About Vancouver
Vancouver, on Canada’s west coast, is a beautiful city. The nature surrounding the city has miles of beaches, lush parks, plenty of green landscape, and places like Barnet Marine Park, Lighthouse Park, and Queen Elizabeth Park.
It is also known as Hollywood North and has become a production hub for TV shows and feature films. Capture artistic moments in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery for your wedding photos or use Chinatown’s gritty environment for fashion or lifestyle photography. The 130-acre Queen Elizabeth Park is also just a short drive from downtown Vancouver and its notable landmarks.
Hobbyists and professional photographers will find a wealth of scenic photo shoot locations in Vancouver, BC. You can get everything you need at Downtown Vancouver. Stanley Park is one of Canada’s most Instagrammable places, and the city’s main tourist attraction. It also has charming cobblestone streets and unique architecture in the historic district of Gastown.
North Vancouver is a great spot for those who want to experience the great outdoors. While the downtown area is a great location to put on your walking shoes and click pictures, the natural abundance of places like Quarry Garden, Coal Harbour, Kitsilano Beach, and more are unbeatable.
West Vancouver is also a beautiful place and can be the perfect backdrop for an engagement photo shoot with stunning views like the Lighthouse Park, a ski hill, and some beaches.
Photo Shoot Options in Vancouver
- Photographers
It’s not a photo shoot without a professional photographer. While anyone with a camera can have a photo shoot, it’s still different to hire experienced experts with the right skills, techniques, and proper equipment to capture high-quality images you can treasure for years.
- Catering
Photo shoot sessions can take a lot of time. Instead of ordering food or spending time preparing meals, it’s a great idea to hire a catering service to allow you to focus on the shoot. There are plenty of excellent catering options in Vancouver that will provide delicious beverages and food.
- Cleaning
A photo shoot process can be quite messy. That’s why it is helpful to have cleaning services to keep your environment clean, tidy, and safe for everyone. Hire a professional cleaner in Vancouver who can take care of your studio and ensure it’s always photo-shoot-ready.
- Equipment Rentals
You may need different types of equipment for your photo shoot in Vancouver, including furniture, lighting, and a camera. Depending on the type of photography, props are also an essential addition to your shoot to create more realistic images. Instead of buying new gear and supplies every time you have a photo shoot, renting shoot equipment gives you access to high-end equipment without substantial investment.
Photo Shoot Vendors in Vancouver
- Sea to Sky Studios
Sea to Sky Studios consists of a team of creative photographers and storytellers based in the beautiful Sea to Sky region of British Columbia. They specialize in natural light weddings, portrait photography, and others. Whether they're shooting a wedding, documenting an elopement, or capturing a couple's shoot, they view photography as a medium that helps capture the light, moments, and environment around them. Their goal is to encompass time, people, and place in their images and tell interesting stories through the photos. They believe every couple has a unique love story, and it is their privilege to help them capture it.
- Multiservices Vancouver
At Multiservices Vancouver, they pride themselves on providing top-quality and friendly cleaning services. Their team of skilled cleaning professionals is dedicated to ensuring that your photo shoot studio or set is clean and comfortable for everyone. They take great care to assess potential candidates on reliability and honesty to ensure the integrity of operations remains strong. This way, clients can rest easy whenever they welcome the Multiservices Vancouver team into their homes.
- Potluck Catering
Potluck Catering has years of experience providing catering services to corporate, social, and conference events. Their dedicated sales and events team will work with you to select the perfect menu and take care of all the logistics to deliver food to your photo shoot venue.
Pros and Cons of Photo Shoots in Vancouver
Vancouver offers photographers a multitude of venue options and environments to capture a variety of scenes. The city has vibrant urban streets, lush forests, and incredible coastal views—all within close proximity. But before setting up for your shoot, evaluate the pros and cons of choosing Vancouver photoshoot locations.
Advantages
- Photo shoot location options: Places like White Rock, Main Street, Maple Ridge, and more have the perfect spot for a photo shoot location.
- Accessibility: Photoshoot locations in Vancouver are easily accessible via public transportation or by car.
- Natural beauty: The stunning backdrop provides many photographic opportunities. Photographers can set up at Stanley Park, forests, or even along the sandy beaches on Vancouver Island for stunning shots.
- Budget-friendly locations: If you want to rent a photo studio, or click pictures at the Vancouver Art Gallery, or pick a space at Science World, the city has budget-friendly options to help you keep costs down.
Disadvantages
- Busy areas: Depending on the area, certain spots may be busy with tourists or locals who come to take pictures or just hang out. This means you might need to plan your shoots around peak times or avoid them altogether.
- Unpredictable weather: If you’re planning a photo shoot at a location like Seymour Mountain or Lynn Canyon, you should be careful. Unpredictable weather could affect your photo shoot plans if shooting outdoors.
- Background noise: Urban areas like the suspension bridge, Marine building, Lions Gate Bridge, and more can be quite noisy due to traffic and other ambient sounds. Excess noise makes it tough to get the best shots.
- Time and space constraints: This issue may arise depending on the scale of your production and how popular the chosen location is—it’s best to plan ahead so you don’t run into any last-minute problems while shooting onsite.
Tips on How to Organize Photo Shoots in Vancouver
If you want to take pictures in Vancouver, there are many things that you must think of to ensure the best possible photo shoot experience. Here are a few tips for your location in Vancouver for a photo shoot.
- Research the area: Research the area and check out all the locations. Make sure the area has good lighting and check the safety and accessibility before your photo shoot.
- Plan for the backdrops and props: Whether you’re shooting indoors or outdoors, consider adding some interesting backdrops or props that will enhance your photos. You might want to use plants, trees, benches, or other objects as background elements for your photos, depending on your concept or theme.
- Pre-plan poses and wardrobe changes: Plan poses that might work in each location. Doing this will save time during the actual shoot so that everything runs smoothly and quickly during the setup and execution of different shots
- Bring appropriate gear and backup equipment: Make sure all cameras and lighting equipment are okay before arriving at the set. Additionally, bring a reflector/diffuser if shooting outdoors; they can help balance out shadows when taking pictures in direct sunlight or prevent highlights from being too bright when inside buildings or other indoor spaces with limited natural light sources available.
Famous Locations in Vancouver
- Vancouver Public Library
Book lovers and architecture enthusiasts will find a paradise at Vancouver Public Library. The library occupies a full city block and has around 1.4 million books. Opened in 1995, the library is housed in a striking Colosseum-like structure, making it one of Canada’s most magnificent public facilities. Its book collections are found on several floors, so pick your favorite genre or explore the entire collection to discover a hidden gem among them. Vancouver Public Library is conveniently located near must-visit spots, including Sunset Beach Park, Gastown Steam Clock, Seawall Water Walk, and Vancouver Convention Centre.
- The Brockton Point Totem Poles
The Brockton Point Totem Poles are a group of totem poles located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. The poles were carved by members of the Squamish and Musqueam nations and erected in 1936. They feature several animals and mythical creatures, including eagles, bears, and frogs. The poles are a popular tourist attraction and have been featured in several films and television shows. In addition to being a visual feast, the totem poles offer a glimpse into the rich culture and history of the First Nations people of Vancouver.
- Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountai behind Lion Gate Bridge and North Vancouver is a beautiful spot with stunning mountain views. When the snow falls, Grouse Mountain gets the party started with outdoor skating, skiing, snowshoeing, and snowboarding. Whether you're looking for a fun day in the snow or a relaxing evening under the stars, Grouse Mountain is the perfect destination.
No matter your photography style, you’ll find beautiful photo shoot locations in Vancouver, BC, that will match your concept or theme.