The topic of location always comes up when discussing where to hold your pet's portrait session. Sometimes a client assumes that I prefer my Carrollton studio, and while I love studio pet portraits for their clean aesthetic, I also love outdoor pet portraits. No matter the season, I can always find something great in any one of a number of local parks here in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex.
Every quarter I set a reminder to spend a few hours scouting new locations, first with an internet search, then I drive out and visit the location in person to familiarize myself with its surroundings and envision holding sessions there. I've also learned to ask clients if they have a favorite location or park that they visit with their pet, I've discovered some great finds that way too.
I'm always up for an adventure to a new location, but it's also nice to have a tried-and-true list of fantastic locations that are an easy drive for my clients so here's a list of five terrific session locations that are sure to make the most of your pet's photo shoot!
(click on any image to view full screen)
Rose Garden of Farmers Branch
- Address: 2610 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75234
- Open year-round
- No charge to use the location
- Decorative archways with climbing vines and benches provide a variety of scenic backdrops
- Colorful plantings throughout but the more than 200 different types of rose bushes are the stars
When the roses are in bloom, there's nothing that matches the bursting color of the Rose Garden, everywhere you look is a terrific location for a picture of your pooch.
A.W. Perry Homestead and Museum in Carrollton
- Address: 1509 Perry Rd, Carrollton, TX 75006
- Open year-round (in the fall and around Christmas, the city may decorate the park with seasonal decor such as hay bales and a wagon)
- No charge to use the location
- Pubic restrooms available
- Contains a white farmhouse and weathered barn, a windmill completes the authentic, rustic look
Just a couple of miles from my studio, the A.W. Perry Homestead and Museum is a convenient go-to location for any portrait session. I've held high school senior and family portrait sessions there but it's my favorite tree that makes it a winner for pet and family portraits. There's this perfectly imperfect tree that has grown horizontally along the ground for a good 10-12 feet that is just right to pose humans on with their pups.
Grapevine Botanical Gardens
- Address: 411 Ball St, Grapevine, TX 76051
- Open year-round
- No charge to use the location
- Public restrooms available
- The park is wonderfully maintained by the City of Grapevine, you can find colorful plantings all throughout the year along with some seasonal decorations in the spring, fall, and Christmas
This small park has so much to offer, from broad, colorful flower beds full of blooming flowers and textured perennials to Koi ponds, footbridges, large stones perfect for posing, and a long, undulating stone wall perfect for posing you and your pups close together. Grapevine Botanical Gardens never disappoints for pet, family and high school senior sessions alike.
Wagon Wheel Park in Coppell
- Address: 345 Freeport Pkwy, Coppell, TX 75019
- Open year-round
- Public restrooms available
- Desert, southwestern vibe with arid plantings
- Large stones great for posing people and dogs
Despite being in my hometown of Coppell, I only discovered this park three or four years ago on a scouting expedition. It's actually a sports field complex so I didn't think it would have anything to offer and hence when I waited so long to check it out. Once I saw it in person, I realized that the building that houses the canteen and restrooms for the field was perfect for photo shoots too. The large, sliding barn doors are a client fave backdrop for pet and family portrait sessions.
Quorum Park in Addison
- Address: 16201 Quorum Dr. Addison, TX 75001
- Open year-round
- Water features (fountain and small reflecting pool)
- Stone collonade beautifully frames the location
- Stone steps are perfect for posing you close to your pups
- Curved metal benches make for creative leading lines
This small park has a lot going for it. You won't find colorful flower beds here, but you will find a large, sunken circular water fountain surrounded by stone steps. A line of stone columns and flowering crape myrtle trees make the perfect background for pet and family portraits alike. The park is usually quiet so it is a safe place for more sensitive and reactive dogs.
All Around the Pet Photography Blog Circle
We're talking about parks this week in the pet photographers blog circle first up are 5 Awesome Parks Perfect for Portraits in Minnesota with Cahlean of About A Dog Photography, then continue clicking on the link at the bottom of each page for an around the world tour of stunning pet photography.
Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Certified Professional Photographer with the organization Professional Photographers of America; a designation held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry and professionalism. After a 2-year journey to complete the necessary work, Tracy recently earned her Master of Photography degree.
Penny Whistle specializes in both on-location and studio photography providing pet, equine, family, couples & engagement and high school senior portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography services in her studio located in historic downtown Carrollton as well as on location in Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas.
