Fall leaves in Portland are amazing! So why wouldn’t you decide to have your photos captured with the beautiful backdrop of fall color?

I personally love this time of year, but especially right as the leaves turn.

It’s usually still sunny but not too hot. The crisp air of the fall is my favorite! Portland never disappoints during the fall season.

Here are a few of my favorite locations for photoshoots in Portland. More specifically during fall!

My favorite locations in Portland, OR:

First on the list is the amazing Powell Butte Nature Park.

With amazing views and a variety of trees and grassy areas, this spot is great! Parking can be kind of a pain but just make sure you arrive at your session with a lot of extra time and you will be ok. Most of us who are familiar with Portland end up adding parking time to our schedules anyways, so it shouldn’t be a problem!

Powell Butte Park is a really great spot for families, or senior portraits!

It really doesn’t disappoint. It is wheel chair and stroller friendly for the closer areas and paved pathways go a good amount beyond that.

Make sure you check before you go with any of these locations! Check for photography required permits, parking fees, or park access fees. If the weather isn’t good sometimes parks with close but check Google or their website. This goes for any of the Portland locations! Not just Powell Butte Nature Park.

Next we have another favorite Portland area location, Monet Vineyards:

Monet Vineyards is a private estate, and doesn’t allow dogs or kids but for everything else it is amazing!

Since it is a private estate, you get no foot traffic or on-lookers during your session. Most people who decide to shoot here, are instantly in love with the place.

It is just like a European Villa.

It is about 40min away from Portland, located in Brush Prairie, Washington.

This location will always be one of my favorites! The fall leaves against the beautiful building are stunning.

If you get the chance to shoot here, make sure you do!

A few things of note: you MUST reserve your session ahead of time. You will not be allowed in otherwise. The location is gated and you are required to pay a fee to access it!

Keep in mind that the leaves fall quickly so it is in your best interest to ask the owner directly what dates it will look best at your session. They do close for the winter so make sure of that as well.

You can go to their website: monetvineyards.com or give the owner a call at (360)281-8376 to request a specific day.

Fort Vancouver is another great location for the fall in Portland:

Located close to downtown Vancouver, and not far from Portland: it is a great public spot! Again, make sure you check any photography permit requirements on their website. www.nps.gov/fova

Note that it is a public area and you will run into other photographers and general public so you may need to wait your turn for a specific area! But the area is very big and not hard to do.

Fort Vancouver has a stunning public garden area, open walkways, and lots of oak trees surrounding the area. The old buildings in the background add to the feel of the fall Portland aesthetic.

During the fall you have to keep a close eye out for when the leaves start to turn and the weather is good. Like these sample photos, there isn’t a stunning sunset glow but the color of the leaves almost makes up for it! Now picture these photos with some sunset glow? Chef’s kiss!

It’s a little harder to plan for a larger session like families but senior photography or portrait sessions with more flexibility: it is perfect!

Of course, that goes for any of the locations I mentioned! Fall in Portland is a beautiful thing, but also tricky when the weather doesn’t go as planned. Photoshoots in Portland are always like that, but especially when the weather is changing into winter or spring!

A few tips for your Fort Vancouver session: bring a comfy blanket, or a picnic basket and enjoy the sunset and fall leaves.

After your photoshoot, it’s the perfect outdoor date idea for Portland or Vancouver! You can go on a walk, see pretty plants and flowers, etc.

And that’s a wrap on my favorite fall locations in Portland! I will be doing a more comprehensive list with all my favorite locations near Portland. So stay tuned and keep an eye on the blog for more upcoming favorites!

Thank you,

Natalie K

If you are interested in booking a photoshoot or wedding photography with me, click here for WEDDINGS and here for PORTRAIT sessions!