The top reasons I think Douglas is one of the best places to photograph dogs and horses.
When people think of Wyoming, they often envision the Tetons and Yellowstone. While those places are definitely gorgeous, there is so much more to this state.
Douglas is situated in East Central Wyoming, a few hours from the iconic mountain peaks and park, but it definitely is not short on scenery. With National Grasslands to the north, a reservoir with a sandy beach and great trails to the southeast, National Forest and mountains to the south, a river running right through the middle, and more mountains and reservoirs to the west, we are situated perfectly to take off in any direction for your perfect photo session. Downtown Douglas is even great for some urban styled images if that is what you prefer. Below is a quick guide to the vistas we have to offer.
The Grasslands
Just north of Douglas is the Thunder Basin National Grasslands. This area is wide open plains sprinkled with sheep and cattle grazing across public and private lands. This area really allows you to soak in the vastness of the state and put your dog or horse on center stage. In the spring we can sometimes find patches of wild iris or other wild flowers. The summer brings the beauty of cactus in bloom and tall grasses waving in the wind. Winter snows can provide a beautiful and clean backdrop with room for lots of action shots with your snow loving pup or fun gallops through the snow.
The Reservoir
Just a quick jaunt south of town is Glendo Reservoir. This beautiful state park is dog and horse friendly. There are gorgeous cliffs overlooking the entire reservoir as well as some fantastic trails for hiking, biking, or riding. Glendo gives options for scenic overlook images, forest images, water shots, and even has a Sandy Beach for beach shots! Daily park access is only $2 per carload, making it pretty much free!
The Mountains
Looking to the south from town, the majestic Laramie Peak stands tall. While it seems like it is a long ways out there, the trip to the mountains is not that long in Wyoming terms. Depending on what sort of experience you would like, there are high plains, beaver ponds, quakes of aspens, or thick forest. Images can have the Peak in the background or we can even travel a bit farther and have a session on the Peak. Peak sessions will require most of the day and are special offerings, but there are many locations to put it in the background for gorgeous images. June generally boasts vast waves of beautiful wildflowers in bloom while winters can prove access to be difficult or impossible sometimes.
The River
The North Platte River runs right through the middle of town and has numerous public access points both right in town as well as just outside. One of these locations is via the Wyoming State Fairgrounds which offers several locations for great photos making it a favorites spot for me. It is easy to get horse trailers into and has plenty of vegetation and coniferous trees for various colors and backdrops.
The Urban Experience
If your dog is more of the "Hounds Around Town" type, you are in luck! Downtown Douglas has a variety of options with a mix of older, historic buildings to old train cars to newer buildings and architecture. Many of these different looks are within a couple of blocks of each other, so we can easily move from one background to another. One of the bonus sides of this sort of photo shoot is that it isn't dependent upon the seasons at all. Many times the concrete is clear and dry very quickly following a snow and the buildings and features look the same whether is is spring, summer, fall, or winter.
Aside from these big locations, Douglas has numerous city parks with benches, gazebos, walkways, evergreen trees, and even a wandering stream to create so much variety in your canine or equine session. No matter where your session is held, Douglas is smack dab in the middle of all kinds of options for you to take in and enjoy with your dog or horse afterward, too. We truly have just a little bit of everything right here in my little oasis.
Whatever your vision is for your custom photo session, the Douglas area has it. Whether you already live in the area, are moving here, or are just visiting, contact me for your complimentary consult and see what options there are for unique images to celebrate your dog or horse!