St. Joseph, Missouri Photography Locations
I’ve been a photographer in this area for about a decade, so I figured it was about time to compile a list of possible locations for your family, senior, or engagement sessions! Hopefully you’ll find this helpful next time you’re racking your brain for a new place to be photographed!
Bluff Woods
(From St. Joseph, take Highway 59 south 8 miles, then east on Bethel Road 0.60 mile to area entrance. I wouldn’t suggest using Google Maps to find this place. It’ll take you to a different spot! I always lose service when I go there, so I would make sure your photographer knows where you’re going and that you can follow them.) There is a paved path through the woods in this spot, a couple of bridges, and a small creek that can be fun for the little kids to play in.
Parkway Bridge above the Belt Highway
Park at The Edge (2501 S Belt Hwy) and walk up the path to the bridge. It’s usually a fairly clear path to walk up there, though there is a little ditch to cross over, so keep that in mind if you have anyone with you that may have trouble making it up there!
Civic Center Park
Right next to City Hall (900-1200 Francis St). City Hall itself is a pretty cool looking building. There is a fountain surrounded by wrought iron, and stairs leading up to Francis St. that are quite pretty as well!
Corby Pond
I like to park in the little parking lot off Northwest Parkway, walk down the hill, and hang around where a few different bike trails meet! Some days you will see cyclists, so make sure to keep an eye out for them. They’ll be wanting to come down those hills pretty fast! It’s a beautiful little spot!
Downtown St. Joseph
Obviously this is least specific location on this list. You can find lots of great textures and architectural elements to use as backgrounds down there. There are some cool doors, different colored building facades, and murals. I would do some scouting in your car before you decide exactly where you want to start!
East Hills Mall
Probably the best time of year to take photos at the mall would be Christmastime. But, even when the decorations aren’t up, they still have a merry-go-round that makes for a nice background!
Hyde Park
(402 E Hyde Park Ave.) Hyde Park has some nice walking trails, along with a couple of different bridges, trees, a playground with swings, and a stone tunnel. It’s quite a nice park that I feel like is often forgotten about!
King Hill Overlook
(101 King Hill Dr.) There’s not a ton to be seen at this location, but it is a great place to go for some pretty neat sunsets! Could be a great place to end a session if you’re already in the area!
Kris and Kate’s
(2330 N 36th St.) Kris and Kate’s is an ice cream shop shaped like a pink ice cream cone. Seriously, it’s adorable. They also have a nice privacy fence, a small pink play house, a sandbox, and a couple of pink picnic tables. It’s a fun place for pictures if you’re wanting something other than an abundance of trees!
Krug Park
(3500 St Joseph Ave) If you’re looking for variety without having to drive very far, then Krug Park is probably where you should go! You’ll find big boulders, old farm equipment, stone walls, lots of trees, and other random architectural elements. It’s really one of the safest bets in town as far as photo locations go!
Mark Youngdahl Urban Conservation Area
(S 36th St & Messanie Streets) There are two entrances to this park, so make sure you know which one you’re going to! In the fall you’ll find lots of photographers here in the main field with families, mothers-to-be, and seniors. The light in that field is just so pretty that you may have to fight for that spot! Luckily, if that field is occupied there are plenty of other spots in the park that are plenty picturesque! If you follow the paved path you’ll cross a little wooden bridge. If you followed the gravel path you’ll be surrounded by colorful trees. It’s really a no-lose situation.
Pronto Cafe
(2513 Frederick Ave) This is one of my favorite coffee shops in town! You definitely will need to check their hours before heading that way, just in case! They have a cute yellow couch right in front of some big yellow windows, and a reflective back splash that can add a nice sparkle to your photos! The outside of the building is nice, too, with stone arches and stairs!
The Riverwalk
This area of town can be really beautiful around sunset. If you’d like to use the red metal fence, wooden bridge, or the area under the highway then you’ll want to park off Francis Street downtown. If you’re more interested in accessing the dock (which you can sometimes!), the boat ramp, or some really cool trees, then you’d probably be better off parking in the Remington Nature Center parking lot at 1502 McArthur Drive.
Schweizer Orchards
(5455 SE State Rte Ff) My favorite time to head to Schweizer Orchards is definitely apple picking season. There are rows upon rows of beautiful apple trees and a large pumpkin patch. There is also a fun wooden playground there as well!
Your Own Home
Of course this one will look different for everyone. I’m quite partial to photographing people in their own homes. While I shoot in a documentary style, you can certainly have do a lifestyle shoot at home.
