Planning Your Photo Session

Photography Guide | The Erlowest | Lake George, NY

Note: The Erlowest is an active hotel, restaurant, and wedding venue. Property access and availability may vary depending on restaurant reservations and scheduled weddings or events. Policies, photography access, and venue guidelines are subject to change. For the most up to date information, please contact The Erlowest directly.

The Erlowest is probably one of the most unique venues I have been to, and this is immediately communicated the second you turn off the main road onto the property and are greeted by the sign, “Sun Castle” Lakeside Resort Inn at The Erlowest. It is, indeed, a castle. Constructed in 1898, it is known for its bold character and wonderfully preserved architecture straight out of the 19th century.

This venue not only has spaces for weddings in its ballrooms, but also a dedicated restaurant called Shepherd’s at The Erlowest, as well as Castle Suites located directly above these areas. It is the perfect all in one venue for weddings and especially intimate engagements. This blog will primarily focus on the intimate dining rooms and the surrounding outdoor venue spaces.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOUR SHOOT

The Erlowest is located about 5 minutes, and roughly 2 miles, from the main Lake George village. The venue sits at the bottom of a steep hill, so make sure to look out for the sign, “Sun Castle The Inn at The Erlowest,” because the actual main building is not visible from Main Street.

As mentioned earlier, The Erlowest is also an ongoing place to stay for hotel guests in its suites, and it has a restaurant in service from 5:00pm to 8:30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, as well as breakfast from 8:00am to 10:30am every day of the week. That being said, because this venue is more of an intimate location outside of the main ballrooms, which are designed for larger weddings, it is important to take into consideration the hotel guests and dining room guests.

I was here on a styled wedding shoot with a small handful of vendors, and the staff were quite sensitive to minor noise. So if you’re planning any type of engagement here, whether it’s a dinner party for a surprise proposal or an intimate wedding, please let the staff know in advance and ask them to advise which day and time will be best for your party. This will allow them to prepare and potentially notify any guests staying on property.

Take note that this property has made clear in emails that if there is already a wedding on property, such as a wedding happening the same day, they cannot accommodate any surprise proposals and may or may not be able to accommodate other intimate dining room parties such as small weddings.

Unlike The Sagamore, a nearby venue, it is recommended to have a dining reservation or hotel stay at this property rather than being on it solely for the sake of photos. This is not considered a wandering grounds area.

THE LIGHTING

Before, I had stated that the property sits at the bottom of a steep hill. Because of this, the lighting reaching the property can be quite dim, especially in the castle section sitting closest to the hill.

When we did the photography for the reception section of our styled shoot, which took place in one of the smaller intimate dining rooms, the lighting was pretty dim in there as well. This was partially due to the fact that it was already a cloudy day, however it is worth noting that the dining rooms only have windows on one side of the room, and those windows have wired detailing and stained glass panels, which further reduces the light that was already dim. This creates a very romantic atmosphere for guests and diners; however, for photography, it is important to keep this in mind when taking any shots.

I would advise that any surprise proposals not take place in these rooms, specifically the surprise itself, and instead have the proposal take place outside, with the celebration afterward indoors.

On a good note, however, this venue is very forgiving when it comes to imperfect lighting. A lot of the main venue building, especially the outdoor areas, does have protective awnings and roofs while still allowing a lot of light to come in from the sides. This means that harsh midday sun, dark overcast skies, or even rain and weather elements will not affect your photos, as shaded areas will always provide flattering light for your couple during portraits.

For areas down near the lake, these spots are easiest when it comes to taking photos because there is enough of a gap between these areas and the hill where access to light from the sky is better than near the main castle, where the hill mostly blocks any frontal light.

PHOTOS VS. REAL LIFE

There are quite a few differences between the photos you may consistently see on a Google search and what the property actually looks like in real life.

First is the most well known view, which is commonly used for bride and groom “just married” portraits and is the main view of The Erlowest. Instead of a large grassy field or empty concreted path area, the photo is actually taken in the small parking lot in front of the castle, which is a circular lot where visitors can park. Keep this in mind on a busy day such as a wedding, when guests may be moving their cars or crossing through these areas.

Another huge point again is the steepness of the hill that the venue is on. Bear in mind, however, this does not only apply to the main castle area; this applies to any outdoor location spot, and especially the dock areas. When we were moving around the property to take bride and groom portraits, the event coordinator on site, Leanna, actually had to take us in a golf cart around the property. She mentioned that guests often take carts down to the ceremony areas and have to be transported this way. This is also one of the main reasons why this venue does not host weddings outdoors during the winter time.

One other point that is not usually addressed in photos online, or often seen because of the way photographers, myself included, crop out distractions, is the Townhouse Villas and Lodges around the property. I would say these houses actually take up the majority of the space on the site. The main castle sits on the upper area, while the houses sit along the steeper part of the hill. If you are going to take photos down in the outdoor areas I write about later, keep in mind you will be facing directly toward the Townhouses and Lodges when taking photos. The residents were quiet and mostly kept to themselves when we were there, but again it is something to take note of on a wedding day or engagement.

