Castlewood State Park
Castlewood State Park is the perfect location for any nature enthusiast that seeks out adventure or just wants to get lost in the woods. With its hiking trail to…
Castlewood State Park is the perfect location for any nature enthusiast that seeks out adventure or just wants to get lost in the woods. With its hiking trail to overlooks of the Meramec River and gentle walking trails through open fields, Castlewood State Park has plenty to offer for senior pictures. Creeks flow around the park and there are abundant woods to give you all kinds of different scenery for your senior pictures. You can even trek alongside the Meramec River, discovering all the beautiful flowers that grow nearby it. Whether you’re a hiker or enjoy a leisurely stroll, you won’t fail to find the perfect view for your background.
Check out my list of the top senior picture locations in St. Louis, MO to get inspired by more locations to have your senior pictures taken.
The Best Part About Castlewood State Park
Castlewood State Park’s best-known feature is its steep, Lone Wolf hiking trail that directly leads you to the most beautiful, scenic views of the Meramec River. Once at the top, it’s a fairly easy walk along the bluff that offers multiple views of the river and a lovely stroll through the woods.
You’ll come across some steps as you finish off the trail, which leads you down to a small tunnel that passes under the train tracks. This tunnel gives you a change of scenery, opening up a little bit of an urban and moody location for senior pictures.
Once through the tunnel, you’re now on flat ground that follows the Meramec River. If you don’t want the major uphill hike, you can still access the river from the far end of the park, taking the trail that leads you past wide-open fields that make for great “freedom” feeling photos.
Along the trail by the Meramec River, you’ll be surrounded by woods, and at certain times of the year, you’ll be able to catch blooming wildflowers amongst the trees. These flowers are great for creating fairytale style photos.
On the other side of the park, you’ll find a quiet creek flowing along a gravel bar. With large rocks sitting along the creek, this gives you an opportunity for sitting or climbing on the rock poses. The gravel bar is also a change of scenery from the sandbars that line the Meramec River.
What to Expect Each Season
Spring
Wildflowers, particularly bluebells, bloom in the spring along the trail by the Meramec River. Trees are also starting to get their color back, but while they haven’t completely regained their leaves, this opens up the views from the overlooks a bit more, while also giving you some color from some of the regrowth. Since spring is the rainy season, you may run into the possibility of the Meramec River trail being closed due to flooding.
Summer
In the summer, the trees will be filled with leaves, giving you plenty of color and fully wooded backgrounds. The grass will also be green in the large, open fields. Since summer tends to be drier, the river levels will most likely go down, and the threat of the Meramec River trail being flooded will be less likely.
Fall
With the number of trees in Castlewood State Park, this makes the perfect location for fall senior pictures. You won’t fail to miss color here. Head up to the overlook too for beautiful oranges, reds, and yellows stretched out over the Meramec River, or walk along the pathways to surrounded yourself in a forest of warm, glowing colors.
Winter
While winter means there’s not growth and the trees will be barren, it’s the perfect time to view the Meramec River from the overlooks. Even though barren trees offer no color, your view of the river is much wider as you can see through the trees. The lower parts of the trail system are also great after a snow to twirl around or feel like your lost in a snowy forest.
Pricing and Accommodations
Castlewood State Park is free and gates are open from 7:00am to one-half hour after sunset, year round. Restrooms are by the playground parking lot.
Address
1401 Kiefer Creek Rd, Ballwin, MO 63021
Senior Pictures at Castlewood State Park
Riley
Castlewood State Park
Riley’s session at Castlewood State Park couldn’t have been a more perfect location for his senior pictures. It was his first…
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Love this location? I can’t wait to dream up your session with you!
If you’re interested in having your senior pictures taken by Amanda Photography, please fill out the form with any other questions you may have, or let me know if you’re ready to schedule a consultation call so we can get your amazing session set up!
You’ll hear back from me within 48 hours, Monday through Friday (unless I’m on vacation traveling the beautiful USA.)
Evan | A Street Boy in Nature
For Evan’s senior session we headed to Forest Park’s Victorian Bridge. His family visits the park often, but this quiet, lesser-known spot was new to them making it the perfect place to…
For Evan’s senior session we headed to Forest Park’s Victorian Bridge. His family visits the park often, but this quiet, lesser-known spot was new to them making it the perfect place to capture Evan and his calm and easy-going personality. As we walked to and past the bridge, we followed a creek that has periodic rocks nearby. These rocks were great for some comfortable sitting poses. We even walked down a boardwalk which was great for him to lean back against and cross his arms. And since this area of the park has a fair amount of wooded areas, Evan was even able to stand on a dirt pathway, surrounded by trees and greenery, for a perfect forest feel. As we made our way around this section of the park we noticed a huge, twisted, dead tree that we couldn’t stop talking about. It was such a cool and unique backdrop that we had to utilize.
Of Evan’s two outfits, one was a bit more casual, which he liked to call his “street” attire. With a stone building nearby, it gave us the awesome opportunity to really amp up that street feel. The building even had a blue, wooden garage door that made for the perfect lean back, cool guy, serious face pose. It just yelled “street scene.”
Throughout the session, Evan was an absolute pleasure to work with as he was easy-going and kind. He even shared his plans of earning his pilot’s license and joining the Navy to fly planes off ships, which I was in awe by and salute him. Check out his images below!
Like what you see? Let’s plan your dream senior session!
If you’re interested in having your senior pictures taken by Amanda Photography, please fill out the form with any other questions you may have, or let me know if you’re ready to schedule a consultation call so we can get your amazing session set up!
You’ll hear back from me within 48 hours, Monday through Friday (unless I’m on vacation traveling the beautiful USA.)
