Below is a list of common Paris photo session locations that we enjoy photographing at, as well as useful information for each. If you’re interested in a location not on this list let us know!
A few things to keep in mind: Because of construction, events, crowds, or other factors, not all locations are available at all times, so it’s good to have an alternate location in mind just in case. Not every photo that you see in the examples below will be recreated if you choose that location, so if you have your heart set on a specific pose or background, please let us know beforehand. Some photos are heavily dependent on available light or weather conditions, so it may be impossible to recreate them. *More information about suggested itineraries below Versailles for helping you decide locations. If you’re still unsure, tell us what you’re most interested in and we can help form the perfect itinerary for you!
EIFFEL TOWER
This is of course the most popular spot! There are three main locations to choose from:
Trocadero
This is the primary location for our Eiffel Tower shorter format sessions. Offers the best views of the Eiffel Tower, both close up and far away. Best first 2 hours after sunrise.
Photographs well year-round.
Pont Bir Hakeim (Main Secondary Eiffel Tower location)
This bridge was made famous by the movie Inception, and has steel beams and vintage lamps all the way down, as well as a large stone archway in the center. There is also a small landing in the center of the bridge with pretty views of the water and the Eiffel Tower. This location capures a bit more charms of Parisian architecture. Not recommended for smaller kids that need room to move as it is a bridge there are cars and a bike lane down the center of the bridge. *This location is a good option for rainy days.
Photographs well year-round.
Base of the Eiffel Tower
This is another of our favorite Paris photo session locations to shoot! Sections of this area can be very quiet and intimate, but offers spectacular views of the tower. During warmer months there are cherry blossoms, roses, and other flowers blooming in this area. Lovely spot for a picnic! Also offers beautiful architectural views and a pretty area down by the river. (Due to the fact you are closer to the Tower, you don’t get as many full length views of the actual tower, but we love it up close and personal.)
Photographs well year-round.
Palais Galliera
This is the area on the back side of the fashion museum. Beautiful architecture, stately columns, a gorgeous iron gate, and some pretty green space. This is a 10 minute walk from Eiffel Tower/Trocadero so it is a good option for 1 Hour sessions. *Many areas are covered so this is a good option on rainy mornings.
Photographs well year-round.
Louvre
This is another favorite area. The building itself is gorgeous, and the big glass pyramids in the courtyard are instantly recognizable as a Paris landmark. Lots of beautiful arches, columns, buildings, benches, lampposts – all those things you associate with Paris. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, so the crowds around the area are much lighter on those days and perfect for shooting. Very close to Palais Royal and Tuileries.
Photographs well year-round. Best on Tuesdays.
Palais Royal
This area is best known for its art installation with black and white striped columns. It’s also been made more famous by the series Emily in Paris. There are long passageways lined with arches and columns surrounding a central courtyard with long rows of trees and a pretty fountain. Very close to the Louvre. *Since this area is mostly covered, it can be a good alternate location in case of rain.
Photographs well year-round, except for the gardens which look best during warmer months.
Tuileries Gardens
Of all our Paris photo session locations, this is another crowd favorite. Present in many old paintings and movies about Paris, this park is famous for the green lawn chairs scattered throughout the trees and around the several large fountains. Lovely green spaces with visible French architecture. There is a smaller replica of the Arc de Triomphe at one end of the gardens. During the summer months there is a carnival and ferris wheel nearby. Located near the Louvre and Palais Royal.
Photographs best late Spring through early Fall.
Ile-de-la-Cité/Place Dauphine
One of the two small islands on the Seine River, this is a fantastic spot for relaxed, candid images that evoke Parisian charm. Great views of the Seine, pretty doorways, car-free streets, quaint parks, and adorable cafes. Located very close to Notre Dame.
Photographs well year-round.
Pont Alexandre III
The most beautiful bridge in Paris! Huge wrought iron lamp posts along each side, massive pillars with golden statues at each end, and a gorgeous view of the Seine as well as the Eiffel Tower. There is also a beautiful stone staircase and archway underneath the bridge that allows you to access the riverbank. Not located near any major landmark, but there is a convenient bus (using the T+Metro card) that runs from the Eiffel Tower to this bridge and continues on to the Tuileries and the Louvre, or a short Uber ride.
