Location guide
Choosing your perfect setting
Choosing the right location is an important part of creating a session that feels personal, and true to you. Milwaukee and Lake Country offer such a wide variety of scenery with unique characteristics. I’ve put together an abbreviated list of locations I've photographed in to help match your session setting with your personality and style.
Have an idea for a location outside of this list?
I'm all ears! I just ask that it be within the Milwaukee and Waukesha County area. Sometimes the most meaningful spots are the ones people overlook—your own backyard, a favorite neighborhood park, or a place you love spending time in. Remember, the focus of your session is on you.
Click on any location to learn more about the setting or browse below.
DOwntown Delafield
Delafield, Wisconsin
Setting: Charming
Key Features: Fish Hatchery | Boardwalk | Hawks Inn | Bark River
Amount of Walking: Moderate
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: No
One of my favorites! Delafield has far more variety than most expect. The historic stone wall is just the beginning— nearby gravel paths lined with shaded arching trees follow along the Bark River, creating a peaceful natural backdrop. The location also features boardwalks, bridges, and a unique castle-style playground (for the kids) for added variety and charm. During warmer months, adventurous families can even step into the shallow river for playful photos. Depending on event schedules, the nearby Hawks Inn may also be available as an additional backdrop option.
Retzer Nature Center
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Setting: Woodland
Key Features: Tall Pines | Rolling Hills | Flowers (in season)
Amount of Walking: Heavy, with incline
Dogs Allowed: No
Permit/Parking Fee: No
One of the most sought-after photo locations in Waukesha County. Towering tree-lined paths create a true woodland feel, while seasonal wildflowers and tall grasses add beautiful texture throughout the park. The open hilltop views are especially stunning at sunset, and the large open fields give kids plenty of room to run, play, and explore during your session.
Naga-Waukee Park
Delafield, Wisconsin
Setting: Rustic Nature
Key Features: Red Barn | Beach | Boardwalk
Amount of Walking: Moderate
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: Park entrance fee
One of the most versatile locations around. This spot features a classic red barn, stone walls, wooded areas, open fields, and access to the beach along Nagawicka Lake. It’s ideal for families wanting multiple looks within one session. Please note the beach area requires about a 5-minute walk from parking, and the session will involve getting in and out of the car between areas.
Pewaukee Lakefront
Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Setting: Lake Country Modern
Key Features: Beach | Colorful Boardwalk
Amount of Walking: Light
Dogs Allowed: Yes excluding the beach
Permit/Parking Fee: No
A beautiful lakeside location with sandy beachfront views and colorful colonial-style buildings nearby. The walkability here is easy, making it a great option for young families or shorter sessions while still offering a lot of variety. Between the waterfront, docks, pathways, and charming village atmosphere, this location feels both relaxed and polished.
Menomonee Park
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Setting: The Perfect Park
Key Features: Impressive Fall Colors (in season) | Beach | Lannon Stone Accents | Tall Grasses
Amount of Walking: Moderate
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: Park entrance fee
A relaxed park setting with wooded trails, open green space, and beach access. This location works especially well for families wanting a simple, natural backdrop with plenty of space for kids to move around and play. A reserved area of the beach allows dogs to get into the water and run around, too!
Urban Ecology Center, Riverside
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Setting: Eclectic
Key Features: Flowers (in season) | Wooded trails | Tall Grasses | Diverse Textures
Amount of Walking: Heavy
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: No
A creatively textured location with endless variety. Stone archways, bridges, public art, graffiti, wooded trails, and natural greenery all exist within one space, making every session feel unique. This location blends urban and natural elements beautifully and offers something new every time I shoot here.
Milwaukee-area sessions are offered on a limited basis, with select weekday evenings and limited weekend availability depending on the season and location.
Mitchell Park Domes
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Setting: Tropical Escape
Key Features: Desert | Tropical | Warm
Amount of Walking: Light
Dogs Allowed: No
Permit/Parking Fee: Additional photo permit fee
Perfect for colder months or unpredictable weather, the Domes provide a warm, vibrant indoor setting year-round. Each dome offers a completely different atmosphere—from lush tropical greenery to desert landscapes and colorful seasonal floral displays. This is a great option if you want greenery and warmth during Wisconsin winters without sacrificing variety in your gallery.
Milwaukee-area sessions are offered on a limited basis, with select weekday evenings and limited weekend availability depending on the season and location.
