While “adventure sessions” do make for some of my favorite photo session experiences, long drives up mountain dirt roads and intense hikes through the woods aren’t the only way to get to photo locations with epic views. Some spots are hiding right where you’d least expect! Here are photos from sessions that took place at locations that were SUPER easily accessed (not even joking — literally a few steps from a parking lot or within a short 2-minute walk)
These spots are perfect for people who:
-Have small children
-Have an injury/disability/a difficult time walking
-Want to spend less time hiking and more time photographing
-Might have booked a long session and want to include multiple separate locations while still maximizing photo time
1.) You want dreamy “golden hour” photos. I strategically schedule sessions during two specific parts of the day in order to take advantage of the most flattering light: sunrise (or the first two hours of daylight) and sunset (or the last two hours of daylight) are the best times of day in terms of lighting for photos.
2.) You want an intimate experience. Colorado Springs is touristy, y’all. Expect to work around lots of people and other photographers at popular locations during sunset times — especially during weekends in peak season (summer/fall). But if you want to almost guarantee a location all to yourselves so you can better stay in the moment or maybe calm some nerves, sunrise is the way to go. Trust me, nothing compares to a quiet, still morning in nature with the company of love of your life and the wildlife waking up with the sun.
3.) You can handle it being a little chilly. Colorado mornings are sometimes brisk, even in the summer and especially in the mountains. Prepare to wear layers, or at least bring a light jacket along to throw on in between shots just in case you get cold. I normally only suggest sunrise sessions during warmer months when the temps are mild, unless the couple requests a specific location in winter and the location is only suitable during sunrise.
4.) You are flexible about locations. Because of the orientation of the mountains to the west here in COS and the sunrise to the east, some locations only work well for sunset photo times. This means that location options are slightly limited for sunrise sessions. NO WORRIES, THOUGH. Because limited locations does NOT mean less beautiful locations. It just means we will try to only shoot at locations that are going to set you up for flattering light and great views.
*IF YOU ARE DEAD SET ON A SPECIFIC LOCATION, LET ME KNOW BEFORE SCHEDULING YOUR SESSION SO THAT I CAN TELL YOU IF IT’S BEST SUITED FOR SUNRISE, SUNSET, OR BOTH.
My top favorite locations for sunrise sessions in Colorado Springs are pictured below. One is a mountain location that feels like absolute MAGIC in the morning having the whole place dead quiet and empty as the sun gradually floods the valley. The other is Garden of the Gods, and I’m not even joking when I say that most mornings I’ve shot at GOTG there hasn’t been another person in sight the whole time (which if you’ve ever been to GOTG, you know is crazy because there’s always hundreds of people there anytime else).
Here are a handful of photos from sunrise sessions I’ve shot at those locations!
Choosing a photoshoot location in Colorado Springs is one of the most exciting parts of planning your session here — mostly because there’s no shortage of EPIC landscapes in every direction you look. That being said, it can be overwhelming to narrow the never-ending list of scenic spots down to your one picture-perfect photo session location. Here are some tips for choosing your Colorado Springs engagement photo location:
1. Ask your Colorado Springs photographer
If you don’t know where to begin, the first thing to do is turn to your photographer for help. I’m Erin Malcolm and I’m a Colorado Springs based photographer. All of my clients receive my exclusive Colorado Springs Photo Location Guide upon booking. It has an extensive list of my top photo locations in and around Colorado Springs, along with in-depth descriptions, and photos from actual sessions I’ve shot at each place. If you still can’t pick a spot after reviewing my ideas, I’m more than happy to set out and location scout to find a totally new location that exceeds your wildest dreams! I’ve lived in Colorado all my life and know most of the state like the back of my hand. I’m so glad to be in your corner to help you pick the perfect place!
2. Seek out the Sentimental
Sometimes it’s not all about the views a photoshoot location offers, but rather the memories. I love it when clients pick a location because of its sentimental value to them specifically. For example, the couple pictured above chose to have their Colorado Springs Photo Session at Red Rocks Canyon Open Space because it was the location of their first hike together when they moved to Colorado. Now this spot signifies more than just their “firsts” when moving to Colorado, but their “firsts” when starting their life and family together. The emotion that is evoked when looking at photos with such careful intention woven through them is like nothing else. Take a bit to brainstorm some places in Colorado that have significant meaning to you and send me a list with reasons why. It’s okay if they’re a little out of the norm — we might be able to come up with some cool concepts around them!
3. Consider the Experience
What kind of photo experience you have will be heavily impacted by the location you choose. If you want an intimate session, picking a popular tourist spot like Garden of the Gods is not your best option. If you want a quick session, a spot with lots of hiking or driving involved like Pikes Peak won’t work. If you want unique views that nobody else has, staying in town at a local park like Bear Creek probably isn’t ideal. Think about the type of experience you want, and I’ll help suggest locations that will start to piece the photo session of your wildest dreams together!
If there’s anything I can do to help make your Colorado Springs photo session location selection process easier for you, reach out! The planning process is meant to be fun and exciting, and I’m always here to help make that happen for you.
