3 Excellent Photoshoot Locations near St. Cloud, MN

As a lifestyle newborn and maternity photographer, I am always on the lookout for beautiful outdoor locations that will serve as a gorgeous and peaceful backdrop for natural family and maternity photos. Lately, I have been scouting some areas near me that I think would be picturesque for sessions, I wanted to share the footage from these and my thoughts on the pros and cons of each in order to help assist you in choosing the perfect outdoor photoshoot location!

Clearwater - Pleasant Regional Park, Annandale, MN

We came at midday after church on Sunday, it was definitely busy - There was at least one family reunion or large party happening. However, we visited again on a weeknight at golden hour and there was scarcely anyone there.

This one is the farthest from St. Cloud, it was about a thirty minute drive through the country. My family loves to drive, so this was not a problem for us and there was no traffic to deal with, but if you are looking for something closer to home, this might not be the best option for you.

Some Pros:

• Clean public bathrooms with a changing area.
• There is a beach as well as a grassy field area, there are other little areas within walking distance (or a quick one minute drive if the kiddos are not up to walking, or if mom’s hips are aching) that have a dock, better beach area for golden hour photos, and some trees for the background.
• The path is nice and wide, well tended, and smooth. It is very easy to walk on.
• There is a park near the beach where kids can easily run off some energy while mom and dad are getting a few photos by themselves, and then when mom is having pictures on her own.
• Both times that I have been recently (late June and late July) there are grassy areas with wildflowers blooming.

Some Cons:

• The distance of the drive is a bit of a downside, depending on how you feel about car rides.
• The beach does not get good light during golden hour, so you’d want to start your session at the beach and not plan on having any sunset or deep golden photos ON the beach. 
• It does seem like it may be a popular photo session location, as there were multiple photographers there with clients at golden hour. That being said, I think the area is big enough to work around each other respectfully.
• This may be a better location for weeknights than weekends in order to avoid any crowds or family reunions.

QUARRY PARK AND NATURE PRESERVE - WAITE PARK, MN

This is probably my current favorite option! My sister recently was visiting from Illinois and my husband and I were able to take her here - She loved it too! It is such a peaceful area. There is a $10 entrance fee, but you can easily pay that by card or with cash at the gate. Quarry Park is a convenient local option, being just in Waite Park, it’s maybe ten or fifteen minutes from Sartell, MN.

Some Pros:

• Bathrooms sprinkled throughout the preserve (though they are not as nice as the ones at Pleasant Lake) 
• Awesome variety in locations: Gorgeous rocks, water backdrops, birch trees, an incredible field that would be lovely at golden hour, and even a swimming hole with a little beach area.
• Peaceful trails and beautiful views! Plenty of areas for kids to run and explore
• Depending on the time of year, there are often areas with wildflowers.

Some Cons:

• Since this is an old quarry, there are definitely steep inclines. If you have small children or are not comfortable with your child’s level of risk aversion and obedience, then choosing a different location (or making sure you let me know that you would like to avoid any water/cliff photos) would be a great idea! 
• There is more walking required at this location than either of the other two options. However, if you’re up for it physically, it was still only 15 to 20 minutes and could be done with a stroller (that’s what we did!) or a wagon for older kids.

BEND IN THE RIVER REGIONAL PARK - RICE, MN

This park is about fifteen to twenty minutes from north St. Cloud just a couple of miles off the highway. Personally, I think this location is ideal for late spring/early summer, and especially for autumn. (I am particularly excited to photograph here this fall!) Mid to late summer the field will likely not have as many flowers and will be a bit brown if it has been dry. That being said, it would still be a great option even during the summer - Just keep in mind that the field itself will likely be a bit dry.

Some pros:

• Bathrooms on location
• Variety of fields, wooded path, and all of the buildings from the old farmstead that can be incorporated into the session and are fun to explore!
• The large field at the main parking lot had some flowers in early June and was a very pretty maternity photo location (we just had to be careful not to get the cars in the background because of how close it is to the parking lot.) 

Some cons:

• Some walking required if you want to use the path (but only 5-10 minutes, depending on the parking lot that you park in, and it is accessible for a stroller or wagon.)
• Not ideal for dry summers when the flowers have died away, along with all the grass. 

I love getting to explore and find new locations, so if you have ideas for photo shoot locations near St. Cloud, MN (or within 50 miles) send me a message on Instagram or comment on my YouTube video!