Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City photographer
Portraits, couples and elopements around Salt Lake City, from the lake to the Wasatch, from a photographer who plans the trip in advance.
Salt Lake City is a long drive away and a big metro, so I plan it as a trip and we choose the spot first.
Getting there
Ten hours by road, so the plan has to be tight.
That's far enough that I'd shoot a sunrise one day and a sunset another.
Where we would shoot
Four places, and what each one costs in paperwork.
Antelope Island State Park
Utah State Parks
Lake and island scenery, with free-ranging bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep and pronghorn, and millions of birds along the shore.
Photo rules here: Professional photoshoots and weddings need a special use permit with a $10 application fee, and other fees vary. The park may also ask for liability insurance.
Read the official rulesLiberty Park
Salt Lake City Public Lands
The city's oldest and second-largest park, with a pond, an aviary and a folk art museum in the same grounds. It's the easy, central choice.
Photo rules here: The park is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Salt Lake City lists a $137 application fee for a film permit on city property, filed at least four business days ahead.
Read the official rulesSilver Lake Boardwalk, Big Cottonwood Canyon
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
A 0.7-mile trail and boardwalk that circles Silver Lake in the mountains above the valley. The boardwalk is flat, so regular shoes work.
Photo rules here: The Forest Service decides on a permit by what your shoot does to the area, not by whether it's paid. Apply at least 14 days ahead.
Read the official rulesCity Creek Canyon
Salt Lake City Public Utilities
A canyon that's open from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and runs right out of the city. It's close to downtown and has a different feel from the park.
Photo rules here: The city's page says vehicle access and picnic reservations are restricted during a construction project.
Read the official rules
Place rules last checked November 5, 2026. I check them again before we book.
Light
The mountains set the schedule.
Salt Lake City sits in a valley with the Wasatch Mountains rising to the east. The sun clears the ridge a little later than the table says. Winter evenings arrive fast: the table shows how early the light goes in December.
Summers are hot, so book sunrise or the last hour before sunset.
| Date | Sunrise | Best evening light starts | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 20 | 7:31 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM |
| June 21 | 5:56 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:02 PM |
| September 22 | 7:15 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM |
| December 21 | 7:48 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:03 PM |
Golden hour is the soft, warm light before sunset. Times are local (MST and MDT).
Weather
What the weather does.
- January high
- 39°F
- January low
- 24°F
- July high
- 94°F
- July low
- 68°F
- Rainiest month
- April
Station: Salt Lake City International Airport. About 52 inches of snow fall in an average year. Figures are NOAA averages for 1991 to 2020. For your date, the shoot planner shows the forecast.
Sessions
What people book in Salt Lake City.
Portraits
Solo sessions in the city park or up in the canyon.
Couples
An hour at golden hour on the lake or in the mountains.
Elopements
Mountain and lakeside ceremonies.
Questions
Fair questions about Salt Lake City.
Do I need a permit for a Salt Lake City park?
City parks fall under the film permit and $137 fee described under Liberty Park. A wedding ceremony in a city park is a separate permit at $226 per day, applied for 30 days ahead. Memory Grove does not accept ceremony applications.
Can you photograph an elopement near Salt Lake City?
Yes. Utah State Parks and the national forest each have their own permit steps, so we pick the place first.
Why is Antelope Island on the list?
It has lake and island scenery and free-ranging bison, which you won't find in the city parks.
Tell me when you'll be in Salt Lake City.
Send the dates you'll be in Utah and tell me whether you want the lake or the mountains.
Inquire