3 Fun Outdoor Locations for Outdoor Family Portraits
Summer months are perfect for outdoor family portraits, especially here in Minnesota where winters get unpredictable. We have a lot of great outdoor locations here in the Twin Cities, but I would like to introduce you to a few that you may not have known about.
Muriel Sahlin Arboretum
2525 North Dale St. Roseville, MN, 55113
The Muriel Sahlin Arboretum is in Roseville, and is easily accessed a mile north of 36 on Dale street. The Arboretum is a beautifully maintained garden with a fountain, a pavilion that is often used for weddings, and a community vegetable garden open several mornings each week. There are also trails around a pond and wetlands with birds and wildlife. All this makes for great colorful backdrops for your portraits. It also offers opportunities for interactions and play in the fountain, climbing on the rocks, or running down hills to capture more environmental style shots for young children. The garden is perfect for all stages of families from couples looking for engagement sessions, family sessions with children, active child sessions, and older couples’ sessions wanting a quiet location.
Tamarack Nature Center
5287 Otter Lake Rd,
White Bear Township, MN 55110
Tamarack Nature Center is in White bear Township. It is a large park with a lot to do. There are a variety of different activities that keep it interesting for children from logs and stumps to stand, sit or walk on; to fields of wildflowers and hidden places with kid size tables and trees with doors; play areas with rocks to climb on; and vegetable gardens to discover. All these different activities are located close enough together so that children and parents can do them all without getting too tired walking from location to location.
Ritter Farm Park
19300 Ritter Trail Lakeville, MN 55044
Located just south of the metro in Lakeville, just off 35, Ritter Farm Park is a big park with miles of trails. This park is more natural than the other parks, with trails that are well maintained. The trails lead through woods and open groves of oak trees, over rivers, around lakes and ponds, and across open prairies of wildflowers and grasses. This location provides a very natural look to your portraits and opportunities for pictures of the family playing by a uniquely shaped tree or playing in the tall grasses and observing nature as a family.
These are just a few of the many exiting parks that we have here in the Twin Cities. They are hidden gems to consider as you plan your next family portrait session. Want more great location ideas? I encourage you to visit my Parks and Venues page for more ideas both indoor and outdoor that can provide look and feel to fit your family’s personality.