Dallas Location Guide
by Leah Goetzel
Oak Lawn Park
Uptown, Dallas
Oak Lawn is one of my favorite locations because it combines an urban, city feel with a nice nature component. It has a beautiful gazebo and white pillared building that can add structure and interest to any shoot. And the lighting around sunset is gorgeous poking through the trees!
Best time of day : About an hour before sunset or right at sunrise.
Cost : free
Parking : unmetered spots on Lee pkwy
Accessibility : great! Easy parking, and relatively flat.
Griggs Park
Uptown, Dallas
Griggs park is a new spot for me located in Uptown. It provides a great downtown skyline shot. I love the cool residential feel. It reminds me a little of New York. If you want something super accessible and relatively quiet (unlike Deep Ellum or Downtown) but still with an urban vibe and neat architecture this spot might be for you!
Best time of day : Two hours leading up to sunset. If you want a skyline shot you definitely don't want harsh afternoon light.
Cost : free
Parking : metered and unmetered spots all around. I like parking off State and Thomas.
Accessibility : great! Easy parking and super easy to navigate.
Downtown Dallas
Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum is such a fun location, it might even be my favorite place to shoot. If you want an urban environment with lots of fun colors, this is the location for you! I love popping into local coffee shops and breweries to capture my couples vibe. There are tons of different murals scattered around, so go walk and explore! There's not a whole lot of shade in this location, so go in the evening or early morning! I also highly reccommend a weekday shoot as weekends can get very busy!
Best time of day : two hours leading up to sunset on a weekday. Not much shade and very crowded on weekends.
Cost : free
Parking : metered spots, parking lots and free parking on Crowdus street. Give yourself at least 15 minutes to find parking.
Accessibility : medium, relatively flat but lots of intersections and walking.
Downtown Dallas
Various Rooftops
So many great fun spots to explore! These garages are fantastic if you want skyline views. You can tack these spots onto Deep Ellum or Oak Lawn park! Sunrise or sunset is a must since there is no shade! It can also get a little windy!
Best time of day : hour before sunset, otherwise the light is much too harsh.
Cost : free + garage entry ($2-$10)
Parking : in the garages
Accessibility: medium, some have a few stairs to climb.
Margaret
Hunter Bridge
Downtown Dallas
This is a great spot to view the Dallas skyline. It's absolutely gorgeous around sunset, during the day it's much too bright and the bridge will be washed out. I definitely recommend this location during a weekday, parking is difficult and the bridge can be swarming with people.
Best time of day : hour before sunset on a weekday, no shade at all, tons of people on weekends.
Cost : free
Parking : usually free parking is available in the small lot in front of bridge
Accessibility : great once you find parking.
Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
East Dallas
The Botanical Gardens are a great location if you want a variety of backdrops and beautiful flowers and color. I love shooting here but lighting can be a bit tricky as they close at 5pm. I recommend getting here at 9am for the best light! However, some of my favorite shoots have been at this location.
Best time of day : 9am-10am, both for good light and lack of crowds
Cost : $15 entry per person including photographer.
Parking : $15 for parking including photographers, can get crowded so give yourself time to find a spot!
Accessibility : medium, very flat and easy to traverse but if you want a variety of locations there is a bit of walking.
White Rock Lake
East Dallas
Lots of amazing docks scattered throughout. There's also quite a bit of greenery for a more traditional backdrop. The lighting is quite harsh, sunrise or sunset shoots here are a must!
Best time of day : if you want the golden glow, the hour before sunset. But sunrise is nice too.
Cost : free
Parking : lots of free spots scattered off E. Lawther Lane.
Accessibility : great. Easy parking to dock access with some greenery close by.
Prairie Creek Park
North Dallas / Richardson
I love Prairie Creek Park because it is smaller and compact but provides some awesome backdrops. There's a small waterfall feature as well as a couple bridges. It can get a little crowded with local photographers but if you come on weekday you should be good! This is the location I shoot all my mini sessions at!
Best time of day : the morning, but this spot has lots of shade so all day it's great. It does get darker earlier because of the shade.
Cost : free
Parking : lots of street parking and a small lot off of W. Lookout Dr and W. Prairie Creek Dr.
Accessibility: medium, very accessible from the car and relatively compact. But the waterfall feature is rocky and a little hard to traverse.
Plano
Arbor Hills
Nature Preserve
If you want a more rustic vibe, with open fields and grass, Arbor Hills is the spot for you. It's quite a big park so if you're not able to traverse easily or have a stroller it may not be the best option. In order to get the most even, golden glow, a sunset shoot is a must! The cool lookout structure is about a 10 minute walk away, so if you're wanting that photo make sure to let me know!
