PICKING A LOCATION
Picking a location for a session can be hard. You may be wondering: How does the location represent me? Do I want it to represent me? Will it go with my outfit? What if it's crowded? What if it's not crowded enough? Will the location I pick work for the flowers in season? I want a location I'll love for the rest of time. Where can I find some place like that?
Trust me: We've all been there! Here are some of my personal favorite locations in Connecticut and beyond.
ELIZABETH PARK (Hartford, CT)
Elizabeth Park is beautiful for capturing nature and a popular location for photographers. During spring, the garden is full of blooming flowers. Clients enjoy taking photos underneath the flower arches. It's expansive with much space to enjoy the various flowers. You will often see people having picnics, throwing a ball around, or the occasional wedding photos being captured. I recommend wearing clothing with few patterns. Clients often wear dresses, sandals, or khaki shorts. The best times to go are during the early morning or golden hour.
To see more of Elizabeth Park, check out their website here.
Harkness Memorial state park (waterford, ct)
Harkness Memorial Park has so much to offer! You will often find people having picnics, flying kites, hosting weddings, or exploring the expansive flower gardens. The flowers are in full bloom by mid-summer, making it a beautiful place to capture your graduate memories. Harkness not only has expansive fields, flower gardens, and a gorgeous mansion, but it also has an accessible beach. It is the most expansive location if you're looking for diverse portraits. I recommend wearing clothing with little patterning. People may opt for dresses, sandals, and/or khaki shorts. The best time to take photographs here is at sunset. Aside from your portrait experience, I recommend coming back here for a picnic, family day, or romantic date!
To see more of Harkness, check out their website here.
west greenwich sand dunes (west greenwich, ri)
I consider West Greenwich a little gem. Once meant to be a large parking lot/building, the project was abandoned and sand was left behind by builders. Now, the dunes make for a great location to capture portraits in a desert-like scenery. It is incredibly vast with few people around. Once of my favorite parts of this location is the grassy field directly next to the sand. Summer or winter, the field is a beautiful place to frolic! Because the sand is so neutral, clothing with patterns can be a fun way to add some life to the dunes. If you are shooting in the field, I recommend more neutral clothing. I recommend shooting during golden hour for magically warm images.
To see an overview of this location, click here.
topsmead state forest (litchfield, ct)
Can Topsmead be our little secret? Rolling hills, open fields with tall grass, a butterfly garden, lake, and adorable tudor-style homes? This is a perfect location! Topsmead is expansive. This location is perfect for the summer if you're looking to frolic in endless fields. This location offers beautiful diversity with opportunities to take images next to their lake, in the fields, or next to the homes. You can even get a tour of the homes to learn about the history of how Topsmead State Forest came to be!
To see more of Topsmead, check out their website here.
silver sands state park (milford, ct)
Silver Sands has a beach and a beautiful boardwalk to capture photos. It also has benches and tall wheat fields. Many people come here to picnic, bird watch, or stroll on the boardwalk. This location offers the potential for gorgeous sunsets, especially during spring and summer. The boardwalk may become more populated during the summer months, but the possibilities for timeless graduation photos is endless.
To see more of Silver Sands, check out their website here. Please be aware that no alcohol is allowed here (sorry, college grads).
OTHER LOCATION OPTIONS
Although those are my favorite locations, here are some others to consider when choosing your session location:
Wicked tulips flower farm (Preston, CT)
Wicked Tulips is beautiful and a perfect location for springtime sessions. This location offers rows of vibrant tulips to frolic in. They even have an option to pick your own tulips. This location is only open for a short period of time in the spring when the tulips are in bloom. Because the flowers are so vibrant, I recommend wearing clothing with few patterns. Solid pastels and black/white are a wonderful choice. Clients often wear dresses, sandals, or khakis/khaki shorts. The best time to go is near golden hour. Please be aware that this location can get quite busy, so if you are more introverted/less comfortable with others around, there are always other locations to consider!
To see more of Wicked Tulips, check out their website here.
your high school or college campus
This is more tailored to graduates, but some choose to have their sessions at their high school as well. Having a session at your campus can be a wonderful way to capture some of your best college memories including: Places you studied, saw friends, etc. Graduates often want photos next to statues or monuments on campus.
Graduates often choose to wear clothing such as a dress shirt, graduation-type dress, suit, etc.
tree farm
Tree farms can be another wonderful location, especially in the winter. Plus, if there is snow on the ground, it makes the photos all the more magical. Tree farms often offer the ability to spread out and get creative among the landscape.
I recommend wearing clothing with less patterns. Bold colors opposite of the elements can be a wonderful color palette (e.g., reds, pastels, white, etc.). Consider shoes appropriate for the (often uneven) terrain.
untermeyer park and gardens (yonkers, ny)
Untermeyer is a slight drive out of CT and near NYC. Created with inspiration from Lake Como, this beautiful location offers flower gardens and walkways mirroring Italy's stunning architecture.
To check out more of Untermeyer, check out their website here.
Rockwell park (Bristol, ct)
Rockwell Park is a beautiful location with much to offer. The park includes walking paths, a stream, bridge, fountain, and a nature-like boardwalk trail. This is a wonderful location for branding and headshots and graduate portraits. There are also sports fields and a skate park.
To see more of Rockwell Park, check out their website here.
Saville Dam (barkhamsted, ct)
Located in Litchfield county, the Saville Dam is a quaint reservoir that looks like a mini castle. This location is wonderful for Halloween sessions, pets, and more. There is a small river nearby and hill you can capture photos on.
To check out more of Saville Dam, click here.
PET FRIENDLY LOCATIONS
Below is a list comprised of pet friendly (usually dogs/cats) locations to consider. Some locations are only open seasonally.
Open year-round
- Topsmead State Forest (Litchfield, CT)
- Wadsworth Falls (Middletown, CT)
- Elizabeth Park (Hartford, CT) - Dogs are allowed but not in the flower fields.
- Gouveia Vineyards (Wallingford, CT)
- Hubbard Park (Meriden, CT)
open seasonally
- Jennings Beach (Fairfield, CT) - Open October 1 - April 1
- Compo Beach (Westport, CT) - Open October 1 - March 31
- Bluff Point State Park (Groton, CT) - Open September 2 - March 31
