Our top five favorite photo locations in Door County

As a family photographer, I’ve had the opportunity to explore Door County’s beautiful landscapes and charming towns. If you’re planning family photos in Door County and need some location inspiration, here are my top five favorite photo locations in Door County:

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve

Perks of the Ship Canal Nature Preserve

1. Open shade & soft light. When the sun shines on the back of the trees, it creates a gentle and diffused light that surrounds the area in a 360º radius. This type of lighting is ideal for capturing photographs from any angle.
2. Multiple opportunities for backgrounds. You can find several backgrounds at this beach destination, including the Sturgeon Bay Canal Light and the Sturgeon Bay Canal North Pierhead Light. The area also features a pier, sandy dunes, a serene beach, and crystal clear waters of Lake Michigan.
3. Location, location, location. The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve is situated in close proximity to several other breathtaking locations mentioned on the list. You’ll find the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Overlook just across the canal. At the same time, Portage Beach is located a short drive away. Depending on your preferences, we can create a timeline for your session that includes one, two, or all three of these locations. Thereby providing you with a diverse range of backgrounds and settings to choose from.
4. Serene & Tranquil Atmosphere. This beach is known for its serene and tranquil atmosphere. Which makes it a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Unlike other often crowded beaches, the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve beach is typically quiet and not too busy. Allowing visitors to enjoy the beautiful scenery and relax in peace. Not having to worry about waiting for others before using an area.

Drawbacks of the Ship Canal Nature Preserve

While the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve offers a variety of stunning landscapes and backdrops for photography. There are a few drawbacks that visitors should be aware of.

1. The Wind. The area can be pretty windy, which can make it challenging to keep hair in place. We suggest bringing a hair tie to put your hair in a braid if it is a wildly windy day. A cute headband would also pair well with a braid or chignon. We’ve only ever had an issue with the wind one time. However, we like clients to be aware of beforehand so you can adequately prepare.
2. Shifting sand and uneven terrain. The terrain can be uneven and rugged, making it challenging to navigate for those with mobility issues.
3. Usually, in early May, there are gnats that can be quite bothersome. However, their presence is usually limited to a few weeks around Mother’s Day. During this time, the temperature tends to be more moderate, and not many people want to take photographs on the beach anyway. Unless you’re like me and already beach bumming it in May when it’s 45º. Some of us are built different. lol.

Despite these challenges, the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve remains one of our favorite locations due to its unique beauty, picturesque scenery, and gorgeous lighting.

You can dive into this location further with these sessions to get a complete feel for what the Canal Nature Preserve has to offer. Family Session during sunset | Branding Session during high noon | Personal Session with my son & I (2nd half of session at this location)

Sturgeon Bay Canal Overlook

The Sturgeon Bay Canal Overlook is my favorite location to photograph. There’s something peaceful about a meadow overlooking a waterway with a beautiful open sky in the background.

The Sturgeon Bay Canal Overlook is a dream location for family photography for various reasons. The serene and picturesque surroundings provide an ideal backdrop for capturing beautiful family moments. The meadow overlooking the waterway, with the open sky in the background, creates a peaceful ambiance that can help families feel relaxed, allowing for more natural and authentic photographs. Additionally, the location offers a variety of settings, such as the waterway, the meadow, and the nearby woods, which can add variety to the family photoshoot and make for a more interesting and dynamic photo album.

Perks of the Canal Overlook in Sturgeon Bay

1. Breathtaking views. The Canal Overlook offers breathtaking views of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal and surrounding nature.
2. Variety in Backgrounds. There are a variety of backgrounds to choose from, including hills, steps, meadows, trees, sand, and the canal itself.
3. Gorgeous Lighting. Gorgeous lighting throughout the year makes for great photos, no matter the season.
4. Quiet & Serene. Always a quiet and low-traffic area, ensuring a peaceful and stress-free photoshoot.
5. 360º & flattering light. Once the sun has set a bit, this stunning location has 360º light that allows us to photograph in any direction. Additionally, the way it sits atop the hill gives us a creamy glow as the sun sets, delivering a flattering tone to all skin types. If you’re fair-skinned, this is the spot for you!
6. Location, location, location. It is ideally located near other fantastic photo locations, such as Portage Park and The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve.

Drawbacks of the Canal Overlook

I have honestly not found one yet. I love this place. We frequent here often for family strolls. It is such a calm and relaxing place bounding with nature to explore and boats to watch sailing through the canal.

See our sessions at the Canal Overlook: Maternity Session at Sunset in August | Family Session at Sunset in August | Engagement Session in October | Engagement Session in October

Portage Park

Perks of Portage Park for your family photos

1. Unique & Picturesque. Portage Park is a unique and picturesque location. The park offers a beach view along with some trees & a gorgeous view of Lake Michigan, giving a range of backdrops for family photography.
2. Conveniently Located. The park is conveniently located just a few minutes from Sturgeon Bay and a short drive from the Canal Overlook and additional public access beaches. Making it a wonderful location to combine with other locations to give a variety of backgrounds for your family portraits.
3. Less Crowds. The park is generally less crowded than other popular photography locations in Door County, making it easier to find a quiet spot for family photos without having to compete with other photographers or park visitors.
4. Dip Your Toes. It’s addionally a great beach for dipping your toes in the water since it tends to be a rather calm section of the shoreline.
5. Rocks. Most of the year, there are loads of rocks to look through and play with. Children often enjoy this beach, while Mom & Dad snuggle on a blanket and watch their kiddos explore.
6. Skipping rocks with Dad. Speaking of rocks, they make this beach a great place to skip rocks with Dad. Which tends to be a sweet way to capture your kids and Dad together, showcasing their relationship.
7. Less wind equals less hair tussling. The wind doesn’t seem to be quite as intrusive as other local beaches in the area. This is due to being nestled in a cove with trees to block a good amount of the wind. Yay!

