Top 5 Best Locations to Take Photos in Red Deer
Let’s start with my personal favourite,
3 Mile Bend
Red Deer is truly blessed to have such a beautiful dog park right along the river, there is also a lovely pond and a ton of nooks and crannies to explore. In the summer there are wildflowers and you get the most incredible view of the sunset at the river which makes for stunning golden hour photos. In the fall the colours are insane and in the winter you can walk along the pond which is a personal fave of mine. The downsides are that it can be fairly busy but it’s not so bad when you’re off the paved path, and you are at risk of stepping in poo (which i did when we had our own family photos done there lmao) but there’s a good reason why it’s my fave! There is also a ton of wildlife here from beavers to moose to bald eagles.
Maskepetoon Park
This is another favourite of mine, it’s lesser known so it’s not as busy as other parks but to get here is a bit of a walk and you need to go down a pretty decent set of stairs so it’s not for everyone. It’s also right along the river and gets incredible evening light, there are nice treed gravel paths and board walks and there is a ‘hidden’ lookout that gives you an amazing view of the river which is where I like to end the session!
McKenzie Trails
I’m realizing as I write this all of my favourite parks to take photographs are along the river, have a pond, and tons of beautiful trees! This is definitely a popular one so it can be pretty busy but it is absolutely stunning! The colours here in the fall are especially vibrant and it also gets incredible light especially through the trees along the path and down by the river. I love this spot for winter sessions because you don’t have to stray far from the car to get your photos done.
Riverbend Boat launch
There are two parts to this spot, the first parking lot gives access to a nice treed trail with a view of the river and the lower parking lot gives you access to the water which has beautiful views of the cliffs along the river. This is a great one if you don’t want to stray too far from the car.
Michael O’Brien Wetlands
The first on the list that isn’t by the river! I actually didn’t know about this for a sad amount of time, which is why I don’t have a ton of photos, but it’s right behind safety city and is a scenic trail along little ponds with tons of birds. I love the vibrant colours here in the fall, the fields and how accessible it is.
Honourable mentions
Bower Ponds - I know this is an absolutely beautiful spot but it’s also one of the busiest parks in town which I feel like can make it difficult to relax while you’re having photos taken.
Heritage Ranch - This is actually my favourite place to go for a walk in town other than 3 mile bend, but it is a solid walk to get to the best parts and also pretty busy.
Coronation Park - There is an adorable white bridge and a path with big trees on either side that I love, I actually wish I’d plan more shoots here cause it is super cute
Kerry Wood Nature Centre - Another fave place of mine to walk but it doesn’t allow dogs.
Downtown - I am definitely more into nature vibes compared to city vibes but there are a few spots downtown I love to shoot at with bricks, murals, and staircases.
