Best Photo Spots In Nashville

Nashville is teeming with murals and instagram-worthy locations at every corner – here and here are some of my favorite murals in Music City. New murals and local photography settings and opportunities pop up by the week, it seems.  While I am not a professional photographer, I have taken many photography classes over the years, bartered with friends and family to take their family pictures and also learned (and experimented) with taking pictures in and around Nashville – especially of my 3 girls. These are my “tried and true” best photo spots in Nashville to capture a beautiful picture.

All of these Nashville locations often have good light, some kind of architectural feature and plenty of space to play with your pictures, perspective, lighting and poses – which is key for photographing kids, especially. Of course, they are also wonderful locations for fashion shoots, engagement shots or just some memorable pictures when visiting or exploring Nashville. Whether you’re using a fancy camera or simply your phone, these best spots in Nashville are sure to provide some picture perfect moments.

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge

Located downtown and spanning over the Cumberland River, the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge is a local favorite, for sure. Not only does it provide stunning views of the iconic Nashville skyline, but the bridge “truss” architecture is a fun sculptural backdrop for photographs. Also, I’m always able to capture great lighting at the Pedestrian bridge no matter the time of day.

You can park at Cumberland Park and ride the elevator up to the bridge and after snapping some pictures, head over to the Goo Goo Cluster shop for a sweet treat or let your kids run around Cumberland Park!

The Color Wall

As I mentioned, there are hundreds of amazing murals in Nashville by local artists and international creators too. The Color Wall in the Gulch by  Jason Woodside is a favorite for Nashville photo opportunities for many colorful reasons! First, the wall is huge and several people can be photographing at the same time (while giggling at the line across the street at the famous Nashville angel wings, wink wink). The colors and design are vibrant and bright and there are several spots where you can play with perspective by standing on a post, stepping away from the wall or simply changing the camera angle.

*If you are visiting Nashville or you are a local, consider the Photowalk Instagram Tour by my friend Christy in the Gulch where the color wall is featured. You can find her Photowalk Tour on AirBnb Experiences.

Centennial Park & The Parthenon

Centennial Park is home to the famous Nashville Parthenon which includes an art gallery and giant 40-foot tall Athena statue. I love to take pictures outside the Parthenon amid the columns, stairs and nooks. During prom season, you’ll often find well-dressed teenagers taking advantage of the light and architectural lines here too

The Downtown Public Library

On the second floor of the downtown Nashville Public Library is a beautiful set of marble stairs surrounded by windows. The light is moody, plus this is a nice indoor photography option. The library courtyard is also a lovely place to photograph. And, bonus, both spaces are next to the children’s area and theater.

Cheekwood Botanical Gardens

Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is such a magical place in Nashville.  There are tons of stunning photography spots throughout the grounds and I also love photographing among their rotating art installations. From year to year, you never know what larger-than-life installation will arrive, but they are all fun and interesting to photograph. Plus, I love photographing my kids in the moment and as they are exploring and Cheekwood always has something to explore.

Do you have any favorite “go-to” photo spots in Nashville or in another city?
Here is a related article I wrote for The Family Backpack with tips on photographing your kids in front of public art!