Photographs well year-round.
Montmartre
One of our favorite locations! Basically a huge hill, famous for the beautiful Sacre Coeur church at the top, the Place du Tertre which is a small square surrounded by local artisans drawing and painting and sculpting all day, the long winding staircases and steep boutique-lined streets leading down the hill, and of course one of the best views of the city. Almost always packed with people, but there is a great lively atmosphere here and the cityscape from the top of the hill is amazing. Tons of great cafes, street musicians, and artists. If you want to get “real Paris” kind of shots, in my opinion this is the best choice. Far from the other locations, so plan for a moderate cab ride (~15 minutes, 20€) if you wish to combine with other spots. If you are not combining with other spots we do suggest a 1 Hour Minimum for this location as there is more ground to cover. Best in the early mornings.
Photographs well year-round.
Parisian Cafes
Not a specific location, as it can be combined with almost every location listed above, but a great addition to any session. We can stop to grab a coffee, glass of wine, macaron, or croissant. If you wish to do an outfit change, planning for a cafe stop can be smart so that you can use the facilities. You must purchase something to shoot at a cafe, and you will need to stay for at least 15-20 minutes to place your order, shoot, and pay, so plan accordingly. Great option for rainy days.
Photographs well year-round.
Miscellaneous Street Scenes
Many clients wish to simply wander the streets of Paris, taking candid photos as they go. This is a great choice for a more relaxed, unplanned feeling. Sometimes it requires a touch of patience as we may need to wait for cars, etc. If this is of interest, see the Ile-de-la-Cite/Place Dauphine section above. There are also good neighborhoods near Pont Bir Hakeim, and Palais Royal. We can also add in photos on the Metro, near the Seine, and riding a bicycle to almost any session.
Photographs well year-round.
Arc de Triomphe – This location is not far from Trocadero, but is best photographed very early in the morning or on a Saturday or Sunday when car traffic is minimal. There’s only a few good vantage points that make sense for portraits. We often suggest this as a quick bonus location to clients that have booked transportation because it won’t take much time away from other location ideas. If you want a look similar to the Arc de Triomphe, there is a smaller but almost identical arch in between the Louvre and the Tuileries that photographs beautifully.
Jardin du Luxembourg – We don’t receive many inquiries for these gardens, but we are not opposed to shooting here. The gardens are a bit more spread out, so we do encourage a 1 hour session for this location.
Night Sessions in the City of Love
While we love photographing night sessions, they are much more exclusive and are best at very particular times of the year. Because we are normally up at sunrise during busy season, night sessions don’t work too well in the summertime when it’s not dark until nearly 11pm. So…if you have your heart set on this, the best months are around mid-March to mid-May and mid-September to mid-November. We absolutely love being able to get a bit artsy and moody with these sessions, so let’s have some fun!
We don’t encourage evening sessions for families because we are often working with the available light which is more moody, and may not fall evenly on a group of people. There’s often more people around as well making it more distracting for the kids.
Click HERE for more of the Midnight in Paris Elopement featured below.
Versailles
Huge chateau and gardens outside the city. Requires an 45 minute long ride on the RER train or Uber fare. Not necessarily “Paris” photos but they do evoke French style and beauty. The gardens are absolutely incredible and go on for miles, and you can rent bikes and rowboats here as well. Almost impossible to get photos inside the chateau, but sometimes you can get photos at Marie Antoinette’s home in the gardens, which is really lovely. Does incur an additional fee for travel and entrance tickets.
This is also becoming a popular location for proposals.
Click HERE for a Versailles Proposal.
