For my family in the 1980s, the destination for family photographs was a department store portrait studio. While studios continue to be a great option, outdoor locations can bring personality and variety to framed photos and holiday cards. Iowa’s crisp weather and beautiful colors make fall a wonderful time to move beyond the traditional choice of blue vs. gray backdrop. We asked local moms about their favorite spot to snag that perfect family picture. Read on for their recommendations and pictures!
Amana Colonies
Amana
“I love the Amana setting because there is SO much beauty in the history. It’s beautiful in any season–spring you have the bright green against the old buildings, but fall and winter are my favorite times. The fall colors always accent the historic buildings! They have so many “hidden” in plain sight spots for amazing pictures!” – Carrie, mom to Lydia
City Park
200 Park Rd, Iowa City
“I loved our family photos at City Park last summer. It’s a large enough park that it’s easy to find an area where you/the kids won’t be distracted by other people.” – Jessi, mom to Skylar and Hazel
Devonian Fossil Gorge
2850 Prairie Du Chien Rd NE, Iowa City
Harvest Preserve
1645 N Scott Blvd, Iowa City
Permission is required for non-members; please email [email protected] to obtain a visitor code.
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
110 Parkside Dr, West Branch
Hickory Hill Park
800 Conklin, Iowa City
“This is such a great natural setting for photos! There are beautiful trees in all seasons and there is a lot of opportunity for variety in the photos. There are open fields, woodsy trails, trees and rocks to climb. It offers a lot of options. And for my family, this is a place that we go often, so it doesn’t feel forced when we do photos. Our kids are already comfortable and have fun there, so it’s easy to capture more natural feeling photos.” – Laura, mom to Ethan, Anna and Kate
Hunter’s Run Park
924 Duck Creek Dr, Iowa City
“This is a great place for photos because there are picturesque background areas, but also a few fun play structures. Those help keep your kids busy when it’s not their turn to be in front of the camera and they can also be a fun place to get action shots.” – Laura, mom to Ethan, Anna and Kate
Indian Creek Nature Center
5300 Otis Rd SE, Cedar Rapids
Kent Park
2048 Highway 6 NW, Oxford
Permit is required; please contact Charlie at (319)645-2315 for more information.
“Kent Park is a hidden treasure of conservation living in harmony with Iowegians 🙂 This Park has beautiful vistas and wildflowers plus picturesque spots to picnic or take the perfect family portrait.” – Gwen, mom to Josh, Joey and Jamie, mother-in-law to Sara and Jordon, and grandmother to Caleb, Logan, and baby on the way!
North Ridge Park
2250 Holiday Rd, Coralville
Palisades Kepler State Park
700 Kepler Dr, Mt Vernon
“Palisades-Kepler State Park has a large sandbar for a dramatic backdrop to your family photos – sand, river, and high rugged cliffs! If you plan to take your photos as the leaves turn, the colors throughout the whole park are fabulous, too.” – Johanna, mom of 3
“Palisades-Kepler State Park offers a variety of places for your portraits. One of the most popular photography locations showcases the bluffs along the Cedar River with the beach and a fallen tree. The park is beautiful year round but the trees and trails have amazing colors in the fall!!” –Kristy, mom to Kayson and Kyra
Ped Mall
210 S Dubuque St, Iowa City
“I absolutely LOVE taking photos downtown Iowa City. Anywhere in the ped mall, especially with the brightly colored benches, just reminds me of walking around there as a college student when I first fell in love with this city. The Old Capitol makes an amazing backdrop for photos, and the lobby of Hotel Vetro is super modern and full of natural light. You can’t go wrong in Iowa City!” – Sara, mom to Sam, Cooper, Nora and Adam
Terry Trueblood Recreation Area
579 McCollister Blvd, Iowa City
“Not only is this a beautiful location for walking, renting a kayak, or picnicking in their shelters, you can come here and use as a backdrop for beautiful outdoor photographs. The buildings offer modern and rustic options or you can use nature to compliment any family photo.” – Megan, mom to Charlie and Gwen
“Terry Trueblood is great because it has it all–shaded trails with large trees and winding paths, a natural playground area for action shots with kids, a lake with tall reeds, a beautiful boathouse–all these different aspects make for several great backdrops, all in one location.” – Jasia, mom to Jack and Griffin
UI Visual Arts Building
107 River St, Iowa City
“The arts building was a great location. Even though it was extremely hot out that day we made it work. It was a place we’ve never done before and enjoyed it very much. Not too much walking around either. Just a few buildings for different scenes. Our 5 yo daughter at the time was a trooper with the heat too, even with one outfit change as well!” – Beth, mom to Claire
Waterworks Prairie Park
Near I-80 and Dubuque Street, Iowa City
“Waterworks Prairie is beautiful because it’s a wide open area, and the tall prairie grass and bright light make it a beautiful backdrop. The winding paths make great action shots, and you don’t have to walk far to find a good photo spot.” – Jasia, mom to Jack and Griffin
West Liberty Heritage Park
407 N Elm St, West Liberty
Willow Creek Park
1117 Teg Dr, Iowa City
Wilson’s Orchard
4823 Dingleberry Rd NE #1, Iowa City
“My daughter had her senior pics done there. We did her pics in October I believe. Peak fall colors are beautiful. They had the old farmhouse look, pumpkins, hay bales etc.” – Pamela, mom to Karyssa
What are your favorite locations for family photographs? Comment and share!
