Hills And Dales MetroPark Photos & Engagement Session Location Info
June 6, 2024
Hills And Dales MetroPark Description
Hills And Dales MetroPark in Kettering Ohio is a small park that provides beautiful backdrops for engagement session photos in Dayton. This Dayton area engagement location features a pergola, a small pond, and easy access. There are trails as well, but most look similar. There aren’t many options for various backdrops here, but what is there is beautiful.
Out of all the Hills and Dales engagement photos I have done, only one couple has gone to the stone castle-like building. There is very little room around it, so it is not ideal for photos. I almost always spend time around the pond. The pond is really small, but a photographer who knows what they are doing can create dozens of interesting and unique photos here. I really like when the water is calm and I can create reflections of the water. There are only about eight parking spots, so plan to get there early. Also, please know that this is heavily wood and hilly. Not a lot of sun reaches the area. Evening portraits will not work well at this park.
Hills And Dales MetroPark Highlights
- Address: 2655 S Patterson Blvd, Kettering, OH 45409
- Permit Requirement: A daily or yearly permit is required for photo sessions
- Beautiful in fall
- Huge trees
- Pond with pergola
- Easy to walk to and through
- Reasons You Should Choose: Close parking and short walking trail.
- Reasons To Not Choose: Due to large trees, it gets dark earlier than in other places.
- Warning: Permit required
TIP: Don’t expect much sun here as the secluded nature and tall trees block most of the direct sun.
Summer Engagement Session In A Kettering Ohio Park
Each year that I am a Dayton engagement photographer and Cincinnati engagement photographer I have a most-used Dayton engagement location. This year it has been Hills and Dales MetroPark. I have photographed an incredible number of newly engaged couples at this beautiful Dayton MetroPark. The park features a wood and stone pagoda, a small lake, and beautiful old trees. Although the parking area I use is small, it provides many great backdrops for your engagement session in a Kettering Ohio park!
This great couple had lots of ideas for engagement photos in Hills and Dales MetroPark. Often couples just show up with no notion of what they want in terms of poses and backgrounds. This is totally ok and is why you hired a professional photographer. So when people do have ideas, I always incorporate them. I then take those and change them up to give each couple of variations.
What Did I Use At This Session?
Hills and Dales MetroPark engagement photos are always some of my favorite Dayton engagement photos to create. On this day, it was sunny with green everywhere. We use each area around the pond incorporating some cool reflections as well. Additionally, this couple brought several dice, game controllers, and other gaming props. These all came from games they love to play together, so it was a natural extension of the love they share. Props also keep things interesting for me and provide lots of new photo ideas as well.
Autumn Engagement Photos At Hills And Dales
In November 2021, I photographed an absolutely gorgeous engagement session at Hills And Dales MetroPark in Kettering, Ohio. This couple was so much fun and did a great job for me. She picked great colors that complemented the foliage colors for this wooded park engagement photo session. I prefer to use Dogwood Pond rather than any other part of the park. The pagoda, pond, and walking trail are perfect little spots for intimate engagement photos in Dayton.
Good And Bad About Wooded Park Engagement Photos
Normally I don’t love shooting at Hills And Dales due to there not being a lot of light. Today, the lighting, color, and couple came together to form my favorite fall engagement photos ever. The colors of their outfits fit perfectly into the background. The groom’s expressions were hilarious which made the session even more fun. Their love was evident to me, and I hope these photos reflect that.
I prefer to bring off camera lighting to give the couple a little pop of light. This helps to separate them from the background, in this case, their fall foliage. It also makes the photos more dynamic and high contrast. It can be annoying to have a light stand and sandbag, but the results speak for themselves.
If this MetroPark is not your style, take a peak at Carriage Hill MetroPark in Huber Heights Ohio.
Key Takeaways
- Hills And Dales in Kettering, Ohio offers beautiful but limited engagement photo backdrops, primarily around a small pond and a pergola.
- Photographers need a permit for photo sessions at Hills And Dales, which features dense trees and less sunlight, especially in the evening.
- The park is especially stunning in fall, with huge trees and a serene setting for intimate engagement sessions.
- Props can enhance engagement photos, allowing couples to express their personalities while exploring the park.
- Despite lighting challenges, skilled photographers can create dynamic photos by using off-camera lighting to highlight couples against scenic backgrounds.
Check out all of recent and past engagement session blog posts and galleries here!
