It’s a very common question in the photography world – “where is a cute location for us to take our photos?” – and I thought it was time for me to share with you all some of my favorite photo session locations in South Central PA (most specifically in and near Lancaster and Berks County).
Overlook Park
Lancaster, PA (Lancaster County)
I love Overlook Park because it has a lot of different options for backgrounds! There is a library with a brick wall, fields of evergreens, and an area of tall evergreen trees with huge trunks that have a great forest-like feel. In the spring and summer, you can also find a lot of flowers in bloom and different water locations throughout the park. There are also multiple fences and even a huge willow tree with a wading creek that is absolutely stunning!
Historic Rock Ford / Lancaster County Central Park
Lancaster, PA (Lancaster County)
Historic Rock Ford is located inside of Lancaster County Central Park. I love this location because there is a barn and an old historic brick house with a big white wraparound porch. This is a great location if the weather is kind of “iffy” and could be drizzly so that you don’t have to postpone your session. If you want to shoot photos at Historic Rock Ford, you will need to make sure that you have a membership and pay for the rights to photograph on the property. Even if you choose not to photograph on the property of Historic Rock Ford, or if you want to extend your photo session, there are also lots of areas within Lancaster County Central Park that can provide a variety of other backgrounds for your photos during the same session – great nature spots with hiking trails, creeks and streams, fields of tall grass, and so many trees! In the springtime, you can even find some pretty epic pink trees within the park!
Lititz Wildflower Fields
Lititz, PA (Lancaster County)
This small little field of wildflowers is available for a short amount of time during the summer and provides big value in such a small location! They also have a vineyard right next to it and have signs welcoming photos – just be mindful of the fields of flowers and respect the property while you are there.
Find the Lititz Wildflower Fields here
Middle Creek
Stevens, PA (Lancaster County)
Middle Creek is a beautiful lake located in the northern part of Lancaster County. There is a massive selection of wildflower fields in the middle to late summertime. There are also some opportunities to get into the water at this location as well.
Ephrata Township Park
Ephrata, PA (Lancaster County)
Ephrata Township Park is a more simple location but is still absolutely beautiful. There is a pond with a fountain in the middle of the park, a wooden forest-like area with a stone pathway that has a beautiful canopy of trees, as well as some fields with tall grasses and big open spaces.
Find Ephrata Township Park here
Stoudtburg Village
Adamstown, PA (Lancaster County)
If you are looking for more of a town-like feel, I highly recommend Stoudtburg Village! This location is a vibrant, multi-colored little town-like feel that has houses with lots of bright colors. There is also a fountain in the center and they have a pond, which provides a variety of options within this one setting.
Blue Marsh Lake
Reading, PA (Berks County)
Blue Marsh Lake is down inside of a ravine or valley and there is a lot of mountainside with the lake as the backdrop during your photo session. The light that comes off the water is absolutely stunning and provides a gorgeous bright blue to your background. There are even areas within the park where you can actually step into the water to make some pretty epic shots. You can also find sections of willow trees and tall grasses for additional neutral outdoor backgrounds for your photos.
Conrad Weiser Homestead
Womelsdorf, PA (Berks County)
Conrad Weiser Homestead is a charming location with old wooden and stone buildings with a flower nursery right next door. Depending on the day, you may be able to utilize the flower nursery as a location for your photo session. You can also find a pond on the property for an additional backdrop for your photos.
Find Conrad Weiser Homestead here
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA (Chester County)
If you really want flowers in your photos, there is no better place than Longwood Gardens! This location does require an up-charge to your clients since it requires tickets in order to enter, but it is totally worth it. This location is incredibly beautiful and has fountains, more flowers than you could ever imagine, and a large stone tower. The indoor locations at Longwood are not currently an option, as you can’t shoot indoors at the moment. But even just with the outdoor location options, you could easily spend hours here for a photo session!
Founders Hall
Hershey, PA (Dauphin County)
Founders Hall is a great assortment of options for backgrounds during photo sessions, with gardens, ponds, pavilions and gazebos, tall grasses and gardens and a long wooden bridge. The Founders Hall building itself is a rounded white building with huge columns that is absolutely gorgeous.
Lock Ridge Park
Emmaus, PA (Lehigh County)
Lock Ridge Park is an amazing location with old iron furnace ruins (crumbling stone walls) and fields of grasses and trees. In the early spring, you may also find lots of beautiful little bluebells in bloom all throughout the fields, which add a simple elegance to any photo session.
What are some of YOUR favorite photo session locations in South Central Pennsylvania? Are there any places that you love that I should add to my list of locations and check out sometime soon? Let me know in the comments below!
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