Your Home & Backyard
Various
Setting: Personal & Meaningful
Key Features: Relaxed | Intimate | Familiar
Location: Must be located within Waukesha or Milwaukee county
Sometimes the best location is the one that already feels like home. Backyard sessions can create relaxed, meaningful images in a space that’s personal to your family. This is a wonderful option for including pets, young children who feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings, newborn sessions, or accommodating accessibility needs. Whether it’s your porch, garden, favorite reading spot, or simply running barefoot through the yard–these sessions often feel the most authentic and personal.
The golf course
Various
Setting: Golf
Key Features: Lush Greenery | Manicured Landscape
Amount of Walking: Heavy (a golf cart is ideal!)
Dogs Allowed: No
Permit/Parking Fee: Approval needed from your country club for photo session.
Available only at courses where you’re a member or photography is permitted. Golf courses offer expansive greens, rolling hills, water features, and beautifully maintained landscapes that create a timeless backdrop. Sunrise and sunset sessions are strongly recommended—not only for the best light, but also because courses offer very little shade during the day and are typically busiest outside of those times. Early mornings especially can make it feel like we have the entire course to ourselves.
Hoyt Park / Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Setting: Artful Nature
Key Features: Bridge | Tosa Village | Murals
Amount of Walking: Moderate (may require hopping in and out of the car for various settings)
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: No
This location combines natural park scenery with charming village character. Stone bridges, riverside paths, and greenery blend seamlessly with nearby shops, sidewalks, and classic Wauwatosa architecture. It’s a great option for folks wanting both natural and urban variety within one session.
Third Ward
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Setting: Urban City
Key Features: Alleys | Boardwalk | Industrial Buildings
Amount of Walking: Heavy
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: Parking fee may be required for street parking
Perfect for a more modern, city-inspired session. Historic architecture, textured alleyways, colorful storefronts, riverwalk views, and industrial details create an elevated urban feel that photographs beautifully. This location is best for clients wanting less “nature” and more city character.
Milwaukee-area sessions are offered on a limited basis, with select weekday evenings and limited weekend availability depending on the season and location.
Virmond Park
Mequon, Wisconsin
Setting: Woodland Beach
Key Features: Beach | Prairie | Woods
Amount of Walking: Moderate + stairs for beach access
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: No
Known for its stunning bluff views overlooking Lake Michigan, Virmond Park offers a mix of wooded trails, open green space, and shoreline access. Reaching the beach requires descending approximately 225 stairs, but the secluded shoreline and peaceful atmosphere make the extra effort well worth it.
Mequon-area sessions are offered on a limited basis, with select weekday evenings and limited weekend availability depending on the season and location.
Grant Park \ Seven Bridges
South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Setting: Enchanted Forest
Key Features: Beach | Woods
Amount of Walking: Heavy with stairs
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: No
An enchanting location filled with wooded trails, stone stairways, bridges, and Lake Michigan shoreline. The beach is lined with sand, driftwood, and beautiful natural textures, while the journey down through the forested paths makes the entire experience feel adventurous and magical. Please note, this location is not ideal with strollers or timid dogs due to the amount of stairs (and other dogs often present).
Milwaukee-area sessions are offered on a limited basis, with select weekday evenings and limited weekend availability depending on the season and location.
For the love of Flowers Farm
Raymond, Wisconsin
Setting: Flower Farm
Key Features: Flowers (in season) | Barn
Amount of Walking: Light
Dogs Allowed: No
Permit/Parking Fee: Permit fee required
A charming flower farm filled with seasonal blooms, garden pathways, and rustic barn details. Because this location changes throughout the growing season, the look and color palette can vary depending on bloom timing and weather. From soft spring blooms to vibrant summer flowers and late-season textures, every session here feels unique.
Milwaukee Lakefront
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Setting: Lakeview in The City
Key Features: Lake Michigan | Museums | City Skyline
Amount of Walking: Heavy
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Permit/Parking Fee: Parking fee may be required for street parking
Perfect for a more modern, city-inspired session. Historic architecture, textured alleyways, colorful storefronts, riverwalk views, and industrial details create an elevated urban feel that photographs beautifully. This location is best for clients wanting less “nature” and more city character. Sessions here are only available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings.
Milwaukee-area sessions are offered on a limited basis, with select weekday evenings and limited weekend availability depending on the season and location.
Looking for more location ideas?
Below are a few additional photo locations throughout Lake Country and the Milwaukee area that could be a great fit depending on the look and feel you’re drawn to.
Nixon Park // Frame Park // Downtown Oconomowoc // First Roots Farm // Ebert's Greenhouse // Black Cat Alley // Paradise Springs // Nashotah Park