Best time of day : two hours leading up to sunset
Cost : free
Parking : huge free lot with ample spots, can fill up on weekends.
Accessibility : poor. Must go down a hill or ramp in order to get to the open area. All the good spots are about a 5 minute walk. Flat shoes are advised!
Allen
Parker
Rose Garden
I found this spot after looking for months for a rustic barn, it is gorgeous! The lighting around sunset is the best I've seen at any location. If you're wanting a rustic look, or just beautiful golden light this location might be the spot for you!
Best time of day : two hours leading up to sunset
Cost : free
Parking : a big lot off of Gray Lane.
Accessibility : great. Most of the area is flat and relatively in close proximity!
Adriatic Village
Mckinney
This location is amazing and unlike anything else I've seen! You feel like you are in the Mediterranean. If you want a classic, romantic setting, this spot is fantastic!
Best time of day : hour leading up to sunset
Cost : free to use, $10 travel fee.
Parking : decent amount of street parking, some parking garages too.
Accessibility : great. This is a pretty concentrated area. There are some cobblestones but they're pretty easy to navigate.
Frisco
Frisco Square
I was recommended this location from a client living in the area and was so pleased with the spot. I loved the cool arches surrounding the square and the shops provided a cute, small town feel. Plus! The lighting was beautiful around sunset.
Best time of day : two hours leading up to sunset
Cost : free
Parking : lots of free parking
Accessibility : great. Very easy to access. Very flat.
Grapevine Lake
Grapevine
I recently found this location (hence only the photos of myself and Zain) and am obsessed! It looks straight out of California and the light is gorgeous around sunset! Super stoked to photograph here! Imagine a gorgeous, flow-y dress on that cliff!
Best time of day : hour before sunset
Cost : $50 photography permit fee, $25 travel fee
Parking : lots of parking scattered about
Accessibility : medium, if you just want photos on the beach, it's great! But if you want to get those epic cliff shots it's a little more tricky to traverse.
Grapevine Botanical Gardens
Grapevine
I looooove the Grapevine Botanical Gardens, it would be the absolute perfect location if it was just a little closer! It has a great mix of manicured florals, rustic touches, and wooded areas. There are several bridges, and ledges. And it's free to enter! This is a great shaded area, so great at all times of the day.
Best time of day : great all day!
Cost : free entry, $25 travel fee
Parking : two free lots
Accessibility : great. Incredibly accessible. Very flat and compact.
Grapevine
Stone Creek Park
A really lovely small park in Grapevine. There is a nice bridge and some greenery. But the showstopper is the creek which allows some gorgeous portraits.
Best time of day : three hours leading up to sunset
Cost : free entry, $20 travel fee
Parking : free street parking.
Accessibility : low. The main area of the park is great, but if you want any photos by the water be prepared to walk on some big, jagged rocks.
Fort Worth
Fort Worth Botanical Gardens
What a stunning location. These botanical gardens are massive, and there's something for everyone. It had such a unique feel that I really loved. And the lighting was beautiful. The only downside is there are quite a few additional fees.
Best time of day : evening in the winter or morning in the summer
Cost : $75 for entry, $50 travel fee
Parking : included
Accessibility : medium. The different gardens are quite spaced out, but usually there is a tram to transport you. Lots of steps and stones.
Gaylord Texan
Grapevine
I have been on the hunt for good indoor locations for months now and finally found a beautiful location! This spot has nearly a completely glass ceiling, which allows for lots of natural light. Unfortunately, this location must be chosen at your own risk as professional photoshoots are not technically allowed.
Best time of day : anytime!
Cost : $25 travel fee
Parking : $17, including the photographers
Accessibility : great, everything is in close proximity with few stairs.
Indoor Studio
I love photographing in studio! They are amazing because it takes away all uncertainty with weather related issues, too hot, too cold, rainy? Doesn't matter in a studio! They're also fantastic for high fashion shoots and family lifestyle sessions alike. I recommend the Lumen Room or the Space on Southside. Both great and very similar. The family photos are at the Lumen Room, the bridals at the Space on SouthSide.
Best time of day : pretty much anytime from sunrise to about late afternoon.
Cost : $75/hr to rent the space, no travel fee
Your Home!
Home locations are wonderful if you want a more intimate, lifestyle type session. If you want to show off your personality, like your kiddos playing with their toys or you and your partner having a morning coffee a home session is great! These are also perfect for younger kids! I can work with most homes, but if you have a couple windows with some nice natural light your images will look much better!
Best time of day : depends on the direction of your windows! If you have Eastern facing windows- mornings, Western - afternoon/evening, Southern - afternoon, Northern - mid day
Cost : no travel fee if you're 20 miles from 75082