From Sunrise to Sunset: The Magic of Tandy Hills in Engagement Photography
When you think about engagement photos, what do you think about?
Maybe you think about photos of intimate moments, like your partner holding your face in their hands as they come in for a kiss, with your engagement ring glinting in the sunlight.
Maybe you think about carefree photos of you and your partner laughing or dancing together.
Or maybe you think about romantic snapshots that capture not just your love for one another, but also the beauty of your chosen location.
Wildnerness near Downtown Fort Worth
Nestled off Beach Street and I-30, just a few short miles from downtown Fort Worth, Tandy Hills Natural Area stands ready to be the backdrop for all of them.
The thing is, Tandy Hills doesn’t look like much from the street. The entrance to the 210-acre nature area lies in a quiet, nondescript neighborhood and doesn’t call attention to itself at all apart from a single sign, a small playground, and a paved sidewalk that stretches into a forested area.
But after a short walk, that sidewalk gives way to a gravel walking path lined by tall grass and (if you visit in the spring) colorful wildflowers. As you walk down the gravel path, you’ll see the Fort Worth skyline in the distance off to one side and rolling hills on the other. Even in seasons when the wildflowers are gone, the gold of the fields and the green of the trees along the hills can make you feel like you’ve stepped out of the city and into real wilderness.
A Sky as Big as Texas
One of the best things about Tandy Hills is that, on top of being a naturally pretty backdrop, it’s so wide open that there is plenty of space for couples to let their personalities shine. Whether you are there in the morning or at sunset, we have wide-open skies as big as Texas to take pictures of you and your partner.
For introverted or camera shy couples, Tandy Hills makes or a great photo location precisly because it doesn’t get much traffic. Of all the times we have been there, we have only seen a few people out walking dogs or heading out on a hike. The lack of traffic helps create a feeling of seculsion from the rest of the city and may help you feel more comfortable in front of the camera.
And if you have a extroverted, exuberant personality, Tandy Hills offers all the space you need to release the full force of their personalities for us to capture on camera.
Plus, the park offers a chance to revisit your sense of childlike exploration. As you walk along the gravel paths, you’ll find smaller offshoot paths leading further into the hills and into the surrounding forests. While it’s not necessary to follow all these miles of hiking trails to find amazing photo opportunities, following them just to see where they go — you’re always close to the city and so never in any real danger of getting lost or stranded, but it’s a fun way to explore a local wilderness nonetheless.
When is a good time to take photos?
Because Tandy Hills has so many open spaces, we find that it has plenty of light during pretty much any daylight hours. Like most outdoor locations, early morning and just before sunset offer the best light opportunities (these times are what photographers refer to as “golden hour” because the sun gives off a gorgeous golden glow as it comes up over or dips down below the horizon).
That said, it’s Texas — if you go during the middle of the day in summer, prepare to get hot fast. There is some shade available, but the best photo spots are out in the open, under the full heat of the sun.
The most optimal time of year to take photos at Tandy Hills in our opinion would be in spring, when there are tons of wildflowers in bloom, and in early-mid summer before the heat turns the grass brown.
