My Favorite Locations for Senior Photoshoots

#10 Token Creek County Park

This is a beautiful public green space located way on the east side of Madison, in Deforest, WI. I will typically recommend this space to clients located in Sun Prairie, Deforest, or Cottage Grove. What I love about this location is that there is so much space and nature. We can find a variety of open fields, forested area, and wildflowers. Golden hour makes this area look dreamy. It also seems like every time I go here, I see an abundance of wildlife, which makes sessions extra fun.

The best part of Token Creek, in my opinion, is the boardwalk trail. As mentioned, I love variety in my photo galleries, so this provides the perfect opportunity for that. I love the way the line of the boardwalk creates visual interest in photos and leads your eye directly to the subject: you!

#9 Lake Kegonsa State Park

This is another beautiful and natural space located east of Madison in Stoughton, WI. Lake Kegonsa is just one of the many lakes in the Madison area and creates a beautiful backdrop for your senior photos. It's a location that offers variety because we can easily get pictures in the forest and on the beach, creating two very different vibes. In addition, they have a huge boardwalk trail that creates amazing visual interest for your photos. We can even make a stop at the Fish Camp Boat Launch, where they have a green and yellow shelter, which we can utilize as a different type of backdrop.

#8 Festge County Park

This amazing park is located in Cross Plains, WI, just west of Madison. Perfect for people located on the west side, Mt Horeb, Black Earth, Middleton, Verona, or Waunakee. I was just driving by this location once and noticed a giant field of wildflowers, so I had to go back. I discovered a wonderful spot for senior photos! There's forest trails, an abundance of wildflowers, and an open field located perfectly for golden hour. But best of all is the scenic overlook with sweeping views of the farmland beyond. It's framed by a small stone wall that creates a beautiful spot to pose on. This location looks stunning particularly in July through October.

#7 Pheasant Branch Conservancy

This is an area comprising of 160 acres of beautiful, natural land in Middleton, WI. This is one of my most popular locations for clients, as it's easy to drive to for Madison residents and offers stunning landscapes. One of my favorite features is again... a boardwalk! This one is located in a forested area with big trees and is near some cute bridges as well. I often like to start in this spot as the trees provide shade during the sunnier part of the session. Then I head to the area of Pheasant Branch that offers sweeping views of fields, trees, and hills. I love this location for it's abundance of wildflowers, views, trails, and it looks amazing during golden hour. This spot has beauty year round, but particularly in the summer and fall.

#6 Downtown Madison

While natural spots provide beautiful backdrops for senior photos, I absolutely love to change it up by adding in some buildings and city views. There's plenty that Madison has to offer for senior's looking for a more urban vibe to their photos. I know of a lot of beautiful mural locations and parking ramps with cool views. We could wander around State Street and light up your photos with the Orpheum sign. We could utilize the Wisconsin State Capitol building's white exterior to create a clean backdrop. Or we could head over to Willy Street area for murals, neat architecture, and skyline views of the Capitol. I love finding all the little nooks and crannies in the city that will create unique portraits for the senior that is possibly more edgy or not as inspired by nature.

#5 Governor Nelson State Park

This was another place that I visited once and KNEW I had to do a photoshoot there. It's located just outside of Waunakee, WI on the shore of Lake Mendota. This makes it perfect for anyone just north of Madison, or located in Waunakee, Middleton, or Deforest. In the summer it's abundant with wildflower fields that glow in the golden hour light. It also has trails and forested areas for a different backdrop. But lastly, it has a beautiful beach with a trail leading out to the water. It's in the perfect spot for a setting sun. What says Madison more than pictures by the lake?!

#4 Allen Centennial Garden

There are several beautifully landscaped areas in Madison, but there's something special about Allen Centennial. One, it's located on the UW Madison campus, making it a perfect pairing with our next location. Two, it's free! There's no fee for a photography permit or entrance. Three, I love the variety in flowers and unique architecture that we can utilize for your photos. Obviously, I am a big fan of variety, so that's why this place ranks so highly on this list.

#3 Univsersity of Wisconsin Campus

One amazing part about living in a college town, is that we have access to all the beautiful campus buildings! Plus, what's more iconic than summer at the Memorial Union terrace? UW Madison is truly a beautiful campus, with both nature and architecture to offer. Many seniors will choose to have their photos taken by Lake Mendota, against the red bricks of Science Hall, on the steps of Memorial Union, along the Lakeshore Path, or nestled into any other beautiful nook they can find. Campus is beautiful year round and is always looking different, which means no two photoshoots will be the same. Seniors that choose campus are usually looking for something unique to fit their personality, or often it's because they are hoping to get into UW themsleves as they enter their college years.

#2 Indian Lake County Park

In my personal opinion, this has to be the most stunning county park in the greater Madison area. It's located in Cross Plains, WI, making it perfect for any Madison west siders, or people from Waunakee or Middleton. Honestly though, it's worth the drive if you're from farther away. This park offers beautiful lake views, forested trails, open fields, and wildflower fields. What sets it apart from everywhere else, however, is the stunning Matz Farmstead Ruins just across the street. When I step on the grounds of the ruins, I feel like I have teleported to the ruins of a European castle. It creates such a unique and beautiful backdrop for senior photos, and looks gorgeous as the sun sets on it. During the summer and early fall, it's surrounded by wildflowers and I love to make seniors wander into the fields with rolling hills as their backdrop. Additionally, we can go to the boat launch, which allows seniors to step into the water. This creates beautiful images and truly adds to the variety of your gallery with this single location.

#1 Epic Systems Campus

Yes, this is a workplace for thousands of employees in Dane County. Yes, this is my favorite spot for senior photo sessions. Located in Verona, WI, many town locals will utilize this wonderful location for their pictures. It is completely worth the drive for anyone in Dane County, however. Why is it my favorite? There just simply is nowhere else that has nearly the amount of variety that Epic has to offer. You want water? Got it. You want wildflower fields? Got it. You want rustic charm? Got it. You want cool bridges? Got it. You want to feel like you're in the desert? Got it. You want to visit a castle? Got it. You want beautiful landscaping? Got it. The list goes on, but you get the point. Whenever a client is unsure of exactly what they want, I strongly advise Epic. No matter what your vibe, there is a spot there for you. I have done tons of sessions there, and yet I always find something new each time. There's still entire sides of campus that I haven't even touched! Another amazing aspect of Epic is that since they are always working on their landscaping, there's flowers all the way from May into late October. The only thing to be aware of with Epic is that in August they are not open to the public for a couple weeks. So if you are planning on an Epic photoshoot, just choose another month.

To further prove my point about the variety that Epic has, I'm including extra images of this location.