1. Desert Botanical Gardens ($22/person admission fee still required)
This is my absolute favorite spot for desert landscape (and really, my favorite location in general). It has everything - varying cactus, lots of saguaros, desert plants, wildflowers, you name it. There are also beautiful pathways and stone walls. It's easy to get around, and well worth the price of admission! You might even learn something while you're there!
2. Scottsdale Civic Center Mall/Old Town Scottsdale
Miss the green grass and big trees of your midwest home? This place is for you. They do a great job keeping it very green all year round, and it's where you'll find the LOVE sign (although I try to stay away from it for much of the session). There are benches, and cool walls, and trees. If you head into Old Town Scottsdale, you'll find lots of other rustic, historic spots to capture as well.
Downtown Chandler has a great mix of options. There are urban building backgrounds, a little patch of grass, and great restaurants. The San Marcos Hotel offers fantastic romantic options as well with their white pillars, climbing ivy, and a fountain.
4. The Farm at South Mountain
Being a restaurant first and farm second, The Farm at South Mountain charges a fee to take photos. But I think it's completely worth it if you're into that vintage farm style. They have an amazing white fence with ivy growing all over it with one of the most impressive views of South Mountain you'll ever see, fantastic trees in a line that create some great backgrounds, benches, buildings, you name it. I love this spot.
5. Orange Patch
The Orange Patch is the official store for those orange groves you see in northeast Mesa. This has become quite the popular place, which has forced them to charge a fee to take photos there. Again, worth it if you love the spot. The store itself is an adorable small wood building with benches and cute windows. Around the store is a beautifully manicured orange grove and a fun old water tower. A great spot if you're looking for some green with a pop of something else!
6. McCormick Stillman Railroad Park
While marketed to kids for a fun filled day of trains, this park has so much more to offer. I love it for all types of photo sessions. Of course, it makes sense for family sessions, as this is a very kid-friendly spot. But I also love it for engagement sessions for those who are kids at heart. The vintage carousel creates a fun, romantic backdrop. The grass and trees in the very large park area create a nice spot to get creative. They have an old gazebo to play with as well! And, of course, trains.
7. South Mountain/Scorpion Gulch
Another great location for those looking for a traditional desert, rustic backdrop. With lots of cactus, saguaros, and other desert vegetation growing on the various sections of the mountain, you get a great full desert in your photos. At the bottom of the mountain there's an old run down stage coach stop called Scorpion Gulch. Much of it's original stone building is still standing. At the top of the mountain is a great view of the Phoenix valley, and allows for some amazing sunset photos and silhouettes!
8. Tempe Center for the Arts/Tempe Town Lake
At the north end of Mill Avenue in Tempe sits the unique and artistic Tempe Center for the Arts. It's a great spot for those who want a more modern feel to their photos. The center itself has many varying walls to play with, including a whole wall of fountains. The surrounding area is grassy with some sparse trees, but enough to get the green feel some people want.
9. Gilbert Riparian Preserve
I love the Riparian for those looking for nice weeds (yes, there is such a thing). The Riparian is home to a ton of desert vegetation in a park atmosphere, so it's a little easier to navigate than actually being out in the wilderness. It also offers lots of varying desert backdrops - saguaros, desert trees, flowering bushes, and WEEDS. It has a lake, too!
10. Heritage Square
This is a crazy special spot in the middle of Downtown Phoenix. This historic location offers a lot of fantastic, vintage photo opportunities. It also offers a lot of shade for photos during the day. And if you time it right, the incredible trees might be flowering! The classic Rosson House Museum is an old victorian style house, that offers plenty of that antique vibe as well. Grass. Roses. Yellow doors. Love it all.
The Orange Patch is the official store for those orange groves you see in northeast Mesa. This has become quite the popular place, which has forced them to charge a fee to take photos there. Again, worth it if you love the spot. The store itself is an adorable small wood building with benches and cute windows. Around the store is a beautifully manicured orange grove and a fun old water tower. A great spot if you're looking for some green with a pop of something else!
6. McCormick Stillman Railroad Park
While marketed to kids for a fun filled day of trains, this park has so much more to offer. I love it for all types of photo sessions. Of course, it makes sense for family sessions, as this is a very kid-friendly spot. But I also love it for engagement sessions for those who are kids at heart. The vintage carousel creates a fun, romantic backdrop. The grass and trees in the very large park area create a nice spot to get creative. They have an old gazebo to play with as well! And, of course, trains.
Another great location for those looking for a traditional desert, rustic backdrop. With lots of cactus, saguaros, and other desert vegetation growing on the various sections of the mountain, you get a great full desert in your photos. At the bottom of the mountain there's an old run down stage coach stop called Scorpion Gulch. Much of it's original stone building is still standing. At the top of the mountain is a great view of the Phoenix valley, and allows for some amazing sunset photos and silhouettes!
At the north end of Mill Avenue in Tempe sits the unique and artistic Tempe Center for the Arts. It's a great spot for those who want a more modern feel to their photos. The center itself has many varying walls to play with, including a whole wall of fountains. The surrounding area is grassy with some sparse trees, but enough to get the green feel some people want.
I love the Riparian for those looking for nice weeds (yes, there is such a thing). The Riparian is home to a ton of desert vegetation in a park atmosphere, so it's a little easier to navigate than actually being out in the wilderness. It also offers lots of varying desert backdrops - saguaros, desert trees, flowering bushes, and WEEDS. It has a lake, too!
10. Heritage Square
This is a crazy special spot in the middle of Downtown Phoenix. This historic location offers a lot of fantastic, vintage photo opportunities. It also offers a lot of shade for photos during the day. And if you time it right, the incredible trees might be flowering! The classic Rosson House Museum is an old victorian style house, that offers plenty of that antique vibe as well. Grass. Roses. Yellow doors. Love it all.
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