Red Rocks in Southern Utah: A Photoshoot Go-To


It's basically a guarantee that using southern Utah's red rocks for any photoshoot will turn out great. They're obviously beautiful and are great for outdoor lovers, but they also work for indoorsy people like me who like the scenery for photos. Red rocks honestly works for everyone- even one of my favorite clothing stores, Bohme, shot at Snow Canyon State Park, and the photos are gorgeous. Using red rocks for photos is also pretty useful too because they're at known locations, so getting there won't be confusing as a place in the mountains or off of a main road can be.


Another thing I like about the red rocks is that they're pretty easy to match. Neutral color palettes compliment the scenery effortlessly, and bold colors make this cool, careless statement against the crimson sandstone. We all know that figuring out what to wear for photos is so hard for no reason, so I like using a location that's easy to match to take unnecessary stress off of my clients.


When I'm sourcing a location for a photo session, I always prioritize efficiency for my clients. I don't want to waste anyone's time! With that in mind, I've definitely done my research and am positive I've created the perfect list of locations with red rocks in southern Utah.

Location 1: Snow Canyon State Park


I had to start with the most known of all the locations, Snow Canyon State Park. It's in Ivins, Utah and is about 15 minutes off of 1-15, the main interstate in Utah. Snow Canyon is a great location option because it has the iconic sandstone, sand area, and also has beautiful limestone. From families to seniors, I love shooting at Snow Canyon!!


The pics below are from one my favorite senior sessions, Katie. All of these photos were taken at Snow Canyon. I love how different the backgrounds look from each other but work so well at the same time.

Location 2: Thunderbird Gardens


Thunderbird Gardens in Cedar City, Utah isn't very popular for photos, but don't mistake that for its beauty because she's a stunner. It's about 20 minutes off of I-15. If you love red rocks, Thunderbird Gardens is your place. It's a small area compared to Snow Canyon, but is plenty big for any photoshoot you're planning to do.


I didn't mention this before, but Snow Canyon is extremely popular here in southern Utah, but Thunderbird Gardens isn't. So if you don't want to spend forever editing people out of the background of your shots or trying to find a spot to park, I highly recommend Thunderbird Gardens.


Here are some photos of my stunning client Hallie from her birthday shoot taken at Thunderbird Gardens.

Location 3: Pioneer Park


Pioneer Park is a hidden gem! It's less than 10 minutes off of I-15 in Saint George, Utah. I love Pioneer Park because it has the sandstone and sagebrush that Snow Canyon State Park has, but without the crowds or entrance fee. I've only shot at Pioneer Park a few times, but it quickly became one of my favorite places to shoot for those reasons. It works great for family photos, and would be a stunner for seniors or engagements, or even bridals.


You know the drill, here are some photos at Pioneer Park of the precious Brock family.

I hope this guide was helpful for you and that you got some inspo or direction on what you want out of your photos. My whole goal as a photographer is to create an experience with my clients that is more than photos they're happy with, I want them to be excited about their experience with The Photo Collective, and most importantly, I want my clients to leave their session happy about the experience we created together.


If any of this resonated with you, I'd love to hear about it and get to know you! Above all I want to create together, and I hope you do too. My socials are linked here or at the bottom of this post, or you can contact me here. Let's Create Together.