Top 7 Locations for Engagement Photos in Halifax Nova Scotia

Not sure where to take your engagement photos in Halifax? I’m here to help!

There are so many amazing places to take photos around the Halifax area, from pretty buildings downtown to white sand beaches not far from the city.

As a wedding photographer in Halifax, I’ve photographed couples all over Halifax for their engagement photos as well as their weddings.

There are tons of great places to take photos here, but I’ve narrowed this list down to my top 7 locations to take engagement photos in Halifax!

1. Downtown Halifax

Downtown Halifax is an underrated place to take your engagement photos! There are a lot of beautiful buildings, pretty streets, parking garages, and the waterfront.

Pros:

• There’s a lot of variety downtown, so you can get photos with different looks just by walking to different parts of the city.

• There are so many beautiful buildings downtown and the waterfront is pretty, too!

Cons:

• If you want to change into another outfit, you’ll need to go into a local restaurant or shop to find a washroom. This is likely not a problem but just something to keep in mind!

• There could be a lot of people around you while you take photos, especially in the summer when there are so many tourists visiting.

My Tips:

• You’ll need to do a lot of walking! Wear shoes you’re comfortable in, and plan the shoot with plenty of time for walking/driving between photo locations.

• It’s often very windy downtown, especially the closer you get to the water. Just something to keep in mind when it comes to your hair and how many layers to wear!

2. Point Pleasant Park

Point Pleasant Park is a great spot for engagement sessions – it’s a huge park with tons of space, beautiful wooded trails, and great views of the water.

Pros:

• Beautiful in all seasons! The park is beautiful in the summer of course, but I think Point Pleasant especially shines in the fall and in winter after a snowfall.

• It’s a very large park so you can pretty much always find a secluded trail or area to take photos without tons of people around.

• Lots of variety – views of the ocean, tons of wooded areas, paths, and a few old stone buildings as well.

Cons:

• A lot of people take their photos at Point Pleasant, especially in peak seasons like summer and fall – but since it’s a large park with a lot of variety, your photos don’t have to be exactly like another couple’s photos.

• A large portion of the park is off-leash dog trails. I personally view this as a pro! But it’s something to be aware of in case you’re allergic, are nervous around dogs, or just don’t want the potential of dogs photo-bombing your engagement session!

• If you want to take photos in several areas of the park, be prepared to do a lot of walking since it’s a big park – 39km of trails, to be exact!

My Tips:

• The upper parking lot is almost always full, especially on weekends, but the lower parking lot by the water always has plenty of room.

• Plan your photo shoot with plenty of extra time before sunset. Since it’s such a wooded park, once the sun starts to set, it dips below the treeline really quickly and the nice light goes really fast. Better to err on the early side than be racing against the sun.

• There are public washrooms as well as outhouses throughout the park. But they’re not all exactly….pleasant. In my experience so far, the Cable Rd washroom is usually pretty clean.

3. Conrad’s Beach

Conrad’s Beach is about a 35-minute drive from Halifax, and would be a lovely place for your engagement photos!

Pros:

• Lovely wide beach – lots of space to spread out and get away from other groups of people if needed.

• Lots of marshy areas, wooden boardwalks, and tall grasses, all of which can also be good for photos.

• Not typically as crowded as popular beaches like Crystal Crescent, Rainbow Haven, or Lawrencetown Beach.

Cons:

• Parking is pretty limited.

• Somewhat long walk to the beach (a lot of it is on boardwalks).

• No washrooms.

My Tips:

• Bring extra layers to wear in case it’s windy. The photos above were taken on a July day and we were chilly!

4. Halifax Public Gardens

Halifax Public Gardens would be a beautiful background for your engagement photo shoot, with its stunning foliage, flowers of all kinds, and well-manicured green grass.

Pros:

• Tons of beautiful greenery, flowers, and trees. It’s beautifully kept and there are a lot of pretty photo ops!

• Well-maintained gravel paths.

• Street parking on all sides of the park, and a parking garage across the street next to the Lord Nelson Hotel.