FAVORITE SPOTS & TIPS

Ok, onto the fun part! There are some amazing photos to take on The Erlowest property that highlight not only the venue but the stunning lake backdrop that Lake George provides for your event.

The first spot is a very underrated area that Leanna, the event coordinator, recommended we check out and that isn’t used very often by photographers. To get to this area, if you were in the guest parking lot with the main castle area to your left, there is another road heading down a hill to your right. It looks like you are entering a residential space, and you would be correct, as you pass the other villas. The area I’m referring to sits at the bottom of this hill by a metal railing.

There are tall, beautiful trees surrounding this area that hover over the space, giving you beautiful greenery while also having the stunning backdrop of the lake behind the couple. Because this area is shaded by the large trees, you will get great lighting here regardless of the lighting conditions that may be happening that day.

Another area that I would recommend for portraits with your couple would be the patio area on the main castle property. This area features beautiful stone walkways, large brick pillars, and beautiful hanging lanterns that make you feel like you’re somewhere in Europe. This area is covered by a roof, so again, it is a great spot for non ideal lighting and weather conditions. In fact, I shot a wedding here last September during a downpour and cool, rainy temperatures, and actually took almost all the bride and groom portraits on this property. It provides great variety for photos in a gallery and is a beautiful backdrop with a lot of character, while still giving the aesthetic of The Erlowest without the heavier castle front.

Finally, a beautiful area to take photos in is the dock that sits at the very bottom of the property. It isn’t the easiest area to access, since not only do you have to go down the same hill that enters the residential area, but you then have to cross over to the left side and then go even further down to the water to access it. The dock is also very small, especially in width, so I would recommend this as a bride and groom or couple portrait spot rather than an area for family photos or large group photos. That being said, this is a very quiet dock with little distractions in the background of the photos, so the portraits end up looking timeless and really capture the feeling of being in the Adirondacks. If you’re a couple that wants to avoid the tourism vibe of Lake George Village, this is a perfect spot that gives the feeling of being in nature and lakeside.

Summary & Helpful Links for Planning Your Trip to The Erlowest

• Location: The Erlowest is located at 3178 Lake Shore Dr, Lake George, NY 12845. The entrance can be easy to miss because the castle sits down a steep hillside and isn’t visible from the road. Keep an eye out for the “Sun Castle: The Inn at The Erlowest“ sign as you drive by.
• Best Time to Shoot: Scheduling your session during the venue’s dining operating hours is generally your best option. This way you’ll already have a reservation, and the staff will be expecting guests on the property. Don’t let overcast weather discourage you either. Between the covered patios and the architecture throughout the venue, cloudy days still produce beautiful soft light for portraits.
• Photography & Property Access: Since The Erlowest is both a hotel and an active wedding venue, I recommend planning your photography session alongside a breakfast reservation, dinner reservation, or hotel stay. This helps ensure you’re able to fully enjoy everything the property has to offer while respecting the guests staying on site.
• Parking: Guest parking is available in the circular lot directly in front of the castle. Just keep in mind that this lot is shared by hotel guests, restaurant visitors, and wedding attendees, so it can stay fairly active throughout the day.
• Top Photo Spots: Some of my favorite portrait locations on the property include the covered stone patio with its brick columns and hanging lanterns, the quiet lakeside dock overlooking Lake George, and the tree-lined overlook near the villas. Of course, the front of the castle itself is one of the most recognizable locations on the property and creates timeless portraits that immediately showcase The Erlowest.
• Things to Consider: If you’re planning portraits, a surprise proposal, or another intimate event, I would recommend letting the staff know ahead of time. They can advise you on the best day and time based on restaurant reservations, weddings, and other activity around the property. It’s also worth having a breakfast reservation, dinner reservation, or hotel stay so you have a reason to be on the property. Keep in mind that if another wedding is already taking place, the venue may not be able to accommodate surprise proposals or other private events.
• Lighting Notes: Because the castle sits at the bottom of a steep hillside, parts of the property receive less natural light than you might expect, especially near the main building. The indoor dining rooms are also fairly dim due to having windows on only one side along with stained glass and wired window panels. Fortunately, many of the outdoor portrait locations are covered, creating beautiful soft light in almost any weather, while the lakeside areas receive more open sky and naturally brighter light for portraits.

Website | Official The Erlowest

Video | The Erlowest Venue Grounds

I’m dedicated to making your wedding or portrait session in Albany, Upstate NY, & Hudson Valley a smooth, personalized, and memorable experience. Ready to begin? Explore my wedding or portrait photography services, view the heirloom album experience, or get in touch here!

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Thanks for reading!

-Raf