Best Calgary Parks For Photo Sessions
Calgary has many beautiful parks and if you are planning a family photo session or a portrait session of any kind, you have many amazing choices! This is a list of some of my favourite parks to take photos in! The look of each park can vary depending on the season. You will generally find more green tones in the spring and summer, and more yellow and orange tones during the autumn. Whether you are a tourist who wants a photo session while visiting the Calgary Stampede, or you’ve lived here all your life and are tired of your usual photo spot and need some new ideas… I hope this list helps you to find your dream location for your next photo session!
Baker Park
First I’ll mention a favourite park in the NW of Calgary… Baker Park! Baker Park can be a little confusing to get to the first time, so be sure to check out the directions before leaving home or follow directions on your map app! Located on the north side of the Bow River and across the river from Bowness Park, Baker Park is a wonderland of photo opportunities! Huge trees, tons of greenery in the summer, beautiful flowers, a river view and plenty of space to roam around makes this an ideal location for your next family photo session! Below are some of my images from beautiful Baker Park!
Murdoch Park
A beautiful park in the downtown Calgary neighborhood of Bridgeland is Murdoch Park. This park stands out in the spring blossoms season and has many trees with loads of beautiful pink blossoms. As any blossom loving individual in Calgary knows, we have a VERY short blossoms season, sometimes even just days long… and almost as soon as they appear, they are often ripped down by wind or rain or occasionally even snow. If you are willing to put in the work of chasing these blossoms though, it is absolutely worth it to witness this beautiful location at this time of year which usually happens some time around late May or early June. Even when there are no blossoms, this is a great park for photos in a nice, central location. One thing to pay attention to here is the parking signage. Please be aware that parking is not always free and you need to follow the rules for the signs along the streets bordering Murdoch Park. Below are some images from some of my sessions in this beautiful Calgary park.
Carburn Park
Next up is Carburn Park. Situated in Calgary’s SE community of Riverbend, it borders the East side of the Bow River, although you have to walk a bit to actually see the river. Carburn Park offers a beautiful mix of various types of towering trees as well as a pond. It’s a great place for any type of portraits and if you love nature, you can take a walk around the pond or even take a little hike through the trees while you are there! While exploring a little side trail, we have even come across a deer family in the distance! Below you will find some images from various sessions in Carburn Park. As I mentioned above, the look of each park including this one can change, depending on the season!
Fish Creek Provincial Park
Another great park in Calgary’s south is Fish Creek Provincial Park, known to locals as simply Fish Creek Park! Be aware when meeting others there, that Fish Creek Park is a very large park with several entrances, so be sure to clarify a specific meeting point so that you don’t end up in different places! I have done photo sessions in a few different locations and each have their own special feel. One popular part of Fish Creek Park is near the south end of Bow Bottom Trail SE. If you are using the map on your smart phone to help you get there, search for the Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant and you will see a bright red barn at the end of the parking lot when you arrive!
This is a popular area for family photos and all kinds of photography sessions as there is a wide variety of looks. There is a pathway with towering trees, several different types of trees and bushes, a red barn, and an old house that brings nostalgia to your photos. There are wide open fields and if you walk down the pathway toward the south, you will find a river with a bridge and a lovely, heavily treed area. This park is ideal if you want a variety of looks and poses in your session. It is also a fun place to explore which can help keep young kids interested in the photo session and give them plenty of space to run around and burn some energy, which is especially helpful for unposed, lifestyle images.
This area can be quite busy on nice summer days, but there is enough room for everyone and you can find many available spots here to take photos! Below you will find images from some sessions of mine in Fish Creek Park near the Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant location.
This article is by no means a comprehensive list of Calgary’s many beautiful parks. Instead, I hope it will offer you just a few ideas for your next photo session. Whether you are updating your family photos or creating new branding photos for your business, Calgary has many locations to explore and take scenic images.
If you live in or are visiting the Calgary area and are looking for a photographer, I’d love to connect! Feel free to reach out to the link below and let’s plan your next photo session!