Our Favorite Sedona Photography Locations
The Best Places to Take Photos in Sedona—
Sedona! The sweet part of Arizona with magical red rocks, all kinds of hiking, incredible food, and views for days! This is our favorite place in the state for all kinds of photos— weddings, elopements, engagements; you name it, we are here for it! Just a 2.5 hour drive up Highway 17 from Phoenix, or south from the Grand Canyon, this is a necessary stop when visiting Arizona because of its central location. We’ve been so lucky to travel up this way quite often to capture different parts of our couples’ stories, and this has left us with a short list of favorite locations to take photos! Those locations are detailed below, as well as some tips for crafting your ideal photo session or elopement in Sedona! Here we go—
Sedona Airport
Maybe it’s because we absolutely nerd out about aviation ourselves, but this is hands down our favorite place to take photos in Sedona. The folks over at Red Rocks Aviation are so wonderful and accommodating to us and our couples every time we’ve been fortunate to do a session on airport property! They call this America’s Most Scenic Airport for a reason— situated on a mesa with 360 degree views of Sedona and its red rocks, this provides the ideal vantage point for photos, with the added benefit of all kinds of helicopters and airplanes coming and going. We recommend doing photos at sunrise or sunset here for best light!
Photography on the airport property does involve a ramp fee as well as a security fee (we will check for the current pricing upon inquiry for you!), and the airport does require the photographer to show proof of eligible liability insurance (which we have!). Once you reserve your time slot, the airport dedicates a ramp agent to drive you and your photographer anywhere on the airport property for photos, the only exception being the active runway.
Seven Sacred Pools / Soldier Pass
An easy, 1.1 mile round trip walk back into the red rocks takes us to another favorite location, Seven Sacred Pools. We love this spot for its panoramic red rock views, flat expanse of slick rock (perfect for movement oriented photos), and opportunity for a bit more of an adventure session if this is your vision! This location feels very ~ Sedona ~ with the vibrant colors and pine trees, and every couple we’ve taken here seems to comment on how quintessential this spot is. There is not much elevation gain to our preferred photo spot, and the trail includes no technical portions! The trailhead is located quite close to town, making for incredibly easy access as well! We recommend this location at sunset, as the sun generally sets behind the iconic backdrop of red rocks and provides some dreamy light.
It is worthwhile noting that, especially during the high tourist season in Sedona, parking at the trailhead is generally unavailable. Visitors are required to park about a mile up the road and either shuttle in via the free Sedona Shuttle, or walk the extra mile through the neighborhoods (a lovely walk, in our opinion!). Hikers usually comment current trail status on AllTrails, so be sure to check prior to your session, and plan accordingly for extra travel time if needed!
Lover’s Knoll
Located a quick 0.1 mile walk above a dirt pullout off one of Sedona’s main roads lies Lover’s Knoll, a gorgeous vista overlooking the iconic Cathedral Rock. This is a great location for a photo session, and makes the perfect backdrop for a wedding ceremony! We love this location because of the views, ADA accessibility, and because it is so easy to reach. With that convenience * does * come crowds, however, which is a big part of the reason why we recommend sunrise sessions at this location. We also recommend sunrise because the sun generally rises over Cathedral Rock, and that dreamy backlight cannot be beat. Still gorgeous at sunset (photos above were taken this time of day), this is a popular spot for tourists to congregate during golden hour.
Merry Go Round Rock
On a lovely vista back in the red rocks on a road far less travelled, you’ll find Merry Go Round Rock. If a more private location with Sedona’s iconic landscape as your backdrop is your vision for your photos, we highly recommend this location! The rock features a large expanse of flat rock, perfect for photos incorporating lots of movement, as well as the opportunity to do a little non-technical rock climbing if an adventure session is more your taste. The rock can be reached by driving about 4-5 miles up a very rocky road (high clearance 4x4 is required) until you reach the upper parking lot. From there, its a 1.4 mile round trip walk with minimal elevation gain to reach the rock. It is also possible to park at the end of the paved road and hike all the way up, but this would make this location more of a day trip than a simple photo session location! Local Jeep tour companies can also take you up to the rock, if you’d prefer to sit passenger and see the views the whole way.
Red Rock Crossing / Crescent Moon Ranch
Another more accessible location in Sedona, with views of Cathedral Rock, is Crescent Moon Ranch and its neighbor, Red Rock Crossing. Crescent Moon Ranch, with paid entry required, is a picnic and camping area with reservable ramadas and a massive field with views of Cathedral Rock behind. We think this spot is great for a simple outdoor wedding, especially if you’ll have guests! Just behind Crescent Moon is a flat trail leading back to the creek and Red Rock crossing, which butts right up to Cathedral Rock itself. We love this location because of its various environments— you can have everything from the classic red rocks, a forested trail, and a wide expanse of slick rock for lots of movement. It’s also incredibly accessible for larger or less mobile groups, and includes a creek where you can swim if this is part of your vision for your photos as well! This location photographs best at sunrise, but is absolutely lovely at all times of day.