Best photographed late Spring through early Fall
OF NOTE…
For a one-hour session, you may choose 1-2 locations. For a two hour session, you would select 2-3 locations. For a three hour session, you would need to pick 3-4 locations, and so on. For a family session 1.5 hour session – you will choose 2 locations (occasionally 3 if everything goes super smoothly and locations are close together). Even though some locations are close to each other, travel time adds up quickly and can eat up a lot of the session if you try to accomplish too much in too little time. Plan for at least 15-20 minutes in between each location (travel time is included in your session time, so the fewer locations you choose, the more photos you’ll get). If you only want a couple of good photos of the Eiffel Tower and the rest of the session elsewhere, we do offer a complimentary 10 minutes at Trocadero with CheyAnne or Doug. This offer can not be used when your other locations include Champ de Mars, Pont Bir Hakeim, or the base of the Eiffel Tower. You must request this at the time of booking so that we may plan for the extra time in our schedule.
SUGGESTED ITINERARIES
For those who want a mix of landmarks and “real” Paris – FORMAL:
Start at Trocadero for a handful of shots with the Eiffel Tower, then move on to the stunning lamppost-lined Pont Alexandre with views of the Seine. Finish at Palais Royal, walking hand in hand down the columned walkways and arched galleries. Requires 1-2 hours. Add some optional images in the quiet rear courtyard of the Louvre for 2-3 hour sessions.
Click HERE for an elegant enagement session sample at some of the Parisian highlights.
For those who want to hit all the major Paris landmarks:
Start at Pont Bir Hakeim for some far-away views of the tower with more architecture. Then proceed to the base of the Eiffel Tower for some close-up images with greenery. Go on to the Louvre to get the glass pyramids and the grand sweeping buildings, then finish by the river at Pont Des Arts or Pont Neuf. Requires at least three hours. Add in Pont Alexandre III for a fourth hour and more shooting time at each location.
For our Families wanting more than the Eiffel Tower
Places that pair well with the Eiffel Tower for our families are often the Base of the Tower, Pont Bir Hakeim or Palais Galliera as you can simply walk to your second location. There are also options for street scenes and cafes in walking distance of the tower. If you want traditional Paris, any of the Eiffel Tower locations paired with the Louvre and/or the Tuileries is a great match. And if you’re wanting more Parisian charms, Île de la Cité/Place Dauphine or Pont Alexandre make a great match with the Eiffel Tower as well. Generally for the kiddos they are finished at about the 1.5 to 2 hour mark.
For those who want a mix of landmarks and “real” Paris – CASUAL:
Start in Montmartre for casual neighborhood shots – cuddling on the steps, getting the city skyline in the background, walking down the winding roads, sipping wine at cafes, eating croissants etc. Finish at Pont Bir Hakeim and the base of the Eiffel Tower, walking hand in hand with the Tower in the background, perhaps ending with a small picnic near the tower. Requires 2-3 hours.
For those who want the “real” Paris and want to avoid anything touristy – CASUAL:
Start on the back side of Montmartre, strolling along cute doorways and bustling cafes. Spend some time wandering down the narrow streets. Make a cafe pit stop and get photos while you’re there. Finish up along the riverbank, strolling hand in hand along the Seine. Requires 2 hours. If you want more green space, substitute the Tuileries for Montmartre or the Cafe.
For those who want the “real” Paris and want to avoid anything touristy – FORMAL:
Start at Pont Alexandre III, Paris’ most beautiful bridge, with a subtle view of the Eiffel Tower in the far distance. Continue on to the Tuileries, shooting among the trees with the castle-like Louvre in the distance. Continue on to the Louvre, avoiding the main courtyard and instead focusing on the surrounding architecture and city streets. Finish with a walk through the columned pathways of the Palais Royal garden. Requires at least three hours.
Notre Dame (Currently Unavailable due to reconstruction of the Cathedral)
Once the construction is complete in the gardens, we’ll be ready to take bookings here again as we love the quaint park in the back. We’ll update when it’s available. We’ll avoid the crowd-packed front of the cathedral and focus on the back side of the church which has a lovely garden. Plenty of greenery and a great view of the gothic architecture. See the “Ile de la Cite” section above for examples of the surrounding area.
Photographs best late Spring through early Fall.
