North Avenue Beach Engagement: Curtis + Gillian
Engagement sessions along the lakefront are always some of my favorites, and this North Avenue Beach engagement session was no exception. North Avenue Beach is one of my favorite locations in Chicago because it combines everything I love about photographing couples here—the beach, the skyline, and the dreamy golden light at sunset. As a Chicago engagement photographer, I’m always looking for locations that feel both iconic and romantic, and North Avenue Beach truly delivers on both.
For this session, we actually started nearby at the beautiful Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk. I often suggest this as the first stop before heading to the beach because it offers such a peaceful and scenic setting. The boardwalk has gorgeous greenery, calm water, and an incredible view of the Chicago skyline in the distance. It’s the perfect place to begin an engagement session and ease into being in front of the camera. We spent some time walking along the paths and capturing relaxed, natural moments as the light began to soften.
North Avenue Beach
After exploring the boardwalk, we headed over to North Avenue Beach to catch sunset along Lake Michigan. Sunset is hands down my favorite time for a North Avenue Beach engagement session. The light becomes soft and golden, reflecting beautifully off the water while the skyline glows in the background. As a Chicago engagement photographer, I always tell couples that the best lighting happens in the final 20 minutes before sunset. That short window creates the most romantic glow and is when some of the most magical images happen.
If you’re planning your own North Avenue Beach engagement session, I also recommend scheduling it on a weekday evening during the summer. This area is one of Chicago’s most popular beaches, so weekends can get very crowded. Weekdays tend to be much quieter, which allows us to move around more freely and capture those relaxed, intimate moments without lots of people in the background.
Sessions like this are a perfect reminder of why I love being a Chicago engagement photographer. Starting with the calm nature views at Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk and ending with glowing sunset portraits at North Avenue creates such a beautiful flow for an engagement session. With the skyline, the beach, and that golden sunset light, it’s one of the most stunning places in Chicago to capture this exciting season for my couples.
