One of the most common questions I get asked is “where should we get our photos taken?” So in order to help you out I have compiled a few of my favorite spots around Philly to take photos.  

For the nature lovers:

There are parks a plenty here in Philly, so if you are looking for some green space in your photos I love going to the Wissahickon. I lived in Germantown for a few years before moving to West(best) Philly, and was hiking around the Wissahickon at least once a week with my tiny adventure dog Tucker. 

There are so many options there which I love. There are historic houses which offer a cool textured backdrop. There are streams if you are feeling adventurous and want to hop in the water. And of course there are trees! Trees are beautiful any time of year, but they really shine in the fall. I love this park a lot, so you really can’t go wrong with this spot any time of year.   

Since making the move to West Philly I knew I needed to find a new more local spot to enjoy some nature. I stumbled across Bartram’s Garden and this place really is such a hidden gem in Philly. You just can’t go wrong with the variety this place offers. There are tall wheat fields, lots of trees, easy access to the river, a historic estate, a playground, and a great view of the city! Can you tell I love it here? In one photoshoot here it can look like we spent an entire vacation together. This spot is magical. I have blogged two family sessions at Bartram’s Garden which you can check out here and here. 

Last but not least, you can’t go wrong with a neighborhood park or even your own backyard! Sometimes the comfort of going somewhere you’ve been a million times is just what you need to loosen up in front of the camera for your photo session.  

For the city lovers:

I’m a city girl through and through, so if you are looking for some cool spots around town, I got you.  

The Navy Yard is quite possibly the coolest place ever. If you can’t tell already, I really like it when a location has a ton of different looks so that your photos don’t all end up looking the same. At the Navy Yard you get a really industrial look, awesome boats with water views and whatever cool installation Urban has got going on. 

What is even better is on the weekends this place is totally empty! It’s primarily an office complex, so it is a ghost town on the weekends which is great for photos! A little shameless plug, I blogged the engagement session I did at the Navy Yard that you saw above, and you can take a look at some of the photos here.

Want some Philly inspired pictures without being super touristy? The park behind the art museum is probably the spot I take photos at the most. I don’t want to sound too redundant, so I’ll just say it also has something to do with variety. Boathouse row, beautiful gazebos, green space, the freaking art museum! It’s a stellar spot.

Live in a cute neighborhood? I love taking photos of you and your family or partner walking around and visiting some spots you might visit every day. Philly is such a beautiful city with all of its character and history and I love being able to take advantage of that.  

So here are a few of my favorite spots, but I’m always open to location suggestions especially if that spot has a special meaning to you!

Finding a location for your engagement, family or portrait session doesn’t have to be difficult. Philadelphia has so much to offer, so let’s make some magic together in this beautiful city! 

*A few spots that I love but haven’t done a proper photo shoot at are Material Culture and BOK, so if anyone wants to make that happen for me, I would be eternally grateful.