Frames + Thoughts: Fall Portrait Session at Bow Bridge

Central Park, NYC — Fall

There’s something about fall in New York that slows time down. The air turns sharp, colors drop into deep browns and burnt oranges, and the Bow Bridge becomes a quiet stage floating above the water. I wanted this session to feel like a cinematic moment you stumble into, the kind you would pause if it were a scene in a film.

This shoot was a mix of emotion, atmosphere, and presence. On Digital with Canon 5D Mark IV, but with the softness and mood I normally chase on film.

1. The Concept

This session began with a simple idea: contrast a rugged, modern look against the softness of fall in Central Park.

The wardrobe was a black leather jacket, dark denim, scarf, brought a strong, structured silhouette into a very organic environment. I wanted to use that contrast to create tension and depth, something that feels like a character study in a moment between moments.

Bow Bridge gave me the curves, textures, and distance I needed. From there, the rest was just instinct.

2. The Process

Location

Bow Bridge and the woodsy area right off the lake, one of my favorite transitions in Central Park. Architectural details + natural chaos = the perfect balance.

Lighting

Soft overcast. My favorite. It wraps around the face naturally and lets the mood carry itself without any harsh highlights or dark Shadow. This kind of light gives a cinematic depth you can’t fake.

Gear & Approach

I shot this on a Canon 5D Mark IV paired with my go-to lens, the 85mm. If you know my work, you already know why. The 85mm gives me that perfect isolation, I’m always chasing: subject sharp, background melting into mood. It lets me create intimacy without needing to be physically too close, which keeps the energy natural and unforced.

I leaned heavily into shallow depth of field to keep the attention on expression and presence. The combination of the 5D Mark IV’s color depth and the 85mm’s compression helped shape that cinematic fall atmosphere I wanted from the beginning.

I mixed:

• Structured posing on the bridge, using the rail as a graphic line.
• Natural movement in the tall grass near the water.
• Stillness and intensity for the close-up portraits, especially the black-and-white frames.

Once we stepped into the weeds by the lake, the session shifted. The environment closed in around him, branches acting like natural leading lines and framing the expressions effortlessly.

3. The Experience

There’s a unique energy when the environment matches the emotion you’re trying to capture. Even with crowds around, Bow Bridge feels quiet when you’re locked into the moment with your subject.

What I loved most about this shoot:

• The subtle attitude in the leather jacket poses.
• The raw, unpolished smile in the more candid, playful frames, a completely different energy.
• How the fall colors felt like an extension of his mood.
• The tension and focus in the close-up black-and-white portraits.

Every frame had its own personality. Same subject, same location, but each shot felt like a different chapter.

4. What I Learned

Every season in NYC gives you a different palette, but fall is the one that teaches you to slow down. To watch how the wind moves, how people breathe, how stillness feels.

This session reminded me of something simple:

You don’t need perfect conditions. You just need a moment worth capturing.