Why indoor photoshoot location ideas?
If you’re asking yourself, “Where are the best indoor photoshoot locations near me?”- you’ve come to the right place! Is the weather outside frightful? Perhaps you’re living in a frozen tundra of freezing rain, sleet, or snow. Or perhaps you have the opposite problem. Is it the middle of summer time and you can’t stand outside longer than 5 minutes without getting third degree burns? Regardless of your plight with the great outdoors, we’re here to help you brainstorm some indoor photoshoot location ideas.
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Top 76 Pretty Indoor Places to Take Pictures Near Me
- Your Wedding Venue
If you’re planning an engagement session, bridal session, or even a family portrait session and looking for an indoor location idea, check out your wedding venue! They may have a special deal for weekday portrait sessions when the space isn’t being used, and maybe even offer a special deal to you since you’re already a client of theirs.
- Your Church/ Place of Worship
If religion plays a key part in your relationships, consider your place of worship as an indoor backup location idea for your portrait session.
- Your Home
Look no further than the comforts of your own home! If you go this route, communicate with your photographer ahead of time to discuss the best practices in getting your home photo ready!
- A Friend’s Home
For whatever reason, if your own home isn’t an option, ask around to friends and family members for an alternative indoor location. - Your Community Clubhouse/ Leasing Office/ Business Center
If you live in a community that offers a clubhouse to residents, consider this as a location for an indoor backup plan for your portrait session. Always check with the clubhouse rules ahead of time for their photography policies. (Would you be required to rent the space, is flash photography permitted, etc)
- Your Place of Work
Depending on how photogenic your place of work is, you might have the perfect hook up to have your portrait session at a unique location most wouldn’t have the opportunity to have. - The Gym!
The gym makes a great idea for a fitness themed portrait session. If health plays a key role in your relationships or family life, this could be the perfect option for you. Just make sure to check with your gym establishment ahead of time for their rules and photography policies. - Hotel Lobby
Fancy hotels have fancy lobby areas & shared communal spaces. Often times they are also decorated for the holidays and can be a perfect idea for an indoor portrait session idea. If considering booking a portrait session at a hotel, be sure to check with the hotel staff what their photo policies are ahead of time and if you’re required to pay a fee to utilize their spaces. It’s also important to ask about their rules in booking a portrait session there. They might also have great recommendations for the best times of day where the hotel communal areas are the least crowded.
- Hostel
Depending where you live, hostels could be plenty. - Resort
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with beautiful resorts, this could be a perfect option for an indoor portrait session location idea. Be sure to check with them in advance to ask about fees, permits, and rules required to photograph within their facilities. - Airbnb
There are so many kinds of airbnb’s and vrbo’s and other rental spaces to choose from. The WORLD is your oyster! Be sure to contact the property/ home owner in advance to inquire about their photo policies. Some may even offer a discount for a partial day rental if they know you won’t be spending the night in the space.
- Your College Campus/ Educational Institution
If you are currently in school, or have friends in school, or have friends who teach at school, this could be the perfect option depending on their decor style! Every education institution is different, so be sure to ask ahead of time about their photo policies.
- Coffee shop
Coffee shops make a great indoor location idea for a cold winter day! Be sure to contact the establishment ahead of time to inquire about their photo policies and least crowded times of day. Sometimes you might also inquire about having your portrait session before or after operating hours if you really like the space.
- Favorite Restaurant
For an engagement session location idea, a favorite restaurant could be just the place for a perfect indoor venue. Not only would you have the ability to eat at your favorite dining spot together, but you’d also have a chance to create photos that have an additional sentimental value to them. Be sure to call ahead of time to inquire about their photography policies, and recommended best times of day to avoid crowds.
- Go-to Bar/ Gastropub
Similar to the restaurant idea, your preferred bar or gastropub makes for a great indoor location with plenty of personality and sentimental value. It’s best to call ahead of time to inquire about their photo policies and find the best times/ days to go when it’s least crowded. It may also be worth it to ask if it would be available for your session before or after hours.