Drawbacks of Portage Park in Sturgeon Bay

1. Shoreline Length & Lighting. The treeline is in close proximity to the shoreline, which shortens the time we’re able to photograph at this location. This doesn’t discourage us from Portage Park being one of our Top 5 Family Photo Session Locations in Door County. To make up for this, we typically start a session at Portage Park Beach and then travel to the Canal Overlook for sunset.

Links to our blog posts featuring Portage Park: Family Session in August | Engagement Session in September | Engagement Session in October | Engagement Session in October | Engagement Session in August

Red Pine Trail

Perks of the Red Pine Trail for your Door County family photos

1. Proximity. The Red Pine Trail is located within Whitefish Dunes State Park and is 5 minutes to Cave Point, 10 minutes to Lake Side Park in Jacksonport, 13 minutes to Heins Creek, 20 minutes from Portage Park, and 20 minutes from the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Overlook. So, it’s a great location to mix and match with others for various settings and backgrounds.
2. Not like other woods. This forest trail offers little to no underbrush, allowing for little visual obstruction in your photos, and offers a lot of open space to move around.
3. A forest filled with light. During the correct times of day, this spot of the forest floods with light, creating an ethereal look in photos. It’s simply our favorite set of woods on the Door Peninsula for this reason. Woods are often difficult to photograph due to low light, but not here.

Drawbacks of the Red Pine Trail

1. Gaining Access. In order to gain access to the State Park, it is necessary to obtain a Commercial Photography Permit, which comes at a cost of $50. It is important to note that a Wisconsin State Park Vehicle Admission Sticker is also required for entry. Please note that the client is responsible for the permit fee and their own Vehicle Admission Sticker. I will take care of the process of acquiring the permit. While submitting permit requests at least two weeks in advance is generally recommended, I understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise, and it’s always better to be prepared. Therefore, to ensure we have ample time to make any necessary changes to the location in case the initial request is denied, I prefer to give ourselves a month to submit the request. This helps to minimize any potential inconvenience to the client and ensures a smoother process overall.
2. Snake Alert. This kind of goes for most nature based locations in August. However, we’ve only come into contact with them once and at this location. Although harmless, some people are have a strong fear of snakes and I wouldn’t want you to be unaware of their possible presence. Fox snake babies hatch in late August and are most often found on the forest floor since they den in rotten or downed tree stumps and in leaves, or in this case, pine needles.

Links: Engagement Session in October | Engagement Session in May

Lake Side Park

Perks of having your Door County family photographer capturing your photos at Lake Side Park

1. Boardwalk & Seagrass. The thing that sets Lake Side Park apart from other locations in Door County is the boardwalk through the seagrasses leading to the beach, which can add variation to your gallery.
2. Take a swim. This is a good beach for getting in the water; the tides are not too rough, the entry is shallow, and there are not many rocks to step on.
3. Bathrooms & Foot Rinse Station. This can be a massive perk for some families, especially if you plan on entering the water during your session and would like to rinse off or change, have young children who may need a diaper change, or need access to a restroom quickly for small children.

Drawbacks of Lake Side Park in Jacksonport

1. Crowd Congestion. This park can have a good number of people during high tourist season, and because of that, parking can be limited. There are three small parking lots along with street parking so we’ve not had any issues, but I like people to be aware of all possibilities.
2. Dates are important. This park is often used for festivals, and we need to be sure that there are no festivals or events in town, especially during summer. This park acts as a hub for townwide events. I have two Door County event schedules linked below for you to look at if you are planning a trip or would like to schedule a specific date. Destination Door County | Door County Pulse

Links: Personal Session of my son & I (1st half of session) | The first look, beach portraits, & bridal party are all taken at this park

Okay, I couldn’t stop at my top five favorite photo locations in Door County! So, I’m including a bonus location!!

Deer Path

Perks of using Deer Path for your family photos

1. Privacy. It’s a public access but practically a private beach being set directly between two residences.
2. Unique Setting. It has a gorgeous shoreline filled with seagrasses that isn’t offered much of anywhere else on the peninsula.

Drawbacks of Deer Path Public Beach Access

1. There is extremely limited parking. There is only about enough room for 1-2 cars, so if someone else is there, we’d have to move down the road to another public access or head down to Portage Park, 13 minutes away. This is a fabulous location, but we suggest having it as a bonus location in addition to others, just in case.

Links: Engagement Session in October | Branding Session in May – blog coming soon

Ultimately, my hope is that this list of The Helgesons’ top five favorite photo locations in Door County helps guide you in finding your dream location for your family photos in Door County.