Looking for a location for your photo shoot? Auckland has it all!
I love Auckland! It’s so diverse and picturesque. From beautiful beaches, dramatic waterfalls, peaceful reserves and the bright lights of the city, I’m blessed with so many options for Lifestylephoto’s on-location shoots. In this blog, I guide you through a few of the fabulous locations I’ve used for my photo shoots.
Oakley Creek Waterfall
A little retreat from the bustle of city life, the six-metre-high natural waterfall is the perfect backdrop for a maternity or family outdoor shoot. Accessed from Phyllis Reserve, where there’s parking aplenty, we follow the Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek). During the pleasant 10-minute walk through NZ native bush to the waterfall, we capture a few candid and posed shots of you and your family. As well as being the location for our shoot, this is a fabulous day out and many of my families choose to pack a picnic and stay on for the rest of the day.
Auckland Domain
Photos in a traditional park? Look no further than Auckland Domain. The city’s oldest park is set in 75 hectares of lush parkland and offers a naturally beautiful setting for your photo shoot at any time of the year. From beautiful ponds and native forests to the unique glasshouses and romantic enclosed courtyard of the Wintergardens, this is a spot I return to time and time again.
Parnell Rose Gardens
Officially called the Dove Myer Robinson Park after Auckland’s longest-serving Mayor, the roses are the main draw here. Offering a fresh and colourful edge to our photography sessions, this romantic location works particularly well for my maternity photo shoots. Once we’re satisfied that we’ve captured sufficient photos in the rose garden, we have the option to take the short stroll to Taurarua Judges Bay where we’re treated to spectacular views of the bay and Rangitoto in the distance.
Long Bay Regional Park
This location is particularly popular for my family shoots. Offering varied walking trails, wide-open spaces, a children’s play area, a sweeping white sand beach and spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf, it has everything we need to capture your treasured family memories.
Wenderholm Regional Park
Further up the coast from Long Bay and an easy drive just north of Auckland, Wenderholm is an oasis of bushland, native birdlife and beaches. Historic Couldrey House, which proudly stands on the site at Wenderholm, offers another photographic option for our photo sessions.
Auckland’s west coast beaches
Black sand and drama? The west is where it’s at! I’ve lost count of the times I’ve travelled out west to meet families for a unique photo shoot experience. We often arrive in torrential rain and leave in bright sunshine, or vice versa. Piha, Muriwai and Bethells are favourites of mine. All these beaches offer rugged beauty, wild crashing waves and sparkling black sand unlike anywhere else. Yes, it’s a little further to travel but it’s so worth the effort.
So, there you have it. These are just a few of the locations I use for my photo shoots. Before making a final decision on the location of a particular shoot, I always factor in my clients, their family, lifestyle, personality and interests. Some locations are child-friendly and great for families, while others are better for individual shots. I ask questions to determine the best-fit location that would make my clients feel happy and at ease; this is the best guide for choosing a shoot location. I also think carefully about shoot timings; tides and lighting can be the difference between an average photo session and a ‘wow’ shoot.
Do you have any other Auckland photo shoot suggestions? I’m always looking to add more locations to my repertoire. Comment below or message me with your best-kept Auckland spots.
