Planning Your Photo Session

Photography Guide | The Crossings Park | Colonie, NY

Note: The Crossings Park is a public park that remains open to visitors throughout the day. Access to certain areas and recommended photo locations may vary depending on park events, seasonal changes, maintenance, weather conditions, and crowd levels. Park policies and guidelines are subject to change

The Crossings, located in Colonie, NY, may seem like an ordinary park on the surface. However, this park has a lot to offer in terms of scenery. From its wide open fields to the layout of the park, it creates a quiet, rural atmosphere away from the busy streets of Wolf Road, while the easily accessible paths connect each part of the park.

The Crossings is a beautiful location for your engagement and wedding photography photos, and unlike other locations that rely mostly on the warmer seasons, this is also a spot that works well during the colder months.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOUR SHOOT

There are actually a couple of entrances to The Crossings Park. One is the main entrance located right off Albany Shaker Road, across from Emerick Lane, and another is on Metro Park Road off Wolf Road. If you want the easiest access to all sections of The Crossings Park, I suggest using the main entrance since there is a main road for cars that goes from the front of the park down to where the small man-made lake is, all the way to the back, which faces The Ciccotti Center gym, where the other playgrounds and deeper sections of the park are located.

The entrance over by Metro Park Road is a small cul-de-sac parking lot that doesn’t have a main road connecting it to the other parts of the park. There are only two walking paths that lead to either section of the park. However, it is away from all the locations discussed in this post and requires a lot of walking to get to them.

The park does get quite crowded during the midday and later into the afternoon. However, this is normally around the two main playgrounds in the park and the community area buildings near the parking lot. Again, none of the recommended locations mentioned here are by these areas.

There are sometimes events that happen in these areas, especially under the canopy areas, such as live music or other live performances, which can increase the crowd sizes in these spaces. Camps and other activities can also happen inside the community buildings, which can also affect crowd sizes.

THE LIGHTING

The Crossings, for the most part, has a relatively wide open layout, so lighting isn’t really an issue when shooting here. The following areas I have listed all have beautiful backlighting when shooting during golden hour, which is beautiful for engagement or wedding portraits.

One thing to keep in mind when shooting during the later hours, though, is that the borders of the park are surrounded by tall pine and evergreen trees. I suggest shooting a little before golden hour to make sure the sun still reaches your subjects and isn’t blocked by the tall trees. I suggest starting to shoot here 3 hours before sunset and starting to wrap up an hour before sunset if you want that glow to be in your photos.

Also, because of the wide open layout of the park and lack of shade, this is not a location I recommend shooting at if you plan to take photos here midday, since you will not be shielded from the sun and unflattering shadows and lines will be visible on your subjects’ faces.

PHOTOS VS. REAL LIFE

The Crossings Park is a location where the photos you see online, for the most part, match what you see in real life. Like mentioned above, photographers will stay away from the crowded areas near the community buildings. There is one spot near the pond that is popular for taking engagement photos, wedding photos, or prom photos underneath a canopy, and this area can get quite crowded, not only with everyday visitors but also with those celebrating an event. However, personally, this is not a spot that I recommend due to the canopy overhang blocking out the light.

The only two other factors in the park that may show up in photos, but you really have to try to make them show up, are the neighboring farm right next to the park and the Ciccotti Center gym. However, the farm is quite far from any of these photo spots, and you would have to be pressed up against the bordering fence of the park to even see any of it. The Ciccotti Center gym also sits on the property, but it is way in the corner of the park and shouldn’t show up in any of your photos unless you get very close to it.

Parking lots or any street traffic are also out of the way when it comes to most spots in this park.

FAVORITE SPOTS & TIPS

Since all these spots are scattered throughout the park and away from most pathways, I’ll do my best to describe where they are. However, just in case, I’ve also included a map below where I’ve outlined and highlighted all the photo spots I recommend in purple.

One of my favorite spots to photograph portraits at The Crossings is a small area that I’ve nicknamed “The Secret Garden.” It most likely has a formal name, but that’s just what I call it. This area is located at the end of the pond, heading toward the entrance of the park, and sits in the middle of the wide open grass. There are no pathways leading up to it, but you’ll see a wooden arch and some bushes around the perimeter of this area. Inside, there are a few flower beds and benches where the couple can sit and pose.

This area is great because the sun hits it just right and illuminates the flowers and your subjects. Most people don’t even visit this area, so it’s almost guaranteed that no one will be there when you take your photos. It provides so much character to your photos and is a very underrated spot.

Another spot I love photographing at is the wide open field near the property line of the farm. You can find this area by going past the community buildings near the playground, going through some of the small trails in the wooded area, and reaching the secondary parking lot. There’s another playground around this area as well. You can also drive to this area if you prefer to save time.

Once you reach this area, you’re going to keep heading left and then follow the path. Off to the left, away from the path, you’re going to see tall greenery. This spot is gorgeous not only during the warmer months but also during the colder ones. In the summer, it’s thick, tall grass, and during the winter, it turns a golden, warm color. The lighting in this area couldn’t be more perfect, backlighting the couple and making it look like they are in the middle of rural country.

Finally, the last spot I always love shooting with couples is actually directly across from the previous spot. There’s a long wooden fence and a small non-gravel, non-concrete path that I think photographs well for romantic portraits. The leading lines from the fence and trees provide a great composition, and again, the lighting in this spot is always great.

Because this area is a path, you can also get some great, versatile walking shots and more action-based poses because of the extra space. Again, this is a great area that photographs well not only during the warmer months but also works great during the winter.

Summary & Helpful Links for Planning Your Trip to The Crossings Park

• Location: The Crossings of Colonie is located at 580 Albany Shaker Rd, Loudonville, NY 12211. The park has multiple entrances, but the main entrance off Albany Shaker Road provides the easiest access to the majority of the recommended photo locations throughout the park.
• Best Time to Shoot: Golden hour consistently provides the best lighting throughout The Crossings. I recommend starting your session about three hours before sunset and wrapping up around one hour before sunset to take advantage of the warm backlighting before the surrounding pine trees begin blocking the sun. Midday sessions are generally less flattering due to the park’s wide open layout and limited shade.
• Parking: Free parking is available throughout the park. The main parking lot near the Albany Shaker Road entrance offers the most convenient access, while additional parking is available near the Metro Park Road entrance and by The Ciccotti Center.
• Top Photo Spots: Some of my favorite portrait locations include the hidden garden area near the pond (which I like to call the “Secret Garden”), the open field bordering the neighboring farm, and the wooden fence pathway nearby. These locations offer a quieter atmosphere, beautiful natural backlighting, and photograph well during almost every season.
• Things to Consider: The Crossings is a popular community park, so expect heavier crowds around the playgrounds, community buildings, and pavilion areas, especially during afternoons, weekends, and special events. Fortunately, most of the locations featured in this guide are away from these busy sections, making it easy to find quieter areas for portraits.
• Lighting Notes: One of the biggest advantages of The Crossings is its open layout, which provides beautiful natural light across much of the park. During the final hour before sunset, however, the tall evergreen trees surrounding the park begin casting long shadows across many of the photo locations. Planning your session a little earlier helps preserve the warm glow while avoiding harsh midday sunlight.

Official Site | The Crossings Park

Map | The Crossings Park (original)

Events | The Crossings Park (2026)

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Thanks for reading!

-Raf