Where are the Best Family Photo Locations in the Twin Cities?
The Twin Cities are full of wonderful places to have a family photo session! This is my guide to what I consider the best location for family photos based on a number of guidelines that I have constructed which I believe make a family portrait session a success. 1) Beautiful light during the golden hour, 2) Open space free from distractions 3) A peaceful and private/semi-private setting.
Beautiful Light is More Important than a “Pretty” Backdrop
Photography is literally painting with light! So, this is why having a location with optimal light is always number one on my priority list over a location that may have dense, colorful trees or an ornate floral scene in the background. The key is finding a location which allows you to have open space in front of your subjects and soft light around them, or behind them for backlit photos. This is why having a session during the golden hour is often important for many family photographers. Golden hour is approximately an hour before sunset. As the sun gets closer to the horizon, light becomes diffused, and softer. This allows for both beautiful skin tones as well as pretty, golden light behind your subject. Where are good locations for a golden hour session in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities? Here are my favorites:
West Medicine Lake Park in Plymouth, MN
My location of choice in Plymouth has to be here! The thing is, this location isn’t even in the park itself, but across the street from the parking lot in a little prairie field with a small pond. Notice, this was late fall, no bright red or orange trees, but rather, beautiful light! Light is always more important!
A couple’s family photo shoot at West Medicine Lake Park, Plymouth, MN.
Why is a Location with Open Space Important for Good Photos?
There are two reasons that finding a family photography location with open space is beneficial. One has to do with the quality of light and the other with the happiness of kiddos! In addition to the time of day, it is also important that your location have open space for your subject to be surrounded by good quality light. Placing families on a forested or tree covered path will - although pretty when you are there - lead to dark and lifeless images. Remember, photography is all about painting with light. You can be among trees as long there is open space in front of your subject to bring light and life to their faces. There is a caveat to being in a completely open space though! If you are in a flat, prairie space with no trees or structures at all, you need to be careful that the sun is not too high in the sky otherwise the light will be very harsh and cause a lot of contrast and shadows on your subject. So, having an open space with trees or a structure behind your clients to filter the sun and open space in front of them is ideal! Then, as a the sun gets really low and close to the horizon you can bring them out in a completely open area with no trees at all as the light will be totally diffused as the sun sets.
Open space is also great for your clients to explore, run, and play! I never want my clients to be in a location where they are just standing with nothing to do, but I want them to have plenty of opportunities for movement. A place to run is perfect for children and older kids, but so is the opportunity to explore with their parents. My sessions are much less about posing, but about the experience the family is having together.
My Favorite Locations with Open Spaces
The following locations are ideal for open spaces because they have areas which are completely open and easy for families to explore and play in while also having some trees to filter the light. You will have plenty of space to get both beautiful pictures with sky and light as well as close, intimate pictures. Just a reminder for families and fellow photographers, always make sure you have a permit if necessary at the locations you choose! If you’re not sure call the city or park offices before a session. West Medicine Lake Park is city park and does not require a permit, but all of Three Rivers Park Districts in Hennepin County do! The two following locations are a part of the Three Rivers Park District and Require permits.
Crow Hassan Park. Hanover, MN
Crow Hassan Park has wide open fields for running and playing, but also trees in the background to filter out the sun’s rays as it sets.
Lowry Nature Center in Carver County Park
We are on top of the hills right next to the parking lot near the visitor center. The big sky and pretty light are breathtaking!
Private Locations for Family Photos
Finding a location that is completely private can be difficult, especially during the summer and fall, but there is a lot you can do to find a location that is not crowded or overrun with other people. 1) Shoot during the week and not on the weekends. The majority of my family photo sessions are weeknights or weekday afternoons (depending on when golden hour is! During the fall, golden hour is in later afternoon and summer time about 8:00!). If you are choosing a park location that you know has a lot of bike trails or a public beach, be aware that weekends tend to be busier. 2) Choose a location in the park where most people aren’t! More rural parks tend to have less traffic. I take my clients off the trails and into the fields. Just be aware of any restrictions and always keep safety and the comfort level of your clients in mind! Some clients are more adventurous than others while others prefer mowed grass! I will share both kinds of locations that work well! 3) Being in an area with less people will also allow for clients to be more relaxed and for you to get more authentic and emotive photographs. It will allow them to be real with each other. If a kiddo is having a hard time and needs a good cry, mom and dad will be more relaxed about it if there aren’t a lot of people around.
Tamarack Nature Center, White Bear Lake
Tamarack Nature Center is a very large park and nature center with plenty of space for your clients to explore! The location looks different every time I visit. Wildflowers in early summer gives way to tall grasses in late summer and fall.
Lake Minnewashta, Excelsior, MN
Lake Minnewashta has different locations by the lake and a nice beach that is rarely very busy during the early evenings!
More Traditional Family Picture Locations
Sometimes you need a location that is easy to access and a little less adventurous. Two of my favorites are Noerenberg Gardens in Orono, MN and Burwell House Park in Minnetonka, MN. Noerenberg Gardens is simply stunning. It’s a location that has it all. There are tall white pine trees on one side, manicured gardens in the middle, and Lake Minnetonka along the entire park. There is even a small field near the lake if you do have a more adventurous family that is willing to go a bit into “the wild.” I also like this location because it is really the only place I will shoot in the morning! As I said, my preference is to shoot at golden hour, but sometimes a family has little ones who are sound asleep by 7:00 and a summer golden hour shoot is not ideal. So, I will either recommend an early morning shoot at Noerenberg or that they wait until Fall when golden hour is earlier in the day. Just remember that Noerenberg Gardens requires a timed entry pass through Three Rivers Park District. They are very strict about this which is a good thing! It keeps the number of photographers in the park low so that you can have that privacy we talked about!
A beautiful grassy spot at the Noerenberg Gardens in Orono, MN. Notice the sun in the background being filtered by the trees and garden flowers and there is open space in front of my clients.
Burwell House Park not only does not require a permit and is a wonderful place for families with toddlers to explore. I do not shoot by the house because it does not have open space with good light, but the surrounding garden area does. I often shoot in the open grass area in front of the stone wall. The wall is such a fun place for kiddos to explore because you can take them on a little exploration to find engraved pictures hidden in the rocks of the wall! Pictures are of life during the early 1800s when the house was built. As the sun is setting you can also walk down to the creek which runs through the park for some beautiful golden hour photos. My advice is to shoot at Burwell during the week as there will be many more people on the weekends. Weeknight shoots are truly the to go!
This is at the lower end of Burwell House Park near the creek. A bridge is to your left and a walking path to your right.
There are so many other locations you can choose as well, but these are my favorite for privacy, open spaces, and light. Choose one of these locations for your next family photo shoot and let me know what you think!
OTHER FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY READS TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR NEXT SESSION!