Best Senior Photo Locations || Milwaukee, WI

Now sure where to have your senior photos? No worries I’ve got you. 🙂

Hartford & Surrounding Areas

Downtown Hartford

Downtown Hartford has a lot to offer when it comes to photo backdrops! This includes cream city brick, ivy-covered walls, the mill pond bridge, and rustic metal staircases. It is the perfect location to get a more urban feel without traveling to Milwaukee. Downtown Hartford is also a great location for night time portraits!

Richfield Historical Society

Richfield Historical Society in Richfield, Wisconsin is one of my favorite locations because of the huge variety of backdrops available. The northern section of the park has rustic red barns, a wooden bridge, and a gravel road through large trees. In the middle of Richfield Historical Society, you’ll find a shallow stream, a thicker forest, and grassy areas. A few of my adventurous clients have walked even into the stream for fun photos on a warm summer night. The southern end of the park is home to old world cabins, a “Sugar Shack”, open fields, and an observation deck overlooking the nature park.

Holy Hill

Holy Hill Basilica and Shrine located in the country hills of Hubertus, is a great location for natural beauty and the Basilica’s gorgeous architecture. The paved paths through beautiful forests, stone ledges, and fields overlooking the basilica are all ideal backdrops for portraits. Holy Hill is a great location if you are looking to feature classic architecture and shady forests. But keep in mind the grounds hold operating hours, and inside the basilica, itself is off-limits for photography to respect the prayer of its patrons.

Your High School!

From football and baseball fields to basketball and tennis courts or even your weight room, your local high school is a great place to showcase your athletic side!

Kettle Moraine Forest-Pike Lake Unit

Kettle Moraine State Park-Pike Lake Unit is located in Hartford, Wisconsin, and has a beautiful beach view of the sun setting over Pike Lake. The park also offers wooded trails through forests, fields, and cattails. The park does require a parking permit, which can be bought for the day or the entire year.

senior photos at Pike Lake in Hartford, Wisconsin

The Gardens Wedding Center

Despite being a wedding venue, the generous owners of the lush and stunning Gardens Wedding Center allow portrait session to take place on the ground with no additional fees! They do however ask that we coordinate dates so we do not conflict with any of their pre-existing events.

Camp Quad

Camp Quad located just outside of Hartford, is a gorgeous setting for senior portraits. With its trails, boardwalk, and pond it offers a great variety of backgrounds. Keep in mind that we need permission from Quad Graphics to use the property, so this option is typically for family and friends of employees.

Ledge Park

Ledge Park located in Mayville, Wisconsin offers gorgeous backdrops for those who are a little more adventurous and don’t mind climbing rocky paths. With its many ledges and beautiful forest, it’s the perfect location for a sunset senior session!

Cedarburg & Surrounding Areas

Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve

Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve is located right on Lake Michigan in Grafton, Wisconsin. The preserve boasts everything you could want for a nature-filled portrait session. Cliffs overlooking the lake, lush garden-like paths, wooden bridges, and beach access to Lake Michigan if you don’t mind the 20-minute walk being part of your session!

Downtown Cedarburg

Downtown Cedarburg is a collection of picturesque stone-walled shops and businesses. Not only does this location photograph beautifully during the day, but it is also a great spot for night time portraits.

Lake Country Area

Delafield Fish Hatchery

Delafield Fish Hatchery located in downtown Delafield, Wisconsin is a gorgeous sunset photo spot. Featuring a beautiful stone building, small pond, river bend, and tree-lined walking path this location is sure to please!

Menomonee Park

Menomonee Park is located in the small village of Lannon, Wisconsin, and the home of Lannon Quarry. The quarry is encircled by a drivable road and walking path. Along this walking path, you will have a variety of locations to choose from for your portrait session. The beach at Lannon Quarry, while not large in size does host beautiful sunrises. Menomonee Park is also home to a small climbable rock “cliff” overlooking the water, a wooden fence line, forest paths, and an old stone wall. If you would like your session here please keep in mind there is a per car entrance fee to this Waukesha County Park.

Retzler Nature Center

Retzler Nature Center is located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It offers lines of towering pine trees, open fields, and forest paths. This is a stunning location if you are picturing yourself among the pines or walking a field for your senior portraits.

Milwaukee & Surrounding Areas

Milwaukee Art Museum & Discovery World

What an urban Milwaukee location with a ton of variety? The Milwaukee Art Museum is the place to start. The art museum itself features gorgeous and unique architecture especially when its “wings” are open. Directly next to the art museum in downtown Milwaukee is “The Calling” known to many as the orange starburst sculpture. The Milwaukee Art Museum is also walking distance from Discovery World and the Lake Michigan break wall. Overall making this a very well rounded photo location!

senior photos at Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

senior photos in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Black Cat Alley

One of my favorite locations in Milwaukee is Black Cat Alley. Tucked in behind unsuspecting businesses you will find an entire alley filled with giant murals perfect for a stunning senior portrait session!

Historic Third Ward

If you are hoping for an urban Milwaukee downtown feel for your senior portraits. The Historic Third Ward is a must stop. From skyscrapers to fun urban sculptures and the Milwaukee Public Market, you’ll find it all here.

Boerner Botanical Gardens

Boerner Botanical Gardens is a beautiful location full of flowering blooming plants and stone architecture. Please be aware there you will need to pre-register and pay a fee to hold your senior session at the gardens.