My Top 5 Engagement Session Locations Off the Beaten Path

Canopy Complex

The canopy complex is a collective of local Austin artists who can rent studio space out of their location, and because of that there is always amazing art on display in the windows and across the grounds. The architecture itself is minimal and slightly industrial, giving a perfect blank canvas to create your vision. Moving around the building, there’s Sa-Ten - a favorite coffee shop of mine that has adorable outdoor seating for cute coffee date candids, and just across the parking lot you’ll find bright murals and amazing sculptures. It’s also right down the road from another venue I love that didn’t quite make this list since it’s pretty popular - Sekrit Theater. This is a favorite secondary location for me to suggest if my client books an hour at Sekrit but wants to maximize their session with a second location.

Cathedral of Junk

This location is such a hidden Austin gem! The majority of people I know that are familiar with this spot are native Austinites, and it had been on my list for years to do a session at. It’s brimming with some of the most unique vignettes and little gems hidden in the walls. Even when not shooting here you can wander around for ages just looking at all of the details. With different “rooms” themed by color, it’s a great location to get a lot of different feels in a compact area. The one caveat is it can be a bit difficult to get a hold of the owner to book time there, but in my eyes that just makes it even more special to have photos here!

South Congress Alamo Drafthouse

The shopping district outside of this Alamo has some really unique architecture and artwork. It’s like shooting on South Congress but without droves of people interrupting your photos! It’s a super colorful area with tons of possibilities, and a rooftop parking garage with a view of the skyline to boot! If you’re a movie buff, there is also a possibility to shoot inside the theater if you get your timing right. I got lucky there with one of my clients shooting on a Thursday, the theater doesn’t open until 5pm and we walked in on a whim at 4pm to see if we could sneak in for a few photos, and the amazing management let us have the whole theater to shoot in!

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park

For those looking to get into nature for their session, but not wanting the clean and up-kept greenery of Auditorium Shores or Mueller Lake Park, this location is a great pick. The walking path starts with gorgeous overhangs of greenery, and then leads down into a wide creekbed with stunning rock walls and a river that is almost always flowing. During fall, some of the trees will turn to reds and oranges, a great way to get the ever desirable fall color palette in central Texas - aka the land of eternal greenery. 

Pinballz Arcade - Original Location

One of my favorite places to hang out is also incidentally a totally kick ass place to shoot! All the different games lends to endless possibilities of candid moments, and it’s particularly great if you’re feeling a little nervous about being in front of the camera - it feels so much less like a photoshoot and way more like you and your partner just hanging out and being silly together! I’m totally obsessed with all of the neon lights and bright colors, this location really lets me flex my creativity muscle on how to light it and create unique and badass photos.