Beyond the Bridge: Stunning Portrait Locations in Chattanooga
As many of you know, our beloved Walnut Street Bridge is closed for renovations for the next eighteen months. While this iconic Chattanooga landmark has been a favorite backdrop for many of my portrait sessions, I’m excited to share that our beautiful city offers so many other breathtaking locations for photoshoots.
Whether you’re booking an engagement session, family portraits, or senior photos, these alternative spots will provide equally stunning views and unique backgrounds for your memories. Here’s my curated guide to stunning portrait locations in Chattanooga that showcase our city’s beauty from every angle!
Coolidge Park
While the Walnut Street Bridge is closed, the adjacent Coolidge Park still offers spectacular views of the Tennessee River and the bridges in the background. The park’s green spaces and long sidewalks provide a variety of settings within walking distance. I have taken family portraits and high school senior sessions here and there are always plenty of spots for pictures!
Sculpture Fields at Montague Park
This 33-acre outdoor museum features over 40 massive contemporary sculptures scattered across rolling green spaces, with the city skyline and Lookout Mountain as the backdrop. This location provides a variety of spots that can be used for family, engagement, and high school senior sessions. There are gravel trails along with trees and a small area with a field. No matter the time of day, all of my clients receive beautiful pictures!
Renaissance Park
Renaissance Park has recently become a popular location for my families as well as seniors! It connects easily from Coolidge Park and is a short walk from Walnut Street Bridge. This park offers natural areas, sculptural elements, and some elevated viewpoints of Chattanooga. The quarry-like area with stone walls on water creates dramatic compositions. Because there are many spots within the park, my clients have a variety of pictures in their final gallery!
Hunter Museum
The modern architecture of the Hunter Museum, combined with views of the bridge and the river from the overlook, creates a contemporary yet classic backdrop. The cascading steps of the mansion at the museum and the Holmberg Bridge provide several places for pretty portraits! My engaged couples and boyfriends who want to pop the question always choose the overlook as one of their spots to propose. In addition, you can still include the Walnut Street Bride in the background of your pictures!
Downtown Chattanooga – West Village
This European-inspired district features cobblestone streets, string lights overhead, and a collection of boutique shops and restaurants, creating a sophisticated urban atmosphere. The brick buildings, decorative facades, and intimate alleyways offer countless composition opportunities for the West Village. A lot of high school seniors request this location for their portraits because they like the city skyline, and there are so many individual spots within a few blocks of each other in that area. The West Village creates a large variety of images for my clients.
Hamilton County Courthouse
I love shooting at and around the Hamilton County Courthouse. The building provides classic architecture with grand columns, stone steps, and impressive symmetry. The courthouse grounds feature manicured landscaping, and the elegant architecture creates a timeless, stately backdrop that is a beautiful setting. No matter if you’re shooting a high school senior or engagement pictures, this location makes for a smooth session.
Downtown Parking Garage Rooftop
Nothing beats the perspective from parking garage rooftops for stunning aerial views of downtown Chattanooga’s skyline. These elevated vantage points offer wide city views, interesting architectural lines, and urban textures. Locations like this are a lot of fun because I can be creative and shoot memorable portraits among the tall buildings and golden hour light.
While our iconic Walnut Street Bridge is temporarily unavailable, I’m confident your photo session will be just as magical with my curated guide to alternate portrait locations in Chattanooga. Each spot offers its own unique character and beautiful views of our city!
If you have questions about these locations or are ready to book your session, send me a message through my contact form or email me directly at erinbancroftphoto@gmail.com.
