Enjoy studio quality portraits at your favorite location! Below is a list of some of the most popular and unique spaces for portraits in the Columbus area. Sessions can also be held at your home or property, or at my studio near Polaris Mall.
If you want a "city" feel I recommend:
Bicentennial Park & the Scioto Mile - Downtown
(Dog-friendly!)
There's some really neat vantage points to catch the skyline, plus you can also enjoy the neat architecture of the Main Street bridge there and still have some trees in your images. Bicentennial Park also has a beautiful fountain that runs from April-October. The park has public restrooms if you wanted to have a second outfit. The back side of COSI that faces the Scioto River (Genoa Park) is also a beautiful area to catch the skyline and is only a short walk. This area is dog friendly, but dogs must be on a leash.
Main Street Bridge in the background at sunset.
The view from the Main Street Bridge - the downtown Columbus skyline.
The fountains at Bicentennial Park during the warmer months.
Ohio State University Campus - Columbus
(Dog-friendly!)
Show your Buckeye Pride - a popular location for former OSU Alum and Buckeye Fans alike! There are so many wonderful places for photographs on campus. Please note, for photographs inside the Union or the Library, advance permission is needed from the University and may be dependent on the University academic calendar.
At the OSU Amphitheater.
Football fan? Enjoy making photos in front of the stadium with the stained glasses block "O".
Popular Parks & Gardens:
Whetstone Park & Columbus Park of Roses- Clintonville, Ohio
(Dog-friendly!)
Known for it's beautiful rose gardens, the Columbus Park of Roses is dog-friendly and offers a variety of trees, benches, gazebos, and wooded areas.
Whetstone Park & Columbus Park of Roses in Clintonville is one of my favorite places. The roses gardens are just beautiful and Whetstone Park also offers a lot of trees and paths for photographs. There's even a couple of neat gazebo like structures that give it a romantic feel. The roses are in full bloom during the summer, they even have a rose festival in early June every year. Dogs are permitted on a leash.
The park hosts a lot of weddings, so if you're interested in going on a weekend in the spring through fall, I highly recommend going earlier in the day to have an easier time walking through the park without disturbing any ceremonies.
The water fountain in the center of the rose gardens in a popular backdrop during the warmer months.
Schiller Park - German Village, Columbus, Ohio
(Dog-friendly!)
Schiller Park is tucked in to the historic German Village! It's by far one of my favorite locations south of downtown. Not only does it boast the quaint atmosphere that German Village is known for, but it's gardens are impeccably kept and the pond, bridge, and stage are breathtaking and make you feel like you're somewhere else.
German Village's brick streets and architecture surround the park and are also great for photographs. The park is dog friendly, but dogs must be kept on a leash.
Scioto Park - Dublin, Ohio
(Dog-friendly!)
Scioto Park is located not too far from I-270 and Sawmill Rd. The park features breathtaking views of the Scioto River and wooded areas. The park is dog friendly, with dogs permitted on a leash. It's beautiful any time of the year, but is especially pretty in the spring, summer, and fall.
Goodale Park - Columbus, Ohio
(Dog-friendly!)
Goodale Park is located in the heart of the Short North near downtown Columbus. The park has a beautiful pond with an elephant themed fountain, a brick gazebo, and lots of trees. The park is dog friendly, with dogs permitted on a leash. It's beautiful any time of the year, but is especially pretty in the spring and fall.
Spring is a beautiful time to visit Goodale park with the tree blossoms in full bloom! Visit in early-mid April to see the Magnolia tree blossoms.
A couple walks their dogs in front of the pond and Elephant Fountain at Goodale Park.
Lots of benches at Goodale Park are wonderful for photographs.
Creekside Park & Plaza - Gahanna, Ohio
(Dog-friendly!)
Creekside Park in Gahanna is a popular option for portraits due to the variety of park features for backdrops. The area boasts 2 small waterfalls, beautiful creekside views, bridges, wooded areas, large boulders, paved walking paths, and a gorgeous wooden boardwalk area. Want to add more of a small-town city feel? Since the park and plaza are in the Downtown Gahanna, enjoy some neat art murals and local buildings within walking distance from the park. This area is very dog friendly, but dogs must be kept on a leash.
Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve - Gahanna, Ohio
(Dog-friendly!)
A true hidden gem in Gahanna, Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve in Gahanna, Ohio. The park has tall grasses and wildflowers in the summer months and includes walking paths, wooded areas, and a pond. It’s a quieter, less busy park meaning fewer distractions for kids and pets. The park is dog friendly, but pet must be leashed.
