Utah Lake Photoshoot – How To Plan A Successful Utah Lake Photo Shoot

Utah Lake is such a stunning location for photos all year round. The main session in this post is from Sydney and Kathryn’s moody lake session filled with coffee, cute pup moments, and morning strolls. I’ll share some of my tips for planning an amazing Utah Lake Photoshoot to make sure your session is everything you’re envisioning.

1. Choose The Right Location

Choosing the right location for your photo shoot is essential and Utah Lake has a ton of options! It’s a huge lake with plenty of access points. Below are a few that I’ve explored.

Utah Lake State Park

Utah Lake State Park in Provo definitely has more of a park feel with manicured grass and big trees. There are boat docks all around too, but you can drive out onto big gravel roads (I think there’s a more technical term for them but I don’t know). They have big rocks you can use, and provide a really unique look.

Since it’s a state park, there is an access fee so be prepared to pay that on the way in.

Utah Lake Shore Trail

Utah Lake Shore Trail is a super easy to access location in Vineyard. There’s plenty of shoreline to walk along and explore and has a super natural sandy look. This is where we did Sydney and Kathryn’s moody morning lake session. It also has really beautiful pampas grass and in the winter, the water freezes over and forms really cool ice formations.

2. Prepare Beforehand & Make it Unique

It’s also important to prepare before your shoot. Make sure you have everything you want to include and do some brainstorming on unique ways you can bring your personality to your Utah Lake Photoshoot. This is something I LOVE to help with and the options are endless. Any rules you think exist? I’m here to tell you they don’t! Want to sip on some coffee at the lake together? Pop champagne and celebrate your engagement? Bring your pup and let them run around? Wait for blue hour and take some flash photos under the stars with lanterns? I am here for HOWEVER you want to bring your personalities into your session and tell YOUR story.

3. Think About the Time of Day

This is DEFINITELY something that your photographer can help with, but it doesn’t hurt to think about what you want too! For our session, we wanted a cloudier PNW vibe so we planned it for a cloudy morning before the day cleared up. Generally though, sunrise and sunset are the best times for photos because the lighting is the best. Blue hour and after the sun goes down is also one of my favorite options! It’s so unique and incorporating lanterns and some flash photos are a great way to make your photos stand out.

4. Plan Outfits Your Comfortable and Confident In

One of the number one questions I get before any session is “what should we wear?” I can give you suggestions like neutrals always look good and different textures will add depth to your photos, the most important thing is that you feel good! When you feel good in what you’re wearing, you’ll be more comfortable and your photos will look more natural and unposed.

If you want more tips about what to wear to your session, check out my Instagram Guide Here!

5. Have Fun!

The most important thing is that you relax and enjoy yourself during your session. I am all about natural moments and unposed emotions and will make this SO easy for you. Come prepared to let go, have a good time together, and probably forget I’m there during some points of the session. You’ll be so busy laughing together, exploring the lake, and making new memories.

I can’t wait to start planning an amazing session with you! We will make your Utah Lake photoshoot totally fun and unique and your personalities will shine.

If you’re ready to start planning, contact me here!

xx, Tami