Check out my top ten favorite locations for portraits in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas! From cityscapes to colorful murals to some truly beautiful natural areas, there’s a little bit of everything within a short drive of the city. I’ve also included one of my all time favorite locations in Allendale because it is just too good not to include!
Plainfield Avenue Murals
The intersection of Plainfield and Leonard in Grand Rapids is host to a variety of colorful and interesting murals that can make for some pretty epic backdrops. All of the murals are within a few blocks and can easily be accessed by walking. Here are a few of my favorites from a senior session I shot there!
For more murals and even more amazing info about Grand Rapids art, visit the Experience GR website!
Townsend Park
Townsend Park is a little outside of Grand Rapids proper, but it is absolutely worth the drive. It is the perfect place for family or senior portraits because it has a variety of spots that are beautiful within a short walking distance of one another. There are a few small bridges, a stream running throughout, and a few open areas where you can do things like bring a cool vintage couch for fall photos!
Provin Trails
Provin Trails is a favorite of many Grand Rapids photographers because it is easily accessible, there is a decent amount of parking, it is great for both romantic, dreamy vibes as well as for fun family or senior portraits, and it looks great no matter what time of the year it is. Plus, it is close to Robinette’s Apple Haus if you want to get some orchard shots while you’re in the area!
Grand Rapids Public Museum
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is awesome as either a backdrop from the outside, or there are lots of options inside as well. You do have to pay an admission fee and abide by some very reasonable rules while shooting inside the museum, but it’s a really great way to do something unique and fun and help people make a cool memory during their photoshoot! Here are some awesome photos of both the outside of the museum we did for ArtXchange GR (including a very cute walkway next to the building!) as well as the interior from an event we did for MSU’s 2024 Medicine Ball!
The Blue Bridge
Another Grand Rapids favorite, the Blue Bridge is and iconic element of the cityscape. The main part of the walking bridge is awesome for photos, but if you take the stairs down to the riverwalk there are some really cool spots there as well! There is also a walkway on the east side of the bridge up above the water that has lots of flowers planted there in the spring and summer, and just behind that is a colorful geometric mural on the side of a building. And don’t overlook the stunning ivy wall at the east end of the bridge!
Ah-Nab-Awen Park
Positioned right outside of the Gerald R. Ford museum downtown, Ah-Nab-Awen Park is small but mighty. In the spring, the flowering trees make beautiful elements in a backdrop and the sunsets there can’t be beat. There is also a really cool fountain that is great to shoot at even when it is not running, some epic reflective windows on the museum that look awesome in the right light, and a very neutral colored walking bridge that is also great for photos. The parking garage near the GR Public Museum is an easy spot to meet and then it’s just a short walk across Pearl Street to the Park!
Millennium Park
Millennium Park has been one of my favorite locations for years, and is actually one of the very first locations I took photos when I started doing photography! There are large ponds with walkways that overlook the water, bridges, lots of beautiful tall grasses, and so much more. Plus, you can shoot here all season long and you will find beautiful spots. And there is a ton of free parking!
Grand Rapids Ballet Mural
I love the mural at the Grand Rapids Ballet so much- it is colorful, floral, and easy to access. I have used it for senior portraits, birthday photos, engagements, and more. It is also worth nothing that the parking lot to the west of the mural is a fantastic, albeit strange, spot for some epic sunset shots. Check out some of the photos I got here!
Rosa Parks Circle, the GRAM, & Downtown
Another Grand Rapids staple, Rosa Parks Circle just outside of the GRAM and the surrounding areas downtown offer so much variety, color, and texture that is it almost a hole-in-one kind of location. You can do an entire session here within a two block radius and make it look like you were ten different places. The GRAM has a photography policy that you must adhere to in order to shoot inside, but it is still worth looking into if you really want to shoot there! Here are some photos from two senior sessions and two engagement sessions, and everything pictured is within eyesight of Rosa Parks Circle. Don’t sleep on this spot because it so fun with so much variety!
Grand Ravines North County Park
The Grand Ravines North County Park (located in Allendale so not strictly a Grand Rapids location) is so amazing I just had to include it here. It is fantastic all season long with a really cute covered bridge, some beautiful fields, and a few other choice spots. But it really shines in late Fall. The sunsets here are literally incredible and better than most other locations I have shot at. The field of tall grasses makes for a dreamy, visually interesting location and there are usually at least a few photo sessions happening here. If you are a light and airy photographer, this is a great location for you guys in the spring and summer because it has a lot of open spaces in field areas that won’t cause a lot of green color cast. If you are true to life or more of a dark and moody photographer, the fall is incredible and even the winter months won’t let you down! And bonus, dogs are welcome so it’s a great place for people that want to include their pups! Just all around, this is a stunning location and one I highly recommend.
As you can see, no matter what look or feeling you are going for, Grand Rapids and the surrounding areas have so much variety to offer.
Check out some of the listed locations and tag us when you post them! We would love to see what you create!
