A Leeds Engagement Shoot: Railway Arches, Back Streets and a Skatepark
When Katie and Nathan suggested an urban engagement shoot in the centre of Leeds, ‘possibly involving a skate park’, we knew theirs would be an especially interesting one. We ended up with low sun on a row of old railway arches and quiet red-brick back streets. Then came a kiss under the skylights of an indoor skatepark, with a young BMX rider in the foreground.
Leeds: a city made for an urban engagement shoot
Leeds is a brilliant city for this kind of shoot. Brick railway arches, narrow back streets and old industrial buildings give you texture and character on almost every corner. Low sun slides down the streets in a way that fields never quite manage.
For the second half we headed just out of the centre to The Works, a skatepark on Kitson Road in Hunslet, south Leeds. It was run as a social enterprise working with schools and youth groups, and shared its old industrial site with City Bloc, one of our favourite climbing walls. City Bloc has been based since 2009 in Airedale Works, a former Victorian train foundry on the South Bank. We got in touch beforehand, and thankfully they agreed to let us pop in and take some photos inside the skatepark.
Railway arches, back streets and a BMX
We started with a walk around town, getting to know Katie and Nathan a little better. The sun was just catching the top of a long row of arches, all peeling render, iron-barred doors and overhead wires. The two of them tucked into the last arch together. A narrow street between red-brick buildings gave us a quieter frame, and with the sun low behind them, Katie’s hair lit up as they laughed together.
Inside the skatepark it was a different world: graffiti, ramps, and riders in helmets carrying on around us. We kept Katie and Nathan in the background and let a young BMX rider fill the foreground. Then we found a spot under the blue skylights where a warm pool of light caught them for a kiss.
Engagement shoots are the perfect chance to do things a little differently. In the few months before the wedding season gets going, we love trying out new techniques and ideas without the time constraints of a wedding day. It’s even better when a couple is adventurous enough to suggest a location like this.
A wedding day that couldn’t be more different
Katie and Nathan’s wedding was a complete contrast to the city: an outdoor humanist ceremony in spectacular countryside, the day after we first shared these photos. We couldn’t wait to see what surprises they had in store for their guests, and guessed it would be an early highlight of our year.
Why we love an engagement shoot in Leeds
If you’re thinking about a city shoot rather than a stately home or a field, here’s our honest take:
- Choose somewhere that’s yours. Katie and Nathan suggested a skatepark, and it made for photos that feel like them and nobody else.
- Ask early about private spaces. Skateparks, climbing walls and warehouses usually need permission. Getting in touch beforehand was all it took here.
- Mix light and shade. Low sun in the streets and pools of light indoors give a city shoot plenty of variety without travelling far.
- Treat it as a rehearsal. A walk around town is a relaxed way to get to know each other, so you’re comfortable in front of the camera on the day.
Planning your own engagement shoot in Leeds?
We love a couple who want to do something a little different. See more on our Leeds wedding photography page, browse our Yorkshire wedding photography, or get in touch to talk through your ideas.
See also: Wedding at Katie & Nathan – in Yorkshire.