Jeffrey Mansion – Bexley, Ohio
No dogs allowed.
The Jeffrey Mansion is one of the best kept secrets on the East side and by far one of my favorite locations to take photos. It has a very vintage and elegant feel. Not only do you have the beautiful architecture and grounds around the mansion, but the property bumps into Jeffrey Park which has some neat walking paths that take you by Alum Creek. You get the perfect mix of nature and classic architecture. Dogs are not permitted at the park.
The large staircase as the mansion is one of the most popular places for photographs.
Inniswood Metro Gardens - Westerville, Ohio
No dogs allowed.
Inniswood offers is a large variety of gardens/backdrops for us to choose from, plus you also have a wooded area too and a really neat bridge! They're excellent about changing up the flowers throughout the seasons, so no two portrait sessions there look alike! There's also a mini farm with a small barn, a wooden fence, and my favorite, a "secret" garden. Dogs are not permitted at this park.
Inniswood Metro Gardens is definitely the most popular location for portraits in Columbus. Because it is so popular with other photographers, I strongly recommend visiting Inniswood on a weekday, not a weekend as it's hard to avoid other people in your photographs.
If you want a more rustic feel:
The Everal Barn - Westerville
(Dog-friendly!)
Everal Barn is certainly breathtaking!
The Everal Barn is wonderful if you're looking for a country feel in your images, but don't want to head too far out of town. It is just a couple miles from Polaris Mall and has a huge white barn, old farm house, and farm out buildings. There's even a small pond and a wooded area that is great for an outdoorsy feel in your images.
Dogs are permitted on a leash.
Please note, the Everal Barn hosts a lot of events on the weekends and renters have the ability to rent the entire park. Because of this, I highly recommend having a session on a weekday at this location.
Hannah Park - Gahanna, Ohio
(Dog-friendly!)
Located on the edge of Gahanna and Blacklick, Hannah Park offers some beautiful options for portraits. Most notable is the barn-style shelter house - a unique piece of architecture. The park also includes 2 ponds, wooded areas, a paved walking path, and beautiful flowers around the shelter house during the summer. The park is dog friendly, but dogs must be kept on a leash.
Homestead Park – Hilliard
(Dog-friendly!)
A favorite park on the west side of the city is Homestead Park in Hilliard. They have many structures on the property there including a large white "Ohio Bicentennial" Barn, a train caboose, a fake train station, covered bridge, and a small pond. There is also a grassy area that's very pretty and has a country feel. There are so many options, it's truly a one stop shop for a variety in your photographs.
Dogs are permitted on a leash.
Highbanks Metro Park - Lewis Center
(Dog-friendly in some areas!)
Highbanks Metro Park is another gem on the North side of Columbus. Known for it's walking paths through the woods and scenic views of the river, it also has some gorgeous canopy views from it's large deck that seems to float in the treetops and fields of wildflowers and grasses. It's a large park with the areas at the front of the park, totally different from those closer to the river.
The park is dog friendly in certain areas and pathways, but pets must be on a leash.
A little further out, but worth the drive:
Slate Run Metro Park - Canal Winchester
(Dog-friendly!)
It's a short drive, but is well worth it! Some of the things that I love about the park are that it has a gorgeous pond with lily pads (and platforms overlooking the pond), wooded areas and wood fences, tall grasses and wild flowers, and a covered bridge! It's one of the prettiest covered bridges in the Columbus area.
Dogs are permitted on a leash.
Indoor Location
Muschlitz Photography Studio
(Dog-friendly!)
Prefer a studio look in your photographs? Want to stay out of the elements? I’m excited to invite you to our dog-friendly studio! The studio is located conveniently 2 miles west of Polaris Mall in Columbus, Ohio.
Enjoy a private session with your loved ones and dogs indoors. The studio offers multiple backdrop options and props for your session, has a restroom for outfit changes, and is temperature controlled. There is parking directly in-front of the building and if you have pets, there is green space around the studio to potty your dog prior to your session. It is one of my favorite places to photograph people and their pets - it’s a low-distraction space and you don’t have to worry about other dogs being around.
If you’re interested in scheduling a session at our studio, please let me know and we can talk details!
If you're looking for fresh portraits of yourself or your loved ones, please contact me today to schedule a phone consultation to see if we're a good fit. You can call me directly at 614.301.8579 or email amanda@muschlitzphoto.com.