Looking for the best location for your photos?
After completing HUNDREDS of photoshoots for families, couples, and seniors all over the greater Austin area, I have cur-rated a list of dozens of beautiful and unique locations. Honestly, I find new hidden gems every year. Austin has so many iconic locations including stunning landscapes, luscious gardens, impressive architecture, and colorful murals. You are bound to find something that fits your vibe in Austin.
This quick location breakdown will give you my top 3 of each area in Austin. (North, South, East & West.) Each area will include two locations that are free to photograph in, as well as one location that requires a photography fee. Let's get into it!
North
San Gabriel Park
Located in Georgetown, this sprawling park lines the San Gabriel river with enormous trees, gravel paths, and foot bridges. During the spring season the blooms in the sunken garden are vibrant, and you might even get a shot of one of the resident cranes in the background!
Brushy Creek Lake Park
This park is an absolute crowd favorite. Tucked away on the east side of Cedar Park, this large park area is known for its wide open field at the park's center. In the spring you will find an abundance of bluebonnet flowers, then endless yellow and orange blooms, and by fall you have the golden tall grass perfect for those golden hour glowey photos. This location is also equipped with a dock for cute water pictures.
Garey House - $
Garey House is located within Garey Park, which is a beautiful park on its own. This tuscan inspired architecture can take your pictures to a whole new level, as if you were vacationing in the countryside of Italy. You can choose to rent just the grounds for photos, or access to the full house if you want photos in the romantic foyer or decorative stone fireplace.
East
Downtown "Rooftop"
Not everyone is looking for a nature backdrop to their photos. Looking for something as little more "edgy" that showcases the fast paced city that you love? Maybe this view of Austin's surrounding skyline from 10 floors up might do the trick!
Mueller Lake Park
Located in the highly sought after Mueller neighborhood, this beautifully manicured park surrounding a large lake is a solid portrait location! Including a beautiful vine covered column portion near the lake, weeping willow trees, and a stone "beach".
Sekrit Theater - $
The Sekrit Theater is the embodiment of "Keep Austin Weird". It's someone's epic backyard adorned with an antique style greenhouse, remodeled 70s school bus, antique teal ford truck, and a clawfoot tub. Every direction you turn is a new quirky prop or backdrop. This location is used very often for proposals not only due it is so scenic, it is also a more private setting since you rent out the entirety of the space.
West
Red Bud Isle
This is one of those locations that most of my clients had never heard of before I recommend it. It is literally a little island on the Colorado River, only accessible from Redbud Trail. Most people who use this park use it as a location in load their kayaks into the river, leaving the actual island pretty quiet. The greenery is amazing and it's one of the few locations I have seen around Austin change colors during the fall. The crowning jewel of this location is the large fern tree with all of its exposed roots at the southern tip of the isle.
Commons Ford Ranch
Commons Ford is another location that has large sprawling flower fields during spring, and golden tall grass fields in the fall. One of the more unique elements of this park is the rustic wood barn.
Laguna Gloria - $
Located on the campus of The Contemporary Austin, Laguna Gloria is a historical and iconic venue is Austin, TX. Also known as the Driscoll Villa, the bright stucco walls and teal window frames are a dream for light and airy photography. The grounds are equally stunning with stone pergolas, bridges, and fountains.
South
Circle C Ranch
Between the amazing tall grass fields and big oak trees, this is another one of those crowd favorites. You can't go wrong at Circle C during golden hour. And thats why you will see so may families taking their holiday photos there in late October.
5 Mile Dam
This park is a one of a kind. Located in San Marcos along the Blanco River, with miles of tall limestone rock walls. When the water is low you will get small rock islands and clear reflections on the water. With all of the light colored stone, it lends to beautifully bright images.
McKinny Falls - $
McKinny Falls is another location where the rock formations are really the start of the show. Whether its the vast rock slabs on the ground, or the layered rock that creates the falls at the end of Onion Creek. This park is capable of creating some epic location photos. To use the McKinny Falls park, you just need to pay the entry fee into the park. A separate photography fee is not required.
Thanks for reading!
I hope this post has sparked some inspiration on where you would like to book your next photography session! When clients book with me I am happy to provide them with a list of over 30 amazing places to take photos in Austin, and that's really only scratching the surface of what Austin has to offer!
Happy planning!
XOXO,
Sierra Marie
