Daniel + Emily: President Heads Virginia Engagement Photos
Updated: Nov 4
Updated November 2026
By Mantas Kubilinskas, Washington, DC wedding photographer (about me)
Can you take engagement photos at the President Heads in Virginia? Yes, but only through the site's published tours or photography workshops. The giant sculptures sit on private property near Williamsburg that doubles as a working recycling facility. Daniel and Emily's session shows what the place can look like through a documentary lens.
A strange and beautiful backdrop for engagement photos
I have photographed couples in front of marble memorials, murals and quiet forests. The President Heads were something else. Huge white faces rise out of the grass, some cracked, some missing pieces, all staring in different directions. It's surreal, a little eerie and very photogenic.
Daniel and Emily wore simple white shirts and matching hats. That was a smart choice. Plain clothes let the sculptures carry the texture, and the hats tied the two of them together in every frame. Nothing fought with the faces behind them.
I worked mostly in black and white here. The sculptures are pale and weathered, and without color the cracks and shadows read like a drawing. A few frames stay in color, where the blue sky made the scene feel open and warm.
Where the President Heads came from
The sculptures once stood in Presidents Park, an outdoor museum in Williamsburg, Virginia. According to the official President Heads history page, the park was created by local entrepreneur Everette H. "Haley" Newman II and sculptor David Adickes. It opened to the public in 2004 and closed due to bankruptcy in 2010.
In 2012 the property was sold and the sculptures were due to be demolished. The contractor hired for the job chose to save them instead. He moved them to his private property about eleven miles up the road, where they have stood for more than a decade.
That history is part of why the place feels the way it does. These aren't ruins that were planned. They are survivors.
How to visit the President Heads legally
This part matters most. The official site says the heads are on private property that also works as an industrial recycling facility. Pedestrian access is not allowed outside published tours and photography workshops. You can find those dates on the President Heads events and workshops pages.
So don't just drive out and look for a gap in the fence. Book a published date, read the event rules and ask the organizers whether a portrait session with a hired photographer fits that event. If the answer is no, choose another location. I'd rather move a session than put a couple in a place where they aren't welcome.
Drawn to unusual, playful sessions closer to home? Look at Hazem and Innas's paint war engagement session or Farhan and Henna's color powder session.
What Daniel and Emily's photographs show
The excavator
The gallery opens and closes with a big yellow excavator on a mound of dark earth. Daniel and Emily kiss in front of it, hats tipped together. It is a working machine, not a prop, and it tells you right away that this is not a museum anymore.
Among the faces
The middle of the session happens among the heads. Daniel and Emily walk hand in hand between them. They face each other in a close black and white portrait with faces blurred behind them. In one frame a single bearded head is sharp in the foreground while the two of them stand soft behind it, looking at each other.
Play and scale
Daniel carries Emily on his back, both laughing, two heads looming over them. In a wide frame, the two of them stand tiny under a giant mustached face. The last color frame is almost all sky: Emily jumps into a hug while Daniel lifts her on a dirt path between tall grass.
How I plan a session in an unusual location
Start with the experience, not a list of poses. I ask couples what drew them to a place and what they want to feel when they look back. Then I keep the route short. With fewer stops, there is more time to photograph what actually happens.
For a place like this, I also check the rules before anything else. Then I think about light. Pale sculptures can glare in harsh sun, so softer light usually helps. Finally, I leave space for wandering. Some of my favorite frames from this session came from simply walking between the heads.
I travel for sessions like this from my base in Washington, DC. Couples from Northern Virginia often pair a day trip with a closer second location. For more ideas in the state, see my Shenandoah National Park engagement session and Silverbrook Farm engagement photos.
What helps photographs feel natural
You don't need to know how to pose. I give simple direction when it improves the composition, then let movement and conversation take over. Daniel and Emily laughed, walked and leaned into each other. My job was mostly to be in the right spot.
Comfortable shoes matter on uneven ground. Choose outfits you can move in. Simple colors work well against busy backgrounds. A little flexibility with timing makes a bigger difference than copying another couple's photographs. If you like sessions built around a surprising setting, my Dulles Airport engagement photos are another example.
Questions about President Heads engagement photos
Where are the President Heads?
They are near Williamsburg, Virginia, on private property that doubles as a working industrial recycling facility. The official site, thepresidentsheads.com, describes the location and lists public tour dates. Check it before you make any plans. The sculptures were moved there in 2012, about eleven miles up the road from the old Presidents Park.
Can we visit the President Heads without a tour?
No. The official site says pedestrian access is not allowed outside published tours and photography workshops. Book a listed event and ask the organizers about portrait sessions before your date. If a hired photographer doesn't fit that event, choose another location. Please don't look for a gap in the fence.
What should we wear for photos with the sculptures?
Simple, solid colors work best. The sculptures are pale and textured, so plain shirts and one shared accessory, like Daniel and Emily's hats, keep the focus on you. Wear shoes that can handle grass and dirt. Plain clothes let the sculptures carry the texture.
Do you photograph engagement sessions outside Washington, DC?
Yes. I'm based in Washington, DC, and I photograph sessions across Maryland and Virginia and travel farther for the right project. Couples from Northern Virginia often pair a day trip like this with a closer second location. See my engagement photography page for more sessions.
Wedding photography in Washington, DC and Virginia
I've photographed weddings and engagements for 15 years. I work as a documentary photographer, with calm direction when it helps. If you're planning a wedding in Virginia, my Virginia wedding photography guide explains how I work there. Tell me your date and venue through my contact page, or see more on my wedding photography page.
