LOCATION GUIDE
Finding the perfect backdrop for your story
The location we choose is more than just a backdrop — it helps set the entire feeling of your photographs.
Maybe you picture your family running barefoot through a sunlit field, wandering beneath towering trees, or tucked together somewhere lush and green. Maybe you're drawn to old barns and countryside, romantic gardens, or something a little more modern and artistic.
Below you'll find some of my favorite places to photograph throughout the Triangle, from Burlington to Raleigh. Each offers something a little different, and I'm always happy to help you choose the place that feels most like you.
BURLINGTON + MEBANE
Burlington Arboretum at Willowbrook Park
Burlington, NC
BOTANICAL • COLORFUL • PEACEFUL • NATURAL
The Burlington Arboretum is a beautiful little hidden gem filled with gardens, winding pathways and seasonal color. Spread across 17 acres, you'll find everything from hydrangeas and roses to azaleas, camellias, native grasses and mature trees.
Because there are so many different plantings tucked throughout the park, we can create plenty of variety without having to walk very far. It's an especially lovely choice for little ones, maternity sessions and families who want a softer, garden-inspired setting.
Cates Farm Park
Mebane, NC
WILDFLOWERS • MEADOW • WOODS • EARTHY
Cates Farm Park is one of my favorite options for a relaxed, nature-filled session close to Mebane.
The park has a beautiful mix of open meadow, seasonal wildflowers, wooded trails, a butterfly garden and an historic barn. The combination of fields and woods gives us several different looks while still keeping your entire gallery cohesive and earthy.
It's especially beautiful when the wildflowers and grasses are in season and everything feels a little wild and undone.
HILLSBOROUGH
Blackwood Farm Park
RUSTIC • FIELDS • FARM • GOLDEN LIGHT
If you love warm, earthy photographs, Blackwood Farm is hard to beat.
This beautiful historic farm property offers wide-open meadows, mature trees, wooded areas, a pond and preserved farm buildings including an old farmhouse and barn.
There's plenty of space for little ones to explore, run through the grass and simply be themselves — which makes it perfect for capturing the candid, movement-filled moments I love most.
Near sunset, the open fields can give us the most beautiful warm, dreamy light.
Ayr Mount
HISTORIC • ROMANTIC • PASTORAL • TIMELESS
Ayr Mount feels like stepping into another time.
Centered around a beautiful historic brick home, the property is surrounded by sprawling lawns, meadows, mature trees, wooded areas and the winding Poet's Walk trail.
It's a wonderful choice if you love the natural look of an open field but want something a little more elevated and romantic. The historic architecture mixed with the countryside creates photographs that feel timeless without being overly formal.
CHAPEL HILL
Coker Arboretum
LUSH • ROMANTIC • GARDEN • WHIMSICAL
Tucked into the heart of Chapel Hill, Coker Arboretum feels like a tiny secret garden.
Winding pathways weave through mature trees, lush greenery, lawns and an incredible collection of plants that changes with the seasons. Compared with an open-field location, Coker feels more intimate, with lots of soft filtered light and greenery surrounding you.
It's especially gorgeous when everything begins blooming in the spring, although the mature trees and changing foliage make it beautiful throughout the year.
DURHAM
West Point on the Eno
RIVER • HISTORIC • RUSTIC • ADVENTUROUS
West Point on the Eno is perfect for anyone wanting photographs that feel a little more wild and adventurous.
The park combines natural scenery with historic character, giving us wooded trails, open areas, the Eno River and historic buildings and structures around the old mill property.
This is a beautiful choice for families who don't mind exploring a little and want photographs that feel organic, earthy and full of movement.
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
ROMANTIC • ELEGANT • BOTANICAL • DREAMY
If you're dreaming of something lush and romantic, Duke Gardens is absolutely beautiful.
The gardens offer an incredible variety of scenery, from flowers and landscaped gardens to stone pathways, bridges, ponds, towering trees and quiet little corners surrounded by greenery.
It's especially beautiful for maternity and couples sessions where we want the photographs to feel soft, elevated and almost storybook-like.
Please note: Duke Gardens requires advance approval and a paid photography permit for planned portrait sessions. Permit fees are the responsibility of the client and are not included in your session fee.
VIEW DUKE GARDENS + PHOTOGRAPHY INFORMATION
RALEIGH
North Carolina Museum of Art
MODERN • OPEN • ARTISTIC • GOLDEN
The North Carolina Museum of Art is one of my favorite locations when you want a little bit of everything.
The Museum Park combines wide-open spaces and natural scenery with walking paths, interesting architecture and large-scale works of art, giving us the opportunity to create a gallery that feels both organic and modern.
The open areas are especially beautiful near sunset when everything becomes warm and golden.
Dorothea Dix Park
OPEN FIELDS • CITY VIEWS • PLAYFUL • SUNLIT
Dix Park is perfect if you love big skies, open spaces and photographs filled with movement.
Its sprawling grounds offer rolling hills, mature trees, open lawns and historic architecture, with glimpses of the Raleigh skyline adding a little something different.
During sunflower season, the park becomes even more magical with its enormous field of blooms.
This is a great location for families who want to run, play, snuggle and let the session unfold naturally rather than feeling overly posed.
Raleigh Rose Garden
ROSES • ROMANTIC • INTIMATE • SOFT
For something a little more romantic and feminine, the Raleigh Rose Garden is such a beautiful choice.
Rows of roses and landscaped greenery create a soft, colorful backdrop while the surrounding mature trees and garden setting keep everything feeling intimate.
The roses typically bloom from late spring through fall, so the appearance of the garden will vary throughout the year.
If you have any questions or want to learn more, please reach out.
