturing the golden hour light and creating the perfect scene on the boardwalk with my couple.

Over the next ten minutes, the sun transformed the light dramatically, providing a range of rich, golden tones and allowing us to fully appreciate the magic of golden hour photography.

The Beach Engagement Photos by the Lake in Toronto

As we approached the beach area, offering the best view of the Toronto skyline bathed in the stunning sunset, I wasn’t quite sure where to start. On one side, the city skyline glowed with golden tones, while on the other, the sun was dipping between the high-rises near Humber Park, creating a breathtaking scene.

Since the beach was largely empty, I decided to capture these photos first. By now, Giselle and Aleksej were completely relaxed, and there was no need for me to pose them or ask for any public displays of affection—they were laughing, snuggling, and happily walking along the sand of this local Toronto beach.

After completing these shots for their Humber Bay Arch Bridge engagement, I wanted to capture the final images with a true sunset feel. To get the best angle without distortion, I asked them to step onto an empty picnic table on the beach. They didn’t hesitate or ask why—they simply trusted my direction. Their quick response allowed me to capture the last rays of sunlight just before the sun dipped below the horizon behind the city’s high-rises.

The Versatility of Lakeshore View in Toronto

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the temperature dropped, and Giselle began to feel cold. Aleksej wrapped his jacket around her, and I captured a few candid moments before moving on to the final set of shots: the ring close-ups. I hadn’t focused on this earlier because I didn’t want to miss any moments with the couple. Now, with only the ring as the subject, it was easy to position and capture the last photo of their Humber Bay Arch Bridge engagement.

As we walked back toward our cars, I told them how brilliant their choice of location had been. Over the course of the session, we visited more than 15 unique spots without moving the cars, changed into two outfits, and worked with five distinct lighting scenarios—daylight, overcast, golden hour, sunset, and even some nighttime shots.

Thank you so much, Giselle and Aleksej, for choosing a location that perfectly reflects the city vibe, your style, and the vision for your upcoming wedding.

Check the blog post Toronto Engagement Photos with Full Blue Moon for creative Toronto engagement photos. View our post City Engagement Photos with Kelly and Phil In Toronto for some inspiration for your city vibe engagement with a dog.