Best Locations For Engagement Sessions in the Youngstown, OH
Are you trying to pick a good location for your engagement session and don’t know where to start? Well I’m glad you’re here on my blog! I’m here to show you all of my favorite locations to shoot in the Youngstown, Ohio area. While there are so many beautiful places to choose from, I always encourage my couples to pick a spot that is meaningful to them. A place you feel comfortable. A place that holds great memories. If you need help brainstorming, check out the places I love to photograph!
Please keep in mind that these locations are public property. We are so incredibly fortunate to have tons of beautiful and unique places in our community. It’s important to be respectful to the location no matter where it is. Please keep our park beautiful and be considerate of the landscaping. Also, be respectful of other people at these locations. While many of these places such as Mill Creek Park currently do not require permits to photograph there, be sure you double check and make sure you have permission, as some do require a fee and booking in advance.
PARKS + TRAILS
Mill Creek Park (Newport Wetlands, Lanterman’s Mill, Pioneer Pavilion, The Lily Pond, The Suspension Bridge aka Cinderella Bridge, Ford Nature Center, Fellows Riverside Gardens)
HISTORIC LOCATIONS
Butler Institute of American Art
URBAN SETTINGS
Downtown Youngstown (Federal Street, Phelps Street)
INDOOR STUDIOS
DoubleTree by Hilton downtown (the king suites are awesome!)
LOCAL BUSINESSES/BREWERIES
Youngstown State University campus
WINERIES
PARKS
One big staple in the Youngstown area is Mill Creek Park. There is an endless number of picturesque places to take photos here. There are the historic structures like “The Old Mill” (Lanterman’s Mill), the Cinderella Bridge or any one of the unique cabins throughout the park. There are also so many hidden gems that are calling for you to explore and find them! Just hit one of the tons of trails throughout the park! Some are really off the beaten path and others shorter walks with parking close by, like the Newport Wetlands, Ford Nature Center or the lovely garden and trails at Fellows Riverside Gardens.
There are a couple of extensions of Mill Creek Park that I love to photograph at and explore. Yellow Creek Park is in Struthers, but still gives a nice variety of backdrops. In the gorge, there’s a bridge that goes over Yellow Creek, a shoreline when the levels are low and some trails to hike.
Another part of the park that is on the outskirts of Youngstown is the Experimental Farms in Canfield. From barns and trails to wildflower/sunflower fields and a cute little pond, there is no shortage of backdrops that give a great variety in your session.
Boardman Park and Poland Forest are two other smaller park areas that are great options as well. Boardman Park has the historic St. James Meeting House (the big white chapel you see from 224), trails in and out of the woods and beautiful landscaping all around.
About ten minutes east of Boardman Park is the Poland Forest. Obviously there are trails to follow, but there’s also a pretty cool bridge over the creek. If you go, don’t forget your bug spray!! The best part of shooting at the forest is that it’s a very quick drive to the Poland Library and city hall, which are two stunning buildings with tons of character.