Favorite East Valley Photo Shoot Locations, vol. 1

So yes, I am relatively new to the East Valley area. For the first 8 months of my business I shot in Vermont so when we moved here earlier this year I needed to find some new places to add to my location list. Shooting here in the desert is very different from shooting in lush green Vermont, as you can imagine. I went from tall grass fields with wild flowers to desert scrub with cactus. Not bad, just different in a beautiful kind of way. In this post I want to share with you 3 of my favorite locations SO FAR.

1. Papago Park: West Buttes (Phoenix, AZ)

What I love about this location is that it has such a strong background. Those clay colored buttes serve as a powerful backdrop for any portrait picture. Taken far enough away you get this beautiful landscape within your frame. This type of background looks beautiful in focus or blurred out. I also love that you can actually walk up to and get on some of the boulders. Makes for interesting perspectives! The only downside to this place is that there’s not a lot of shade to play with so you either have to know how to shoot in harsh bright light or get there super early or at sunset.

2. Papago Park: public park (Tempe, AZ)

Did I say Papago Park twice? Well, yes but they are two very different locations I assure you. This Papago Park is a public park located on the north side of Tempe Town Lake off of Curry & College Street. This is one versatile location delivering several different portrait locations. There’s a beautiful space beneath a willow tree (maybe not a willow but an AZ version anyway) with all of it’s beautiful, wispy hanging branches. There’s a small pond for a water feature. Towards the west of the park is a sparse desert scrub scene and turn towards the south and you can add some buttes into your pics as well. The only con I can think of is that it is a public park and you just never know when the park is going to be full or not.

3. Phon D. / Salt River: Tonto National Forest (Mesa, AZ)

This was one of my first locations to shoot at here and it was magical. If you pull off of Power Road to head towards Phon D. Recreational Area there is a parking lot immediately on your right. Pull in there and you can walk your clients up the hill and take your pick of desert backdrops. You’ve got mountains, cactus, and scrub to choose from! Want to do a 2 for 1 deal, take your client two minutes down the road to the actual Phon D parking lot near the Salt River and now you’ve got yourself an incredible water backdrop. Best times to go are spring and fall. Summer is blazing hot and usually busy. The only other thing to contend with are tubers floating down the river.

There you have it! Where are your no fail, always delivers locations? I’d love to know what some of your favorite locations are, let me know in the comments. I’ll report back here soon and let you know where else I’ve explored.

All my love,