Cons:

• Lots of people take photos here, from prom photos to wedding photos. Popular for good reason though, especially in the spring and summer!

• No dogs allowed, so not the place to take photos with your pet, if that’s important to you.

• It’s a popular tourist spot so on any weekend with good weather, it can be very crowded. This means less street parking availability, and more potential for strangers in the background of photos.

My Tips:

• Combine the Public Gardens with another location, so if it’s crowded, you’re not relying it as your sole location, and can get some great shots elsewhere.

• Don’t sit on the grass unless you’re in the designated family area – someone will come over and tell you to get off the grass!

5. Herring Cove Provincial Park

Herring Cove is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Halifax, and is one of my favorite places to go for a quick hike, as well as to take clients for photos!

Pros:

• Unique scenery with the ocean, rocky shoreline, greenery, as well as views of McNab’s Island and Point Pleasant Park in the distance.

• Never very crowded, in my experience. There’s plenty of space and you can definitely find a nice private spot to take some beautiful photos!

Cons:

• Parking is somewhat limited.

• The beauty of this park is that it’s pretty much all rocks, but this can make it difficult to walk around the area. It would be easy to fall or twist an ankle if you’re not careful. That said, there is a beautiful new lookoff with a beautiful view directly to the left when you pull in, that is all flat concrete.

• No washrooms.

My Tips:

• Never go near the black rocks! The waves can come up high and could be potentially dangerous. Stay on the higher areas and observe the beautiful view from there. There are still so many places to shoot!

• Wear good shoes like sneakers or boots to make walking along the rocks easier, and if you want cuter shoes for photos, pack them in a bag and bring it with you. Or just go barefoot!

• If it seems busy towards the front when you first arrive, keep walking along the trail to the right when you arrive.

6. Crystal Crescent Beach Provincial Park

Crystal Crescent Beach is about a 30-minute drive from Halifax. It’s a beautiful drive and a perfect spot to have a picnic, enjoy the beach views, or go for a hike.

Pros:

• Absolutely beautiful beach with very blue water, white sand, rocks and wooded areas, tall grasses, hiking trails, etc. There is lots of variety here!

• Crystal Crescent is known for its gorgeous pink-hued sunsets. Be sure to stick around for the sunset, it’s worth it!

• Lots of parking (there are two gravel parking lots – if the first one is full, keep driving to the second lot)

• Several outhouse-style washrooms

Cons:

• A very popular beach so easily gets crowded on weekends and in the summer.

• A lot of couples/families take photos here.

My Tips:

• On a sunny day the sun stays pretty high for a long time, so you may need to wait a few minutes for the sun to get lower for those perfect “golden hour” portraits (it’ll be too harsh at first). Take some time to shoot in the wooded areas first while you’re waiting for the sun to get lower.

7. Your Favorite Brewery, Winery or Café

Why not take some photos at your favorite brewery, winery, or coffee shop? It’s a great way to incorporate one of your favorite places to spend time together as a couple into your photos.

One of my favorite ways to start engagement sessions with my clients is to meet up for a drink before we start the shoot – it helps everyone feel relaxed and calm the nerves before getting in front of the camera!

Locations pictured here: Benjamin Bridge Winery (in Wolfville, about a 1-hour drive from Halifax) and Stillwell Beergarden in downtown Halifax.

Pros:

• A little liquid courage goes a long way when it comes to feeling confident in front of the camera!

• You can choose to shoot at one of your favorite date-night spots

Cons:

• Other people will be around, so you might feel a little awkward. But again, drinking a glass or two will help this!

My Tips:

• Ask permission from the business first. Most places will say yes as long as you are purchasing something. And you can offer to tag them on social media, too!

• Combine shooting at the brewery/winery with another location nearby – that way if it’s super busy there, you can move on to the next spot!

There you go! My top 7 locations for engagement photos in the Halifax area. Thanks for reading this resource. I hope this helped you as you’re planning your engagement photos!

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