5 Amazing Central Iowa Photography Locations
Every great photo session starts with the perfect location, whether you’re trying to capture maternity portraits, family photos, or baby portraits. You need a location that creates the look, feel and color scheme you want but that also lends itself to convenient photo-taking with the right lighting, space to move around, and safety for kids. Where do you even begin to search?
As a professional photographer, I’ve spent years scoping out the best photography spots in central Iowa, so here are my top favorites.
Ledges State Park
Iowa’s Ledges State Park is named for, of course, its stunning rock ledges that are unique among Iowa’s typical landscapes of plains and low rolling hills. Those rock ledges happen to make for some gorgeous photos, as do other areas of this park like the adorable cobblestone bridge.
Peterson Pits
If you’re not familiar with the Peterson Pits, it’s a lake structure inside Peterson Park in Ames, Iowa. The Peterson Pits were quarries long ago and have since been retired and filled in, creating lakes that make for beautiful outdoor photos. Whether you want your backdrop to be a tree-lined lake or a beachier look, we can make it happen at this local spot.
Ada Hayden Heritage Park
Ada Hayden Heritage Park is a popular park in Ames that largely centers around a lake. This gives us fabulous portraits in front of the lake, but it especially shines during the fall with vibrant leaf colors for us to play with.
Iowa State University Campus
The Iowa State University campus is an absolutely gorgeous part of the central Iowa community, so why not put it to use in your next photo session? The campus is full of rich green lawns and tree-lined paths which make for amazing portraits if your photographer can frame them well. The campus also has plenty of buildings with spectacular facades that look great in portraits.
Lovely Moments by Synthia Studio
Outdoor photos have the potential for a gorgeous, natural look you’ll be proud to display on your walls. But there are certain advantages to indoor portraits too, which is why one of my favorite spots is my newly revitalized photo studio in Story City, IA. Conveniently located in downtown Story City, my studio is outfitted for the perfect portrait experience. For maternity photos, newborn portraits, baby photos, and family portraits, my studio gives us the flexibility to customize your photo session and provides a private, comfortable environment where you can feel free to be yourself.
Finding Your Perfect Photo Location
Not sure which of these central Iowa photography locations is best for your family’s next photo session? You don’t have to – that’s part of the benefit of hiring a professional photographer. Contact Lovely Moments by Synthia today to chat about your photo session and what you’re looking for and I can help you plan every detail.
