My Favorite 5 Outdoor Photoshoot Locations | Portland, Oregon
We all know many different stresses can come with booking a professional photoshoot, and finding the perfect location can be one of them! As a professional photographer, I have spent hours (and many driving miles) scouting out the perfect photoshoot locations outside of Portland, Oregon.
So many factors go into what I consider to be a great photoshoot location, including how much space there is for kids to run and play, backdrops, lighting, ease of getting to and from, and so much more. I also tend to gravitate toward locations that aren’t super crowded (as you will see scrolling through my list below).
outdoor photoshoot location #1 - Champoeg State Park | St. Paul, Oregon
Champoeg State Park is by far my favorite location to use for photoshoots. Not only is it easy to navigate once you get there, it has 678 acres of beautiful natural area. From open fields and a heritage area with a rustic barn, to a more wooded area and even a river with a picturesque dock, this location gets a 10/10 from me everytime. I love that I can have three photoshoots there within the same week, and none look the same (they don’t even look like they were taken at the same location!). Major bonus - plenty of space for kids to run around, play and explore! You can check out more about Champoeg State Park here, and also by visiting these blogs from some of my past sessions there: Fall Maternity Photos | Portland, Oregon; Why Fall is One of the Best Times to get Photos Taken; Fall Family Photos | Champoeg State Park St. Paul, Oregon. Just a quick note - while these blogs are all from the fall season, this is a great spot for photoshoots in the other three seasons as well!
Outdoor Photoshoot Location #2 - Graham oaks nature park | wilsonville, oregon
Graham Oaks Nature Park in Wilsonville is another one that has plenty of wide open spaces for everyone to spread out and the kiddos to run and play. There are grassy fields (one of my favorite backdrops) and even a beautiful old Oak Tree that makes for some beautiful photos. This one is also easy to navigate but plan to walk about 10 minutes to get to the “good spots”. Bonus - there’s a paved pathway throughout the entire park which makes this easy!
To learn more about Graham Oaks Nature Park go here.
Outdoor Photoshoot location #3 - cooper mountain nature park | beaverton, oregon
Want a location for your next photoshoot that has a beautiful view in the background? Look no further than Cooper Mountain Nature Park! Not only do you get an amazing view, there are also grassy fields, winding pathways, pine trees and a bridge. While there is no shortage of space here, it does tend to get crowded, and. photographers are required to stay on the pathways. There is one exception - they recently created “photography areas” where you can go on the grass and take photos which is really convenient! Again, this does tend to get overrun with people and photographers, so I try to schedule these sessions on less busy week days.
Go here to learn more about Cooper Mountain Nature Park.
outdoor photoshoot location #4 - lavender fields | Sherwood & Newberg, Oregon
Lavender fields are one of my favorite locations for outdoor photoshoots near Portland. They are in full bloom in July and absolutely heavenly to visit. Major bonus - the entire field smells amazing! Lavender field photos have that dreamy look to them and the colors just pop. I have two locations I love to use: Carriage House Lavender in Sherwood, and Wayward Winds Lavender in Newberg. Every year I do lavender field mini sessions and they are so much fun! If you haven’t already, subscribe to my email list and be the first to know when these dates are released!
You can visit these blogs to learn more about lavender field photoshoots at both Carriage House Lavender and Wayward Winds Lavender Farm: Lavender Field Family Photos; What to Wear for Lavender Field Family Photos.
outdoor photoshoot location #5 - rowena crest | columbia river gorge
While this one is a bit of a drive (2 hours for me to be exact) let me tell you - it is SO worth it. Nowhere else this close to Portland can you get these breathtaking views. Wildflowers bloom at Rowena Crest in late April through May, so this is the ideal time to go (though you can go anytime of year for photos). It does tend to get pretty windy up there so make sure to come prepared with plenty of layers for everyone in the family.
Learn more about Rowena Crest here and check out my blog post Columbia River Gorge Family Photoshoot | Rowena Crest for more information on this amazingly unique location.
So there you have it, my top 5 outdoor photoshoot locations near Portland. While there are so many other great locations for photoshoots around this area, if I had to choose 5 those would be the clear winners!
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