Brooklyn Bridge Park Sunset Proposal

Capture the smile on their face. Capture the moment when the next chapter of your life begins. I will help you plan and discreetly photograph your Brooklyn, NY surprise proposal. The Brooklyn waterfront from Brooklyn Bridge Park to Williamsburg is a great place to capture your big moment with context. Our favorite spot in Brooklyn Bridge Park is right near the carousel as the World Trade Center and Brooklyn Bridge lineup perfectly behind you. Anik chose the perfect place with the perfect weather and lighting for his surprise proposal.

Jonathan Heisler Photography is comprised of Professional New York City photographers specializing in photographing private NYC proposals, as well as engagement sessions and weddings.

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Stephen's Brooklyn Bridge Park Morning Proposal

When is the best time to propose?

Proposing in the morning has so many benefits, especially in New York City. My top reasons to propose in the morning are:

• Get it done and have the rest of the day to celebrate! Plan a post proposal brunch and then call your family/friends to share the news.

• Beat the crowds - Most NY’ers and tourists alike don’t really start their day until noon. That’s when all the good spots start to get busy.

• Lighting - The morning has GREAT light and lets us photograph in places we could not otherwise.

I know not everyone is a morning person, however the best way to get your partner out and about is by promising a coffee and a pastry. Real New Yorkers can’t say no to a good pastry and a coffee. Walk the park or that special place with a coffee in one hand and your partners hand in the other. I know it may be a bit cliche, but nothing beats a morning coffee and an empty city. Your partner will forget about the early wakeup when you ask the big question.

Jonathan Heisler Photography is comprised of Professional New York City photographers specializing in photographing private NYC proposals, as well as engagement sessions and weddings.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HIRING A PROPOSAL PHOTOGRAPHER IN NYC

Jane's Carousel DUMBO Proposal at Sunset

Omar chose a very special place for his surprise proposal. He worked with Celestine DUMBO to use their back patio on the one night of the week they are closed for his secret Brooklyn Bridge proposal. This private space allowed Omar to decorate and be out of site. The cover of the restaurant also gave him a reason to get dressed up nicely, a place to go, and a reason to be there at a set time without raising suspicion.

Why This Location Works Well

• The combination of Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the Brooklyn Bridge in view offers iconic NYC landmarks in the background, which makes photos instantly recognizable.

• Using a private patio (Celestine DUMBO) that’s closed to the public gave Omar control over privacy and décor, reducing surprises and crowd interference.

• Sunset light adds warmth and softer shadows, improving skin tones and giving a dramatic glow to skyline elements.

• The juxtaposition of architectural elements (bridge, buildings), the carousel, water views, and twinkling city lights brings visual variety to the photos.

Tips for Planning a Proposal Here

• Pick a restaurant or venue with private or semi-private space if possible; it offers better control.

• Time the proposal around sunset for warm light and softer contrast.

• Scout angles in advance—carousel, bridge, skyline—and plan where both wide shots and close-ups will work best.

• Decorate minimally but meaningfully so the environment enhances the moment without overwhelming it.

• Coordinate with your photographer ahead of time so they know when and where to position for both natural and city lights.

Jonathan Heisler Photography is comprised of Professional New York City photographers specializing in photographing private NYC proposals, as well as engagement sessions and weddings.

learn more about hiring a proposal photographer

Anthony's DUMBO Work Week Proposal

Photographing a midweek and A middle of the day proposal in New York City has its benefits.

Proposing in the middle of the workweek in NYC has so many benefits. To start, the crowds are almost absent compared to the weekends. Proposing in the middle of the day has some challenges primarily if you’re looking to have your moment photographed by a professional photographer. The lighting isn’t always the best, but we can work with you to select an ideal location.

Working with a proposal photographer in brooklyn

DUMBO and the area around the Brooklyn Bridge Park facing West is a great option for a midday proposal and photography session. To start, the view of Manhattan and the New York City skyline provides real context to where you are. Next the lighting in DUMBO provides a ton n of spots to work around the strong high sun. Lastly, there’s so much character in the look and feel of this part of NYC that your photos will be guaranteed unique.

Jonathan Heisler Photography is comprised of New York City photographers specializing in photographing private NYC proposals, as well as engagement sessions and weddings.

learn more about hiring a proposal photographer

Cory's Brooklyn Bridge Park Proposal

Photographing night time proposals in New York City, AKA “The City of Lights”

Cory and Bethan were visiting New York City from Whales for the very first time. Cory planned their trip to the tee with all of the top sites, attractions, and to-dos. As special as this trip was going to be, Cory knew this trip was going to be extra special as he would propose.

His Proposal Plan: The couple was staying in midtown Manhattan and had dinner reservations at The River Cafe at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. They’d UBER to Brooklyn and arrive early to checkout the iconic New York City skyline from Brooklyn. Upon checking out the view Cory would drop down to one knee and propose.

Photographing a nighttime proposal

To quote Kanye West, “All of the lights (all of the lights). (Lights, lights) all of the lights”, and for our nighttime proposals that’s what we are after, light; the city skyline and our flash to light the night. It’s certainly tricky photographing and lighting our night time proposals, and for that very reason we restrict where we photograph proposals after dark. The area around Brooklyn Bridge Park / DUMBO is one of the few areas we will photograph at night.

One of the big downsides of night time proposals is that our post proposal mini-sessions are shorter.

Jonathan Heisler Photography is comprised of New York City photographers specializing in photographing private NYC proposals, as well as engagement sessions and weddings.

learn more about hiring a proposal photographer

Johanna and Nathaniel Engagement Session