Throughout my years of landscape photography I have explored many locations in Minnesota. I’ve been everywhere from around the cities and along the North Shore. Here’s a guide to my favorite locations I have visited along with a short description about that place. I haven’t done engagement sessions at them all but I do know through my experience that they could make for beautiful spots.

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Locations Near the Cities:

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1. Interstate State Park in Taylor’s Falls, Minnesota

Interstate State Park boasts an epic river gorge surrounded by cliffs ranging in different heights. It’s located just east of the cities near the Wisconsin border. I have done engagement sessions here and I have found some pretty epic overlooks. I recommend doing a sunset session here to get those amazing backlit scenes and potential silhouettes if an epic sunset happens. Here’s a few recent photos from Interstate State Park.

2. Hidden Falls Park

Hidden Falls Park is located in St. Paul which is perfect for that couple living in the cities that wants a nature setting. The Mississippi River runs through this wooded park with trails right along it. There’s also a beautiful waterfall with a rock wall leading up to it. Anytime in the spring through fall would be perfect for engagement photos. You’ll have to make sure that it hasn’t been a dry year otherwise there might not be much of a waterfall. I haven’t had an engagement session here but I have visited and already know some incredible locations for when it happens.

3. Minnehaha Park

Minnehaha Park is located in Minneapolis. It offers a variety of options for an engagement session. You can go down to the waterfall to capture some nature scenes or utilize a long wooden arbor covered in vines. The city surrounds this location so if you wanted some urban photos as well, this would make a great option. This location would be perfect anytime from spring though summer. There’s not many trees here to capitalize on the fall colors. Once again make sure it hasn’t been a dry year for the waterfall.

4. Stone Arch Bridge

Stone Arch Bridge is located in Minneapolis. You can utilize spots on the bridge with old historic buildings in the background. There’s also a cool abandoned scene that sits below the bridge that makes for interesting photos. From the bridge you can walk to the old brick buildings or into the city to maximize the diversity of this location. I haven’t done an engagement session here but I have done a fitness photoshoot and the photos turned out amazing!

5. Boom Island Park

Boom Island Park is located in Minneapolis. This park offers a combination of nature within an urban setting. You get the best of both worlds. From here you have access to go into the cities to urban locations like St. Anthony Main or the Union Depot to maximize a variety of locations.

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Locations along the North Shore:

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1. Palisade Head

Palisade Head is one of the most iconic locations on the North Shore. The massive 200+ foot cliffs overlooking Lake Superior create epic photos for any genre. I have spent many years capturing landscape photos here in every season. Although I have yet to capture an engagement session here, I know exactly how to create those epic landscape photos that will leave you drooling when you book with me. The best time of day for this location is sunrise. So if you’re adventurous and not afraid of heights, lets set up the engagement session of a lifetime! Here’s some of the landscape photos I have captured here.

2. Oberg Mountain

Oberg Mountain is located by Lutsen. It’s a short hiking trail that leads to multiple overlooks. The best overlook offers views of Lake Superior and an isolated lake in the vast forests of Minnesota. The trails leading to the overlook offer some incredible forest scenes to capture a variety of intimate and epic photos. I have done both engagement photos and landscape photos here. The best time for this location is during sunrise. So if you want to capitalize on this place you’ll have to be ready for an early wake up call.

3. Black Sand Beach

Black Sand Beach is located in Silver Bay. As the name suggest the beach is black with some gorgeous rock formations scattered along the Superior shoreline. With so much variety to offer, Black Sand Beach is the perfect location for anyone. It’s also close to Palisade Head if you wanted to try to maximize both locations for your engagement session.

4. Tettegouche State Park

Tettegouche State Park is located in Silver Bay. This park offers so much variety. You can go along the Lake Superior Shore and utilize the cliffs for epic photos. There’s a secret beach that brings you down to the waterfront for more intimate scenes. If you’re feeling up for a hike, there’s a trail that leads you to a beautiful waterfall that also has access to the river. From here you can get creative using the waterfall and the forest that surrounds it. I have photographed many landscape scenes at this park so I know it very well.

5. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Slit Rock Lighthouse State Park is located in Two Harbors. I’ve photographed many landscape scenes here throughout all seasons. I prefer to adventure down to the lakeshore and have the lighthouse in the background. The cliffs and water allow for many different photo opportunities. The rock beach along the shore also makes for a great place. If you’re up for a little hike, you can explore the surrounding forest to create a variety of photos from Split Rock. Here are some of my favorite landscape photos from here.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion there’s many locations in Minnesota to create incredible engagement photos. You just have to decide what location best suits your personalities. I’m down to explore anywhere. However I do love when I get to use my landscape photography skills to create images for my couples that very few other photographers have the skills to do. So if you want to explore a location you have never been to before because it looks amazing to you, I got you covered. I know multiple locations thoroughly and if I don’t, I know how to research and location scout to get the best out of any location.