I lived in Austin for about two years while completing my master’s degree and one thing that is distinctively different from Houston is the greenery. I love being outdoors and shooting with natural light and there are plenty of great spots to do so in Austin. Here I’ll share some of my favorite photography locations in Austin.

Red Bud Isle

This first location is on the West side of Austin. It is primarily a dog park but a scenic spot for a walk, kayaking, and photos. Red Bud Isle is a 17-acre island in the middle of Lady Bird Lake. Red Bud Isle is a small park, and there has yet to be a crowd of people each time I've gone. It has never been too crowded to get a good shoot done. This spot had great trees and an incredible view of the lake. There will be plenty of dogs, so watch your step!

Lady Bird Lake

Okay, so if you’ve been to Austin, you might know that Lady Bird Lake is actually massive. There are several different entrances and parks surrounding the lake. If I need to pick a specific one, I would say the Boardwalk at Lady Bird Lake. This part of the lake has phenomenal views of the Austin skyline and stretches 7,250 feet along the lake. The boardwalk is a great spot for taking photos in Austin

Texas Capitol/Downtown Austin

The Texas Capitol building is an aesthetically pleasing building. It’s built in a Doric and Corinthian style descendant of the Greek orders. These generally feature a circular structure and columns. This historic building is a great spot for photos in Austin. The Capitol has a large manicured lawn that is great for a picnic-style shoot or some natural light photos depending on the time of day. A good amount of trees are surrounding too, providing some natural diffusion. When you walk down Congress a bit you can catch a nice view of the city streets with the Capitol building right in the center.

South Congress

South Congress Street is another great area for photos. There are so many shops and restaurants up and down the street that you can pop into or shoot around. Another cool thing is that the Capitol building is visible from South Congress, so you can grab even more photos of ith the Capitol from here. My favorite part of South Congress is actually the South Congress Hotel. Currently, they have rules against taking photos in or on the property without prior approval. Lucky for me, I had already captured a few great images before they were able to catch me. Next time I’ll be there in disguise so they won’t know it’s me again. In all seriousness, the hotel looks phenomenal inside, and their bar and lounge area, so if you can speak with their marketing team and get approved, this is definitely a photo-worthy spot in Austin.

The University of Texas Campus

Yes, UT Campus is well known for graduation portraits but the campus has so much potential for general portraits. The buildings are well-designed and pleasing to the eye. UT is a large and spread-out campus, but they do have areas worth the walk. The walkway leading up to the UT Tower is beautifully framed by large trees providing natural diffusion for the area. It is a bit difficult to describe all of the areas, but some notable spots include the newer McCombs building. Gearing Hall Gate is right behind the tower and is a nice structure for you to play with leading lines and frame the UT Tower. There is so much to explore on the campus which is over 400 acres!

Honestly, Austin has a bunch of great locations to take photos, including some cool studio spaces. Where’s your favorite spot for photos in Austin?? Let me know in the comments!