- Winery
We LOVE the idea of a beautiful winery/ vineyard for your portrait session! Not every winery/ vineyard will have a great indoor space available for a portrait session, so it’s worth it to visit them ahead of time to find the best one. When asking for permission, don’t forget to ask about the least crowded times of day and days of the week for your portrait session as well as what their photo policies might be like. - Brewery
If you love a good beer, consider having your engagement session at a brewery! Similar to wineries/ vineyards, not every brewery has a great indoor space for photos – so definitely check them out ahead of time. Always inquire about their photo policies, and best times of day/ days of the week to schedule your session (usually when it’s the least crowded) - Cidery
Right along up there with breweries and wineries, consider a cidery! If you don’t love wine or beer, a cidery could be the perfect spot for your indoor portrait session. Always check out the location in advance to see if it would be a suitable location for pictures. When inquiring with your cidery of choice, be sure to ask for their photo policies, and recommended best times of day and days of the week when it might be the least crowded. - Meadery
Relatively new to our list, and our local area – A meadery makes for a super cool photo session location! Always be sure to check with them ahead of time on their photo policies. - Favorite Bookstore
We love the idea of a novelty bookstore! If you’re a bookworm, love books, or education in general, consider local bookstores in your area. Always ask for their photography policies in advance. - Indoor Shopping Mall
An indoor shopping mall has so much variety and diversity in terms of background ideas to choose from! Many shopping malls will also have various holiday displays & indoor courtyard options. It’s super important to check with the property management team ahead of time for their photo policies. Also note – every business located within the shopping mall may have their own policies regarding photography. If there are particular businesses you know you’d like to photograph in, it’s worth it to contact them directly (independently of the shopping mall property management team). - Department Store
A department store may have a similar feel to certain parts of an indoor shopping mall, but instead of checking with multiple businesses for their photo policies, you’d only be checking with one! A department store is also likely to have various holiday displays and textured walls (depending on the department store you’re considering). - Nearby Museum/ Planetarium
A Museum is such a FUN option. Every museum will photograph completely differently depending on the nature of the museum. Always be sure to contact the museum ahead of time for their photography policies. Some may charge a permit to schedule a photo session on their premises, and some may only charge an entry fee. When asking about photo policies, also make sure to review what type of lighting may or may not be brought into the museum. Some may have a strict no flash policy, or not allow separate light stands. - Art Gallery
Similar to a museum, an art gallery can make for a super cool indoor photo session location idea. While some museums may have two dimensional displays, some museums may also have three dimensional art installations or fully immersive exhibits! As always, inquire with the art gallery ahead of time on their photography policies. - Concert hall
- Local Theatre/ Movie Theater
- City hall/ town hall
- Courthouse
- Civic Center/ Community Center
- Train station
- Library
- Book store
- Bowling Alley
- Sporting Arena/ Stadium
- A Greenhouse
- Aquarium
- Indoor Zoo
- Night Club/ Lounge
- Bakery/ Deli
- Consignment shop
- Record Store
- Antique Shop
- Video Game Arcade
- Co-working Space
- Historical Building
- Airport
- Billiards Hall
- Barn
- Gazebo
- Grocery Store
- Beauty Spa
- Fire Department
- Post Office
- Bed & Breakfast
- Flea Market
- Comedy Club
- Gun range
- Magic Shop
- Thrift Store
- Toy Store
- Pet Store
- Indoor Farmers Market
- Ice Cream Shop
- Casino
- Country Club
- Haunted House
- Indoor race track
- Boat/ Ship
- Escape Room
- Indoor put-put
- Indoor rock climbing
- Skating Rink
- Indoor Skate Park
- Indoor swimming pool
- Indoor Trampoline Park
- Bank
Where can I shoot indoors for my engagement session?
If you’re asking yourself “where can I shoot indoors for my engagement session?!” to tell you the truth, there are a plethora of options available to you. The sky is the limit! Hotels, airbnb locations, museums, concert halls, college campuses, city hall buildings, theatres, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, shopping malls, your place of work, your home, your friend’s home, apartment complex office/ business center, etc. Virtually any establishment is an option to consider when you’re asking yourself – “Where are the pretty indoor places to take pictures near me?”
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Narrowing down an indoor photoshoot location
With there being so many options available to you, consider the type of photo shoot you’re envisioning and what type of a venue it might call for. Are you looking for big, grandiose architecture? Are you looking for something more cozy and intimate?
What type of venues do you have a personal or emotional connection with? If you’re getting married soon and you have a hotel block booked out, you have a personal connection with that hotel. If you’re getting married at a venue that has an awesome interior, consider asking your wedding venue if you can shoot there during the week when they’re not busy. Do you and your fiance have a common date night spot or do you frequent a certain bar or restaurant often? If so, you have a connection with these venues!
Asking for permission
If you have a connection with a venue, GREAT! Asking for permission to shoot there should be fairly easy if you already have a point of contact. If you are calling a venue that you don’t already have a connection with, no worries! Simply to ask to speak with the manager in charge and ask about their photography policies and if there are any admission or photography fees to shoot at their venue. While some establishments will not charge you a fee to shoot there as long as you are a paying client (ie: buying coffee at a coffee shop, renting a hotel room at a hotel, buying admission tickets at a museum, etc), there are some establishment that will charge a photography fee regardless if you are a patron or not. It’s best to contact these venues in advance to ensure enough time to reach the appropriate people in charge.
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The Best Indoor photoshoot location ideas
In conclusion, the best indoor photoshoot location ideas are the ones YOU LOVE. We always find it be extra special to our couples when they select a venue that has meaning to them. With the ideas written above, brainstorm away! Your session is going to ROCK. If you’re looking for more inspiration, you can see some of our previous indoor engagement sessions here.
