We bring the studio to you - Enjoy studio quality portraits at your favorite location! Below is a list of some of the most popular and unique spaces for portraits in the Columbus area. Sessions can also be held at your home or property, or at one of our partner rental studios in the area.
If you want a "city" feel I recommend:
Bicentennial Park & the Scioto Mile - Downtown
There's some really neat vantage points to catch the skyline, plus you can also enjoy the neat architecture of the Main Street bridge there and still have some trees in your images. Bicentennial Park also has a beautiful fountain that runs from April-October. The park has public restrooms if you wanted to have a second outfit. The back side of COSI that faces the Scioto River (Genoa Park) is also a beautiful area to catch the skyline and is only a short walk. This area is dog friendly, but dogs must be on a leash.
Main Street Bridge in the background at sunset.
The view from the Main Street Bridge - the downtown Columbus skyline.
The fountains at Bicentennial Park during the warmer months.
Ohio State University Campus - Columbus
Show your Buckeye Pride - a popular location for former OSU Alum and Buckeye Fans alike! There are so many wonderful places for photographs on campus. Please note, for photographs inside the Union or the Library, advance permission is needed from the University and may be dependent on the University academic calendar.
At the OSU Amphitheater.
Football fan? Enjoy making photos in front of the stadium with the stained glasses block "O".
Popular Parks & Gardens:
Whetstone Park & Columbus Park of Roses- Clintonville, Ohio
Known for it's beautiful rose gardens, the Columbus Park of Roses is dog-friendly and offers a variety of trees, benches, gazebos, and wooded areas.
Whetstone Park & Columbus Park of Roses in Clintonville is one of my favorite places. The roses gardens are just beautiful and Whetstone Park also offers a lot of trees and paths for photographs. There's even a couple of neat gazebo like structures that give it a romantic feel. The roses are in full bloom during the summer, they even have a rose festival in early June every year. Dogs are permitted on a leash.
The park hosts a lot of weddings, so if you're interested in going on a weekend in the spring through fall, I highly recommend going earlier in the day to have an easier time walking through the park without disturbing any ceremonies.
The water fountain in the center of the rose gardens in a popular backdrop during the warmer months.
Goodale Park - Columbus, Ohio
Goodale Park is located in the heart of the Short North near downtown Columbus. The park has a beautiful pond with an elephant themed fountain, a brick gazebo, and lots of trees. The park is dog friendly, with dogs permitted on a leash. It's beautiful any time of the year, but is especially pretty in the spring and fall.
Spring is a beautiful time to visit Goodale park with the tree blossoms in full bloom! Visit in early-mid April to see the Magnolia tree blossoms.
A couple walks their dogs in front of the pond and Elephant Fountain at Goodale Park.
Lots of benches at Goodale Park are wonderful for photographs.
Creekside Park & Plaza - Gahanna, Ohio
Creekside Park in Gahanna is a popular option for portraits due to the variety of park features for backdrops. The area boasts 2 small waterfalls, beautiful creekside views, bridges, wooded areas, large boulders, paved walking paths, and a gorgeous wooden boardwalk area. Want to add more of a small-town city feel? Since the park and plaza are in the Downtown Gahanna, enjoy some neat art murals and local buildings within walking distance from the park. This area is very dog friendly, but dogs must be kept on a leash.
Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve - Gahanna, Ohio
A true hidden gem in Gahanna, Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve in Gahanna, Ohio. The park has tall grasses and wildflowers in the summer months and includes walking paths, wooded areas, and a pond. It’s a quieter, less busy park meaning fewer distractions for kids and pets. The park is dog friendly, but pet must be leashed.
Schiller Park - German Village, Columbus, Ohio
Schiller Park is tucked in to the historic German Village! It's by far one of my favorite locations south of downtown. Not only does it boast the quaint atmosphere that German Village is known for, but it's gardens are impeccably kept and the pond, bridge, and stage are breathtaking and make you feel like you're somewhere else.
German Village's brick streets and architecture surround the park and are also great for photographs. The park is dog friendly, but dogs must be kept on a leash.
Julie and Alex share a laugh in the beautifully gardened brick pathway at Schiller Park.
Jeffrey Mansion – Bexley, Ohio
The Jeffrey Mansion is one of the best kept secrets on the East side and by far one of my favorite locations to take photos. It has a very vintage and elegant feel. Not only do you have the beautiful architecture and grounds around the mansion, but the property bumps into Jeffrey Park which has some neat walking paths that take you by Alum Creek. You get the perfect mix of nature and classic architecture. Dogs are not permitted at the park.
