Locations: Columbus and Mansfield
So many decisions to make! The location of your portrait session has a big impact on what your final images will look like, and beyond that, it's a reflection of who you are and what your style is. Maybe you love nature and want to stroll through beautiful gardens to show it. Maybe you love Columbus and want to showcase its downtown architecture. There are lots of great options for your portrait session around Columbus, and I'd like to provide some information on a few of my favorites below!
North
Inniswood Metro Gardens (Westervile): Inniswood is one of the most photogenic locations in all of Columbus. The park features a rose garden, trellises, a gazebo, forest, several bridges, and ponds. It can get crowded on weekends, but with good reason.
Otterbein University Campus (Westerville):Otterbein University's campus in the heart of Westerville makes is a great spot for portraits. It features large oak trees, gardens, and interesting architecture.
Everal Barn (Westerville): This rustic park features a barn, historic house, lake, and several trails. Occasionally Everal Barn hosts events that will book up the park on Saturdays, but it tends to be free other days of the week.
Glen Echo Park (Clintonville): Most people don't know of this gem of a location, which means we often have the park to ourselves. Glen Echo features a tall wooden staircase into its ravine, a stone bridge, a mural of Ohio birds, and so much more.
Antrim Park (Worthington): This is a large park near Worthington with lots of options for portraits. A long trail wraps around Antrim Lake, which has a dock at its entrance.
Old Worthington (Worthington): Worthington's downtown area is a perfect location for portraits. From its historic architecture and walkable streets, to the nearby Worthington Green's grassy area and gardens, there is a lot of variety without having to go far.
Whetstone Park & Columbus Park of Roses (Clintonville): This park is aptly named for its magnificent rose gardens that bloom in the summertime. It also features several paths, trees, and structures, that make for lots of options for portrait sessions.
Columbus Zoo (Dublin): If you are an animal lover, the Columbus Zoo is for you! Walk through the various animal exhibits and the central reflecting pond. The zoo is particularly beautiful just before the winter holidays during Wildlights. *Extra fee applies.
Highbanks Metro Park (Lewis Center): Highbanks Metro Park is known for its scenic woodland trails and and scenery on the banks of the Olentangy River. It also features gorgeous views, fields full of tall grass and wildflowers, and lots of variety in landscapes.
Hayden Falls Park (Dublin): Hayden Falls is a beautiful park containing its namesake waterfall, along with meandering boardwalks, trails, and forests. It's a bit more walking than some locations, but is well worth it!
Central
The Ohio State University Campus (Campus): There is nowhere better to show your buckeye pride then the heart of it all, the Ohio State campus. The Oval, South Oval, Stadium, and Mirror Lake all are great spots for pictures, and the Ohio Union is a great rain backup.
Goodale Park (Victorian Village): Goodale Park features a white gazebo, pond, elephant fountain, and blossoming magnolia trees in the springtime. It's easy to combine with Victorian Village and the Short North, since it's within walking distance.
Schiller Park (German Village): Located in the heart of German Village, Schiller Park has a lot to offer. It features a stage, several paths, bridges, and blossoming trees in the spring. It is also close to The Book Loft (which allows photography inside)!
Jeffrey Park (Bexley): This beautiful park faces Jeffrey Mansion on one side and Alum Creek on the other, and features forests, small wooden bridges, a boardwalk, and lots of corners and crevices to explore adjacent to the mansion itself.
North Bank Park (Downtown): North Bank Park offers fantastic views of the Columbus skyline and has some interesting architecture of its own as well.
Nationwide Arena (Downtown): Nationwide Arena is perfect for any sports lovers! The area outside the arena features lively restaurants, a small bridge, and trees often strung with twinkling lights.
The Short North & Italian Village (Downtown): The Short North is such a fun and unique neighborhood, and what better place to do a portrait session? The Short North is full of interesting murals and architecture, and it's possible to even get a portrait there in the middle of High Street! Italian Village and Victorian Village are also close by, making for an easy combination.
Scioto Audubon Park (Downtown): This once industrial area has been transformed into an urban park along the banks of the Scioto River. It features tall grass, several natural areas, and a rock wall.
Bicentennial Park & The Scioto Mile (Downtown): Bicentennial Park features a fountain and a fantastic view of the Columbus skyline. Follow the Scioto Mile for some interesting spots along the Scioto River and downtown.
