Portland is such a great place to be because there are options for city- and nature-inspired photos in such a small radius. With Chris and Kristen, we visited two different locations in the Forest Park area of Portland. First, we met up at Hoyt Arboretum. Hoyt Arboretum engagement photos are always so stunning, and just this one park alone has a variety of vibes. In this urban forest, it’s effortless to capture Portland nature engagement photos. Near the main road, we started with at the pavilion and surrounding areas. These two wanted a casual and relaxed environment for their engagement session, and that was easily achieved in one of the most versatile parks in Portland.

Although we didn’t take advantage of everything Hoyt Arboretum has to offer in this specific session, I still wanted to highlight some other areas. One of the most popular spots is the Redwood Deck, where you can often find wedding ceremonies taking place for elopements or micro-weddings in Portland. This spot is perfect for weddings, couples sessions, and portraits alike for all of the forest lovers out there.

Hoyt Arboretum is also a great place to take engagement photos in nature because there are multiple spots to do both sitting and standing poses, and just a ton of room in general that you don’t feel like you are sharing the space with so many other people (except for maybe the Redwood Deck, that sure is popular!)

The next location, only a short drive away, is Pittock Mansion. From here, there are views of the city, a beautifully landscaped garden, and of course, the historic mansion. I always recommend this as a location for anyone, especially if you aren’t totally decided on a nature or a city location. This gives a little bit of both and I find the historic building to give a very classic feel to the session. This can be a popular place on nice days, so I definitely recommend going on a weekday, if possible.

Need a photographer for Portland nature engagement photos? Let’s chat! Whether it’s for your wedding on the Redwood Deck, your engagement or couples photos, or to celebrate any other milestones, we can plan the session of your dreams with a variety of forest and nature backgrounds all within Portland’s city limits.