The 10 most fabulous Engagement Photo Locations in Phoenix

YAY!!

Congratulations – you are engaged to the man of your dreams…It’s time to start planning your wedding and it’s also time to find a great engagement location. (shameless plug – if you still need a photographer, I’d love a chance to talk with you)

I can honestly say that I feel like an expert in this area (Not to toot my own horn or anything), and I’d love to share the Top Ten most fabulous Engagement Photo Locations in Arizona…Some of them will surprise you!
Be advised that this list consists of (mostly) free locations that we love. It was really hard to pick only 10 locations. There are so many locations and for a small permit/admission you can nearly take photos anywhere. (always ask & receive permission before entering private property)

Number 10:

Papago Park in Phoenix – This park is right next door to the Phoenix Zoo. It is a wonderful mix of Arizona Desert, green reeds, a Lake, hiking trails, “hole in the rock”, and amazing sunsets. Papago park made the list because of the ease of getting to the location and diversity in photo backgrounds. Plus the zoo is right next door – if you wanted to pay admission, you’d open up a whole new world of amazingness.

Number 9:

Scottsdale Civic Center – This area is full of great photo locations. There is the “Traditional” LOVE statue photo, but there are so many other nooks and crannies. You can get some unique images here with the Civic Center Park and Old Town Scottsdale. The Civic Center made the list for it’s huge variety of locations all in a very small area.

Number 8:

The Botanical Gardens – I love this location! Although not free (but you can pick up Free Cultural Passes from the Library), it offers an amazing variety of photo spots. After all the times we’ve been there – I still don’t think I’ve seen everything. It would take days to find all the unique and amazing photo locations. This made the list because I love the architecture, there are often different pieces of artwork/statues, and not a lot of photographers think about it as an option for engagement photo locations

Number 7:

Freestone Park in Gilbert – Kiwanis Park in Tempe – Red Mountain Park in Mesa – Each of these parks has a “Lake”. With the green grass, green trees and the water – the images are always a huge success. Again, lots of locations for photo spots (are you seeing a theme??). And sunset photos always look amazing! These parks made the list because they are all in the East Valley and I love sunset photos with the water.

Number 6:

Northern Scottsdale Desert – Up near the mountains, out until you hit a dirt road…drive until you can’t drive anymore….The Arizona desert doesn’t get better than this. The sky seems bluer, the rocks and landscape add so much, and then there is the Saguaro Cacti. This location just screams ARIZONA – and it’s perfect for those clients that want to share this fabulous state with friends and family. This location made the list because of how it best represents Arizona. (Be safe while in the desert. We’ve encountered a snake while doing photos once. Take care and don’t use this location if it’s warm out (above 80 degrees for more than a week) – this location is definitely a “winter” location)

Number 5:

Mill Avenue & Tempe Town Lake – Urban and loving it!! I love Mill Avenue and Tempe Town Lake – because of the laid back community. Easy to find creative photo locations and not too many people (depending on when you go). Please remember No Flash Photography while the train in entering and leaving the station (I totally got called out by the train conductor during this shoot. It was too funny). This location made the list of great photo spots because of the urban style that I love.

Number 4:

DC Ranch Market Place – Located in Scottsdale, this area is crazy awesome. I don’t think I’ve even hit the tip of the iceberg with all the different looks I can get in one location. The bridge is a favorite – and who doesn’t like taking photos in the middle of a busy street (don’t worry, the cars will drive around you)…There is desert, unique buildings, and green areas….DC Ranch made the list because it’s like everything you want all in one spot.

Number 3:

Old Town Gilbert – I’m a big believer in getting the most out of your engagement images. I want to have a variety of “backgrounds” but still not spend too much time getting to each background. Old Town Gilbert gives you exactly that. Green spots, unique buildings, cute benches, ally ways…the list goes on and on. This engagement photo location made the list because it’s practically my backyard (I’m totally biased). Our studio is located in Old Town Gilbert, so it makes doing sessions there super easy.

Number 2:

Coons Bluff & The Salt River – Wow, we’re already to number 2. I love the outdoors. I love water, trees, the beautiful sky! And whenever we have the changing of seasons (it doesn’t happen all that often in Arizona) I love capturing the beauty and warmth. Coons Bluff is a camping spot along the Salt River. Depending on the time of year – you have access to the river bottom, unique trees that either look green or burnt down, tall grass, desert landscape and a fabulous stripped road that doesn’t get hardly any traffic. Keep an eye out for wildlife – we’ve had a tarantula join us on the road (he walked right into our photo and then left just as quickly). Coons bluff and the Salt River made the list because it’s the “wild” within 45 minutes of Phoenix. The location looks as if we traveled hours to get there.

Number 1:

The Best Engagement Photo location in Phoenix? We call it the “Golden Nugget” of engagement photo locations. We usually start somewhere…like a park or downtown somewhere. Maybe even our clients home. And then we drive…we all pile in my mini-van and we drive until we see something that looks interesting. We’ve created some amazing engagement images with this technique. It sounds non traditional. And it’s not for everyone. But if you’re a little bit adventurous – or if you’re wanting something that NO ONE else has done….then give it a try. Each time we take a couple out to “see what we can find”, we have the most amazing time.

If you’d like more information about our engagement photo pricing or how we include engagement photos in our wedding collections – Give us a call 602-628-0301

Want more engagement photo ideas? Check out these articles – 4 Pretty Engagement Outfit Ideas | 5 tips for getting fabulous engagement images

If you have more ideas for great locations in the Phoenix Area – Please leave a comment, we love sharing ideas!