Wrapped in Autumn

Central Park, NYC — Fall

Fall in Central Park has a way of swallowing sound. The city feels distant, and all you really hear is the wind moving through dry plants and tall grass. That’s where this session lives in that quiet space between seasons, where everything is fading but still beautiful.

For this shoot, I wanted the subject to feel like part of the environment instead of just standing in front of it. The warm brown coat echoed the tones in the leaves, branches, and dried flowers around her. The idea was simple: soft expression inside a wild, textured frame.

1. Gear & Approach

I photographed this session on a Canon 5D Mark IV paired with my go-to portrait lens, the 85mm. That focal length lets me stay close enough to catch every subtle shift in expression while allowing the background to fall away into a soft, cinematic blur. It’s the perfect combination for intimate portraits that still feel spacious.

I leaned into the overcast light and muted palette instead of trying to brighten it up. The softer contrast helped the textures in the coat and plants stand out, and the 85mm’s compression pulled everything together into a tight, emotional frame.

2. The Experience

We let the location lead. The tall grasses and dried flowers naturally wrapped around her, creating layers in the foreground and background. Sometimes the wind pushed hair across her face, sometimes it opened up the frame just enough for a clear, still moment, those small transitions became my favorite frames.

There were no big movements or dramatic poses, just quiet adjustments: pulling the coat closer, turning slightly toward the wind, letting the moment breathe. The goal was to photograph how it felt to stand there in the cold, not just how it looked.

3. What I Learned

Fall doesn’t always have to be loud and colorful. It can be soft, subdued, and introspective; that kind of mood makes room for a different kind of portrait: one that feels more like a memory than a single moment.

Sometimes the most powerful portraits are the quiet ones.

This session reminded me that when the environment and the subject share the same tone, you don’t have to force anything. You just need to pay attention, wait for the wind, and be ready when the expression appears.