A New Beginning at the New Wagner Park


This weekend I had the pleasure of photographing a couple expecting their first child, and I couldn't think of a more fitting location than the newly reopened Wagner Park in Battery Park City.


If you haven't been yet, the park recently reemerged after a multi-year transformation. The whole space was raised by about ten feet, with a flood wall now hidden beneath the lawn and a massive underground cistern that helps the gardens stay lush even after heavy rain. The result feels less like a renovation and more like a rebirth — fresh lawns, native plantings, and sweeping, unobstructed views across the harbor to the Statue of Liberty.


That sense of renewal made it the perfect setting for this session. We wandered through the new garden paths just after sunrise, with the soft morning light spilling across the water and the Statue of Liberty quietly anchoring the background of nearly every frame.


Photographing growing families in a space that's itself in the middle of its own "growth" felt like a quiet kind of parallel. New gardens taking root, new views opening up, and a new little person on the way — all in the same early morning glow.


If you're considering Wagner Park for a similar shoot, plan for a visit just after sunrise. The light comes in low and warm over the water, and the park's open lawns give you plenty of room to work without feeling crowded. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in the city for portraits.


* Associate photographed for Kadey Kia Photography


Couple embracing by waterfront railing with Statue of Liberty in background on sunny day.
Pregnant couple embracing by waterfront railing with blue sky and harbor views.
Couple sharing a romantic kiss by a waterfront railing with blue sky and ocean in the background.
Pregnant couple embracing by waterfront railing with Statue of Liberty in background on sunny day.
Couple embracing on waterfront promenade with blue sky and harbor views, woman in navy dress, man in white jacket.
Couple sitting together on wooden bench surrounded by lush green garden plants.
Close-up of couple holding hands, woman wearing diamond engagement ring on blue dress.
Couple sitting together in a lush urban park with modern skyscrapers and green trees in the background.
Couple walking arm in arm along a waterfront promenade with lamp posts and greenery on a clear evening.
Couple embracing in an urban garden with lush greenery and modern city skyscrapers in the background.
Couple sharing a romantic moment in an urban garden with lush greenery and modern city buildings in the background.
Pregnant couple sitting on wooden steps with city skyscrapers backdrop, woman in blue dress, man in white shirt.
Couple in blue attire on urban garden steps with sunlit glass skyscrapers and lush greenery in the background.
Pregnant couple sitting outdoors with city skyline, woman in blue dress, man in white jacket touching her baby bump.
Pregnant couple sitting on wooden steps in front of modern city buildings, man tenderly touching woman's baby bump.
Smiling pregnant couple sitting on wooden steps outdoors near modern brick building on a sunny day.
Black and white maternity photo of couple sitting on wooden steps with architectural backdrop.
Happy expecting couple posing on wooden steps in blue outfits with red brick building behind them.
Couple sitting on wooden steps in front of modern brick building, woman in blue dress, man in white jacket, urban setting.
Couple dancing outdoors near modern arched architecture with city skyscrapers in black and white photo.
Couple dancing outdoors near modern red arch sculpture with NYC skyline and skyscrapers in background.
Couple holding hands on green lawn before red arched sculpture with city skyscrapers in background.
Person standing before large rusty steel arches on green lawn with modern glass skyscrapers in background.
Couple sharing a romantic moment leaning against a curved red concrete wall in an urban setting.
Couple holding hands on green lawn before red arched building with city skyscrapers in background.
Couple holding hands and smiling at each other against a red wall backdrop.
Couple holding hands and smiling against a bold red wall, woman in blue dress, man in white shirt.
A smiling couple in a romantic embrace against a red wall, woman in blue dress and man in white shirt.
A smiling woman in a blue dress holds hands with a man in a white jacket against a red wall.
Couple embracing near a large red concrete sculpture in an urban park with city skyscrapers in the background.
Smiling couple holding hands in front of a large red curved wall with city buildings behind them.
A couple embraces under a dramatic concrete arch in a striking black and white architectural photo.
Couple embracing under dramatic curved red concrete architecture with ocean view backdrop.
Couple sharing a romantic moment under a curved red architectural structure on a sunny day.
Couple walking through a modern concrete architectural structure with circular cutouts in black and white photography.
Couple walking under a large red sculptural arch with circular cutouts in an outdoor urban art installation.
Black and white photo of a pregnant couple standing under concrete arches, smiling at each other outdoors.
Pregnant woman in blue dress and man in white jacket stand together under rustic arches in urban setting.
Pregnant woman in blue dress walks with partner under rust-colored arches outdoors.
Pregnant couple sitting outdoors, woman in blue dress cradling baby bump with partner in white jacket.
Couple sitting together on stone steps in an urban park with a large brick skyscraper in the background.
Expecting couple sitting together on stone bench surrounded by lush garden and city buildings.
Pregnant couple sitting together on stone steps, smiling at each other with a modern building in the background.
A happy couple sits on outdoor stone steps, sharing a tender moment, with the woman in a blue dress cradling her baby bump.
A smiling couple sitting close together outdoors, the woman in a blue top and the man in a white shirt, sharing a joyful moment.
Happy couple sitting outdoors, man in white jacket holding pregnant womans hand on her baby bump.
Couple sitting closely on stone steps in a modern park, surrounded by greenery and contemporary buildings.