Top Locations for Senior Pictures that Aren’t in Downtown St. Louis
While downtown St. Louis has its share of cool urban cityscapes and beautiful parks, you might be looking for something a little different for…
While downtown St. Louis has its share of cool urban cityscapes and beautiful parks, you might be looking for something a little different for your senior pictures. Or maybe you just prefer to stay out of the city altogether. You can still capture that urban vibe or have a gorgeous park as your backdrop without heading downtown. With 10 years of experience in the photography industry, I’ve had the chance to work with seniors at lots of spots outside the city that are just as unique, beautiful, and/or give you that feeling of being in a town. To save you the hassle of hunting for the perfect locations, I’ve put together a list of my top favorites that keep you out of downtown.
Shaw Nature Reserve
Shaw Nature Reserve is the dream location for any flower lover wanting senior pictures surrounded by beauty. With the Whitmire Wildflower Garden in full bloom, charming wooden and brick buildings, a peaceful lake, and wooded trails, you'll have a variety of nature-filled backdrops. From vibrant spring flowers to quiet winter scenes, Shaw Nature Reserve offers stunning settings no matter the season.
Location: 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110
St. Charles
St. Charles offers the perfect blend of city charm and historical beauty, with brick streets, historic buildings, and lovely parks, making it a great choice for senior pictures. The area features unique spots like storefronts, fences, light posts, a rustic cabin, and even inoperable train tracks for a variety of photo opportunities. With its seasonal offerings, from flowers in the spring to fall colors on the trees and winter’s architectural backdrop, St. Charles provides a versatile setting for portraits year-round.
Location: 408 S Main St, St Charles, MO 63301
Queeny Park
Queeny Park is an ideal location for senior pictures, featuring a mix of open fields, flowers, and vintage architecture. With three buildings, a flower-lined brick pathway, and a spacious grass field, the park offers a variety of settings for both nature and country-inspired shots. Open year-round, it provides beautiful backdrops in every season, from colorful blooms in spring to fall foliage and even winter’s serene landscape, all at no cost to visit.
Location: 1675 S. Mason Rd, St. Louis, MO 63131
Eckert’s
Eckert’s is the perfect spot for anyone who loves the charm of farm life and the beauty of fresh produce. Whether you’re looking for a rustic country vibe or colorful backdrops from changing crops, this location offers a variety of picturesque scenes all year round for your senior pictures. From picking peaches and apples in the orchard to getting lost in a sunflower field or pumpkin patch, there’s a backdrop to suit every mood and season.
Belleville Location: 951 S Green Mt Rd, Belleville, IL 62220
Millstadt Location: 2719 Eckert Orchard Ln, Millstadt, IL 62260
Faust Park
Faust Park is a great spot for senior pictures if you want a mix of nature and unique architecture. With its beautiful woods, lake with grassy paths, historic log cabins, and the stunning Butterfly House, you’ll have plenty of beautiful backdrops to choose from. You can even make your session extra fun by visiting the Butterfly House or hopping on the carousel for one-of-a-kind portraits.
Location: 15025 Faust Pk Dr, Chesterfield, MO 63017
Got ideas? I’d love to hear what you’re dreaming up!
If you’re interested in having your senior pictures taken by Amanda Photography, please fill out the form with any other questions you may have, or let me know if you’re ready to schedule a consultation call so we can get your amazing session set up!
You’ll hear back from me within 48 hours, Monday through Friday (unless I’m on vacation traveling the beautiful USA.)
Brooke | A Blooming Beauty
Brooke had only one request during her senior session and that was to capture the flowers at the…
Brooke had only one request during her senior session and that was to capture the flowers at the Jewel Box in her background. That was the most important thing to her, so I made sure we spent plenty of time working with all those beautiful flowers. She even had a black dress picked out specifically for those photos.
While the Jewel Box was Brooke’s main goal, we did venture around The Muny at Forest Park as well, where she wore a beautiful pink dress that complimented the soft tan tones of the architecture. We also went to the creek nearby where her mom asked to take some photos with her. But these weren’t just any ordinary mother daughter photos. Her mom had such adorable ideas in mind that create intimate photos between the two of them.
Lastly, Brooke made sure to bring along her gymnast medals. It was the cherry on top showing off her true personality. Scroll down to view her amazing session!
Like what you see? Let’s plan your dream senior session!
If you’re interested in having your senior pictures taken by Amanda Photography, please fill out the form with any other questions you may have, or let me know if you’re ready to schedule a consultation call so we can get your amazing session set up!
You’ll hear back from me within 48 hours, Monday through Friday (unless I’m on vacation traveling the beautiful USA.)
Abhinav | Revisiting His Childhood
For Abhinav’s session, we chose to head to Faust Park, because it’s a special location to him. As a child, his mom took…
For Abhinav’s session, we chose to head to Faust Park, because it’s a special location to him. As a child, his mom took him and his family there often. We captured a few portraits near the Butterfly House, incorporating the unique architecture and the beautiful pond in the background. We also explored the historic village that was full of fall color.
Unfortunately, it was supposed to rain all day during Abhinav’s session, but his mom and I were determined to find some part in the day that was dry. While the radar showed us that we’d have some dry time earlier in the day, despite moving up his session we still managed to get caught in a little bit of rain. But no worries. Abhinav was a trooper and worked through the rain. We found some dry spots under the overhangs of the buildings that worked perfect. The rain didn’t stop his session for a second. Check out his photos by scrolling down!
Like what you see? Let’s plan your dream senior session!
If you’re interested in having your senior pictures taken by Amanda Photography, please fill out the form with any other questions you may have, or let me know if you’re ready to schedule a consultation call so we can get your amazing session set up!
You’ll hear back from me within 48 hours, Monday through Friday (unless I’m on vacation traveling the beautiful USA.)