Top 5 Locations for Senior Pictures in Tyler, TX
One of the questions I get asked most when planning senior pictures, is where the pictures will be taken. My favorite thing about senior sessions is making it personal. I want each senior session to be unique and show that senior’s personality and preferences in a special way, so there is not a universal answer for this! I am always up for trying new places, and love to get creative with locations that other people would never think of! That being said, I have compiled this list of a few of my favorite locations in the Tyler area for senior portraits. These locations offer good light, scenery, variation and will give you a well rounded beautiful senior photo gallery!
Downtown Tyler (or Bullard, Mineola, Arp or wherever you live!)
For classic looking senior pictures, Downtown is a great option! I have shot mostly in Downtown Tyler, but any downtown will work. A great thing about doing pictures downtown, is that you can do them year round! Some other locations aren’t quite as pretty when leaves fall, or flowers aren’t blooming, but downtown remains the same, and therefore is a great location. This is one of the many reasons why it’s on the top of my list. I also love downtown for the variety it provides. There are always different colors of brick, glass windows, and different awnings from businesses to pose around. There are also great options for variety in posing, as there are places to stand, lean, kneel, and sit all within walking distance. I have done several photo shoots where we stayed downtown for the entire photo shoot and the photo galleries had so much variety!
Bonus tip for downtown pictures: End your photo shoot with epic sunset pictures on the rooftop! These have been some of my favorite shots!
2. Local Parks
I know, I know. This covers a lot, but it would be too hard to try and list each one separately! Each park offers something unique, but for the most part you’re getting some tall shady trees and gorgeous vibrant colors. Some of my favorites are:
the ROC
Legacy Trails
Rose Rudman/ Southside Park
Lindsay Park
South Spring Baptist Church - not technically a city park, but they generously open it to the public and have a pond, trails and disc golf, so I count it!
3. Your Campus
Whether you are graduating high school or college, your campus is a great place for pictures! As a high school senior, this is where the photos can be super unique for your seniors interests. Do you play football or cheer? Let’s take pictures on the field in your uniform! Basketball star? Let’s head into the gym for some photos. Run track? Show off your medals at the place where you earned them!
For the university graduates, not only are the universities in the area beautiful, making pictures look great, but you have spent so much time, money and efforts into earning that degree that I can’t think of a better place for pictures than on your campus. We can go to the buildings you spent most of your time at, or stay at the iconic locations, that will let anyone that seems them easily tell you were a graduate of that college. Let’s pop some champagne and celebrate all that hard work!
4. The Tyler Rose Garden
The Rose Garden is so unique to Tyler and offers such a great variety for pictures! I have mainly done family photo shoots at the Rose Garden, but there is a reason that I always bump into multiple photographers when I’m there. It’s beautiful for ANY type of photo shoot. The garden is 14 acres, boasting 35,000 rose bushes, but it is so much more than just roses! There is a small pond, a gazebo, plenty of walking paths, and a section that is more park like with a rolling hill, grass, trees and benches to sit on, making it a great location even when the roses are not in peak blooming season.
Learn more here https://visittyler.com/tylerrosegarden/
5. Private Land
This one is not super specific, but I couldn’t leave it out as most of my all-time favorite images were on my client’s private property or property of a friend. I know not everyone owns land (WAYYYY too expensive in Smith County!!), but most people know someone who does! Ask around and use your connections. Most people are more than willing to let a friend or acquaintance on their property for a few hours for photos. They love their property and want to share it, so don’t be afraid to ask!
As I said at the beginning, I also love to try out new locations! I have done photo shoots in fields beside Elementary schools, random cool looking buildings, the lake, construction sites, coffee shops, churches, around the Azalea district, and have been eyeing a mostly deserted parking lot. Anytime I drive around, I’m on the lookout for new locations that could make your next photo session unique and beautiful!
The great thing about senior sessions, is that you have the time to get multiple looks in multiple locations. So if you love the downtown look, but also want some gorgeous sunset pictures in a field, we can do it! The sky is the limit for your senior session.
Can you think of some local locations I should add to the list?? Let me know in the comments!