Belle Isle is a state park located in Detroit, MI. It’s an island that site between Detroit and Windsor, CA. You can see both countries from the island! It has a rich history with unique buildings and scenic areas of the park. 

I was honored to work with my friends Drew & Madi capture some beautiful fall engagement photos at Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan. We filled our hour driving around the island and finding the most perfect spots to help showcase their love. 

The Best Time to Take Engagement Photos on Belle Isle

We planned their engagement shoot for mid October. The weather was absolutely perfect! The leaves were at their peak, and the temperature rose to around 70 degrees. We met at 10 a.m. to avoid as much harsh sunlight as possible. The island was also pretty slow, so we beat the rush of visitors coming to the park.

Fall is THE most beautiful season in Michigan, if you ask me. Some reasons to take photos in fall are:

• Comfortable weather
• Warm colors
• Earlier sunset
• Colorful trees

Belle Isle had plenty of trees for us to showcase in our session, and the warm colors of the trees and the buildings helped the photos showcase the warmth of their love!

I always recommend taking photos as close to sunrise or sunset as possible. This day, we were only able to make a morning session work, and it went beautifully for us! Belle Isle can be tricky to photograph during sunset due to the lack of structures diffusing the sunlight from the west, which creates some harsh lighting.

Where to take Engagement photos on Belle Isle

I always recommend Belle Isle to couples who want a mix of architecture and nature in their photos. The park has gorgeous options for both!

Some of the best spots to take engagement photos at Belle Isle include:

• Casino building
• Across the river in front of the Detroit skyline
• The fountain (a classic)
• On the road in the middle of the island, headed toward the nature center.

For Madi and Drew’s engagement session, we fit in both nature and architecture. It really helps to carpool with your photographer around the island so you can stop and use the spots you love.

Booking a photoshoot on Belle Isle

If you are interested in booking an engagement session on Belle Isle, it’s important that you hire a Detroit Wedding Photographer who knows the location well. I travel downtown multiple times a week, so I can help couples determine the best times to travel, the best parking places and all the little spots tourists don’t know about.

I would love to serve you for your Detroit engagement photos! Contact me today to start planning your dream photoshoot!