The large staircase as the mansion is one of the most popular places for photographs.
Inniswood Metro Gardens - Westerville, Ohio
Inniswood offers is a large variety of gardens/backdrops for us to choose from, plus you also have a wooded area too and a really neat bridge! They're excellent about changing up the flowers throughout the seasons, so no two portrait sessions there look alike! There's also a mini farm with a small barn, a wooden fence, and my favorite, a "secret" garden. Dogs are not permitted at this park.
Inniswood Metro Gardens is definitely the most popular location for portraits in Columbus. Because it is so popular with other photographers, I strongly recommend visiting Inniswood on a weekday, not a weekend as it's hard to avoid other people in your photographs.
If you want a more rustic feel:
The Everal Barn - Westerville
Everal Barn is certainly breathtaking!
The Everal Barn is wonderful if you're looking for a country feel in your images, but don't want to head too far out of town. It is just a couple miles from Polaris Mall and has a huge white barn, old farm house, and farm out buildings. There's even a small pond and a wooded area that is great for an outdoorsy feel in your images.
Dogs are permitted on a leash.
Please note, the Everal Barn hosts a lot of events on the weekends and renters have the ability to rent the entire park. Because of this, I highly recommend having a session on a weekday at this location.
Hannah Park - Gahanna, Ohio
Located on the edge of Gahanna and Blacklick, Hannah Park offers some beautiful options for portraits. Most notable is the barn-style shelter house - a unique piece of architecture. The park also includes 2 ponds, wooded areas, a paved walking path, and beautiful flowers around the shelter house during the summer. The park is dog friendly, but dogs must be kept on a leash.
Homestead Park – Hilliard
A favorite park on the west side of the city is Homestead Park in Hilliard. They have many structures on the property there including a large white "Ohio Bicentennial" Barn, a train caboose, a fake train station, covered bridge, and a small pond. There is also a grassy area that's very pretty and has a country feel. There are so many options, it's truly a one stop shop for a variety in your photographs.
Dogs are permitted on a leash.
Highbanks Metro Park - Lewis Center
Highbanks Metro Park is another gem on the North side of Columbus. Known for it's walking paths through the woods and scenic views of the river, it also has some gorgeous canopy views from it's large deck that seems to float in the treetops and fields of wildflowers and grasses. It's a large park with the areas at the front of the park, totally different from those closer to the river.
The park is dog friendly in certain areas and pathways, but pets must be on a leash.
Rustic Locations A little further out, but worth the drive:
Slate Run Metro Park - Canal Winchester
It's a short drive, but is well worth it! Some of the things that I love about the park are that it has a gorgeous pond with lily pads (and platforms overlooking the pond), wooded areas and wood fences, tall grasses and wild flowers, and a covered bridge! It's one of the prettiest covered bridges in the Columbus area.
Dogs are permitted on a leash.
The pond views are wonderful and the wooden docks are great to be even closer to the water!
Dawes Arboretum - Newark
Dawes is only about 30 miles away, and is a very pretty location. There are lots of trees, ponds, a Japanese Garden, woodlands, a small lake and a historic home and memorial that are great for photos. It's definitely got a great outdoorsy feel for photos. They do quite a bit of grounds keeping here to make sure that it's in top shape for their wedding events. Dogs are permitted on a leash.
Indoor Locations
Rental Studio Options
Prefer a studio look in your photographs? Want to stay out of the elements? We’re excited to partner with a few local rental studios in the Central Ohio area, many of which are dog-friendly. Each studio space has a different aesthetic - some are a more traditional studio look, an earthy modern look, or a farmhouse bohemian look. An additional studio rental fee will apply and the rate varies depending on the location selected.
If you’re interested in scheduling a session at an indoor rental studio space in the area, please let us know and we’ll be happy to share some options to help your vision for your photographs come to life!
The Statehouse - Columbus - Permit Needed
A Columbus favorite for corporate head shots, wedding parties, and portraits, the State House is a fabulous location and is conveniently in downtown Columbus. In order to take photos there (indoors or outdoors) a photography permit must be purchased and approved at least 2 weeks before your desired session date. (We can handle the permit process for you!)
Corporate group outside the State House.
From a headshot session inside of the State House.
If you're looking for fresh portraits of yourself or your loved ones, please contact us today to schedule a phone consultation to see if we're a good fit. You can call us directly at 614.301.8579 or email amanda@muschlitzphoto.com.