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (Downtown): Franklin Park is a gorgeous location for portraits both inside and out. Outside, the botanical gardens are full of beautiful flowers and landscaping, and inside the conservatory are exotic plants, interesting architecture, and unique Chihuly glass exhibits. *Extra fee applies.
North Market (Downtown): North Market offers something a little different, but still quintessentially Columbus, for portrait sessions. Its many unique shops and stands provide interesting and interactive backdrops, and images can also be done on its second level with a great view down over the market scene. Note that North Market can be very crowded on weekends.
Columbus Hilton (Downtown): The Columbus Hilton is a modern building that is only a few years old. It has beautiful contemporary interiors and a glass walkway to the Columbus Convention Center over High Street that makes for unique portraits. It's located close to the Short North, making for an easy combination of the two locations. *Extra fee applies.
The Columbus Metropolitan Library (Downtown): The Columbus Metropolitan Library features impressive architecture, particularly in its lobby and entrance area. If you love reading, this is the place to do portraits! *Extra fee applies.
Columbus Museum of Art (Downtown): CMA features interesting architecture and a large interior atrium filled with soft diffused light, all in the heart of downtown Columbus. *Extra fee applies.
South
Slate Run Metro Park (Canal Winchester) Slate Run is a bit of a drive from central Columbus, but it is well worth it. This beautiful park features a pond with water lilies, fences, wooded areas, tall grass, and one of the prettiest covered bridges in Ohio.
Pickerington Ponds (Pickerington): Pickerington Ponds is a large park with many areas to explore, including ponds, fields and forests. Its tall grass makes for romantic and picturesque evening portrait sessions during the golden hour.
East
Denison University Campus (Granville): Denison has a beautiful campus that is perfect for portrait sessions. It is full of interesting architecture, paths, and greenery, and it's easy to combine it with downtown Granville.
Gahanna Creekside (Gahanna): This small park next to Olde Gahanna and Big Walnut Creek is a great place for portraits. It features a wooden boardwalk, paddleboats, trees, and charming storefronts close by.
Dawes Arboretum (Newark): Dawes is a bit of a drive from central Columbus, but it's a gem of a location. It contains trees, ponds, woodlands, a lake, a Japanese Garden, and a historic home and memorial, making it a great option for portrait sessions.
Lynd Fruit Farm (Pataskala): Lynd Fruit Farm provides a rustic and unique area for portraits in the fall. It features rows of apple trees, several natural areas, and a countryside play area. *Extra fee applies.
West
Homestead Park (Hilliard): Homestead Park is a great spot for portrait sessions and it is very family friendly. It includes a covered bridge, a decorative train station, barn, and many pretty paths around its lake.
Hilliard Historic Village (Hilliard): This hidden gem is full of historic buildings to provide an interesting architectural backdrop for any portrait session. There is also plenty of cool grassy areas and shade for hot summer days!
Quarry Trails Metro Park (Hilliard): This former quarry is now a picturesque park featuring trails, lakes, a waterfall, and lots of wildflowers and tall grass to explore.
Batelle Darby Creek Metro Park (Galloway): This wooded park features lots of trails through the forest, boardwalks, and stunning views.
Mansfield & Wooster
Ramseyer Farms (Wooster): This farm in Wooster is the place to go for flowers in the fall! Ramseyer Farms features gorgeous fields of sunflowers and other blooms, as well as lots of other fall photo ops. *Extra fee applies.
Kingwood Center Gardens (Mansfield): Kingwood Center Gardens is a beautiful estate filled with cultivated gardens and interesting architecture. It features stairways, brick walls, a duck pond, beautiful flowers, and much more. *Extra fee applies.
Mohican State Park (Loudonville): Mohican State Park is full of rolling hills, picturesque rivers, and natural woodland, and there is lots of space to explore!
Gorman Nature Center (Mansfield) : This natural preserve features trails, woods, and many more natural areas.
Richland Carousel Park (Mansfield): Take pictures amongst the animals at this classic yet modern carousel in the heart of Mansfield. *Extra fee applies.
Indian Mill (Upper Sandusky): This area features old mills, a variety of natural spaces, and a rustic charm.