These love birds are newbies to Colorado Springs, so I knew I had to pull out all the stops when they decided to give me the privilege of picking the location for their annual couple photo session.
I get SO giddy when couples ask me to pick their session location! A.) It allows my creative juices to FLOOD. B.) It tells me that they trust my direction which is SO essential. When clients FULLY trust their photographer to take the reins and do what they do best, the results are MAGICAL.
And the location I chose is magical too, let me tell ya. This Southern Colorado Springs oasis has it ALL. Mountain views, a pond, trees, greenery, field space, red rock formations, you name it. Basically, it’s a mini, lesser-known Garden of the Gods with a whole lot more variety and a whole lot less tourists. BINGO! That’s my kind of place. Pair that with almost-autumn scenery, a precious couple, real connection and emotion, some bomb lighting, and well, the result is this….
Olga and Shane requested mountain views, laidback adventure vibes, and proximity to Denver for their Colorado engagement session.
My immediate response: Mount Falcon Park.
We hiked, climbed rocks, frolicked in flower fields, and had the time of our lives exploring one of my favorite photo session spots near the foothills. A storm rolled in once our session ended and I couldn’t help but take a seat in the rain on top of one of the rock outcroppings and thank God that I get to meet kind couples and explore His creation with them to document their love in one of the most beautiful places on earth FOR A LIVING.
When this sweet couple received their gallery, Olga sent me an email that said, “Oh! My! Goodness!!! These are beautiful! I can’t believe that’s actually us! I absolutely love them. Thank you thank you thank you! I have no words!!! These are absolutely perfect! Thank you so so much. I honestly cannot stop looking through them. We love them! Thank you again for being such an amazing photographer. You made our engagement shoot so memorable.”
It’s reactions like that that make this photographer’s heart SWELL UP and OVERFLOW. Olga and Shane, if you’re seeing this, THANK YOU for being such amazing, generous clients and for making this dream job of mine so worthwhile!
When I first visited Walnut Creek Metro Park to scout the area for this Couples Session, I’ll admit that I wasn’t that thrilled to shoot there. As an adventure photographer who started out in Colorado, I guess it’s fair to say that I’ve always been spoiled when it comes to locations for photoshoots and hiking. The number of spots to shoot that offer sprawling mountain ranges, snowcapped peaks, alpine lakes, etc. are too many to count where I’m from! So, the idea of shooting at a crowded city park on the outskirts of the major city of Austin, Texas was… slightly underwhelming…?
But that mindset changed when I met Cynthia and Lee at the park on the day of their shoot. They were both so eager to show this newbie Texan around one of their favorite stomping grounds. We hiked through wooded forests together on that Saturday evening as they led me to a canyon like riverbed where dogs ran freely and kiddies splashed in the water and bicyclists descended into a rocky river crossing. We started their photoshoot there then decided to hike to the other side of the park to shoot at a bridge.
Though, we never even made it to the bridge because we kept getting sidetracked by even better hidden gems along the way. (If you’ve shot with me before, you know that’s not a surprise though. My sessions are laid-back, go-with-the-flow and off the beaten path — that’s part of what my clients love about adventure shoots with me!) We cut through branches to shoot in a small patch of cacti, ventured off trail to dance in some dreamy back-lit trees, and ended the session with some cozy sitting cuddles in tall, winter field grass.
I didn’t go into the session feeling all that excited to explore a downtown park and participate in a so called “hike” that I knew would be more like a moderate walk on cement paths instead of the treacherous backcountry hikes I’m used to in the Rockies. But I left the session with a completely new view on my new home of Austin, Texas. It’s beautiful. In its own ways, of course. No, there’s no Pike’s Peak or Maroon Bells. And yes, I may always be partial to my home of Colorado. BUT after exploring this area with a rad couple of clients, I’m so excited to keep shooting here while making the most of what my new home has to offer. Here’s to seeing things in a new way. After all, photography is all about perspective. Isn’t it?
The other day, I heard a saying about hair stylists also doubling as therapists because, for whatever reason, people feel comfortable opening up to them about anything and everything. And, after working with Meredith, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a saying more accurate.
Meredith is a hair dresser in the quiet, rural town of Elizabeth, Colorado and is everything one could want in a hair stylist — relatable, kind, a good listener, and an even better advice giver. During our consultation for her branding shoot, she mentioned that she’d like to keep the style as natural as possible. Posing was not on the agenda, instead we’d go for a candid lifestyle approach that reflected her fun-loving, free spirit, and love for the Lord that clients experience when they come in for a cut or color.
After an hour of gallivanting around parks in the area, playing on the front steps of her salon, and strolling in the middle of Mainstreet Elizabeth, I think we were right on the money of capturing just that. It was confirmed when I showed the gallery to a friend of mine right after delivery and her response was, “WOW. First, she is such a natural beauty. Second, these images say, ‘Please, come inside, have a seat in my chair, and let’s have a girl chat.’ She’s so warm and inviting! I’m going to go book an appointment with her right now!” If that doesn’t scream brand shoot success, I don’t know what does.
Erin L Malcolm Creative 