One of the most iconic skylines in Central Oregon; Smith Rocks State Park makes an incredible location to have family photos taken. Situated just a 10 minute drive north of Redmond, Smith Rocks is a state park with epic red rock forms, a winding river, old wooden fencing, and greenery dispersed throughout. Theres a few reasons why it makes one of my favorite locations for photography.
Smith Rocks State Park Accessibility
Smith Rocks has plenty of parking and has the option for very short walking distances to beautiful backdrops. Smith Rocks also has hard stand bathrooms available right next to the restrooms which make it great for sessions with little kiddos or older family members. Lastly like I said, It’s just a short 15 minute drive from Redmond so for the majority of my clients this is just around the corner from their home!
So much Versatility!
Let’s be real…. as beautiful as Central Oregon is, it can lack a variety when it comes to colors and backdrops. We have lots of greens and tans though! So when I am scouting family photography sessions one of the things I look for is to make sure I can offer at least a bit of variety to the gallery as far as backdrops go. I love that Smith Rocks State Park has tons of backdrops readily available just a few feet from each other. I always start with some group shots in front of the main rock formation with the Deschutes River in the background. Then I like to makes sure we take a few with the old wooden fence to have a prop of sorts. Lastly I like to spin all the way around and do our seated shots with the mossy lichen covered lava rocks in the background. If I have a client that wants to take a stroll; we can shoot down on the river itself highlighting the vegetation and new wooden bridge, too.
Dreamy Lighting
One of my favorite things about being a Family Photographer is how much changes from season to season! one of the more challenging considerations is how the season and the location affects the lighting. During the late spring, summer, and fall months Smith Rocks offers a bit of a jump start on sunset which is so helpful for those families with littles where thirty minutes at the end of the day can make a huge difference!
These are just a couple of the reasons why I love Smith Rocks State Park as a location option for Family photos! stay tuned to the next few blog posts to see highlights of other great Central Oregon Photography Locations! Head over to https://juniperandrustphotography.com/book to send an inquiry to schedule your own Smith Rocks State Park Family sesh!