Airport Saddle
Located above a small parking lot on the road up to the Sedona Airport is a saddle consisting of a wide expanse of slick rock with similar 360 degree views of all of Sedona. This involves a short but steep walk up to the saddle, but once you are there, the views are so worthwhile! This is a popular location, especially for tourists wanting to avoid the crowds/parking costs on the Airport Mesa itself, and this is the reason we highly recommend a sunrise session here. We love this location for its views, especially if you’re attached to those from the Airport Mesa, just without the ramp fees associated with a session at the airport. Be aware, parking is limited here, and additional parking is only available atop the mesa for a small fee.
Some Tips for Your Sedona Photos—
Traveling to Sedona
Sedona can be reached by flying into either of the Phoenix airports (Sky Harbor or Gateway), Flagstaff, or Prescott, and driving to Sedona itself. Driving times from each airport vary from 30 minutes to 2 hours. We recommend staying at one of the hotels or resorts in Sedona, where you’ll find tons of options for dining (including super healthy, allergy friendly food!), spas, day hikes, and more! Many of our couples and their families will also go the vacation rental route, either in Sedona itself, or in nearby Flagstaff or Prescott. Sedona is a gateway of sorts to other sites in Northern Arizona like the Grand Canyon, and is the perfect starting point for a high desert adventure.
How to Get Legally Married in Sedona
Your Marriage License— You’ll need to get one of these from one of Arizona’s Superior Court Clerk offices up to twelve months before you are married, regardless if you live in Arizona or elsewhere. If you’ll be getting married in Sedona, you’ll find it most convenient to visit the Coconino County or Yavapai County clerk’s office. There are also four clerk’s offices in Maricopa County (Phoenix), if you fly in there and want to fetch your license on your way up the hill. Marriage licenses are typically given by appointment only, and the application will need to be filled out in person if you aren’t a resident of Arizona (Arizona residents are able to apply online).
To be legally married, you’ll need an officiant’s signature, as well as that of two witnesses (your photographer counts as one of those!). After your wedding, you’ll mail the license back to the clerk’s office for processing, and then you’ll be legally wed!
Permits— * Some * areas of Sedona, like the state parks and national forest land, may require recreational or special use permits to be married there.
Eloping on Public Land
I must exercise my due diligence here and chat a little bit about eloping on public land.
As a Sedona elopement photographer, I could not be more grateful that we are allowed to photograph weddings all over Sedona (and Arizona in general), however, these privileges can be taken away at any point. To prevent this from happening, there needs to be an agreement between all eloping couples, their guests, and their vendors to Leave No Trace when using these public lands for your celebrations. This means taking a number of things into consideration—
When you’re planning your elopement, please abide by all the rules created by the governing bodies of the land you choose. These rules exist for a reason, often to protect the natural habitats present on these lands. Please, stay on marked trails, don’t bring an excess amount of decor, clean up after yourselves, don’t play loud music, and do your best not to introduce non-native plants to the environments. Leave No Trace goes so far beyond these simple things, and some of the basics can be referenced here as you prepare for your wedding.
The Best Time of Year to Visit Sedona
Though Sedona is at much higher elevation than Phoenix and Tucson, the notable hotter areas of Arizona, Sedona is still the high desert, and comes with temperature extremes. Though it is gorgeous (and slightly less traveled) in the summer, you will be dealing with the Arizona heat regardless. Afternoon thunderstorms also blow through this time of year and need to be considered. Sedona, like much of Arizona, is best visited in the spring and fall. The springtime is cooler, though more crowded, especially during spring break (generally mid March to mid April). There is also tons of vibrant plant life in the spring! Fall is also incredible. Northern Arizona, much like the rest of the state, cools down for the winter slowly, so warm temperatures can be expected through October. This time of year sees less crowds than in the similarly temperate spring time, though tourism does increase this time of year. Winter in Sedona is colder, as this area is at elevation, and can welcome snow, which looks absolutely magical against the red rocks. If you don’t mind chillier temperatures, this is an incredible time of year to visit!
Hello! We’re Katie & Joseph, Sedona wedding and elopement photographers.
We are big fans of documenting marriage in an unposed, raw, genuine, and honest way that allows our couples to maximize their experience on their day while also receiving a gallery full of stunning images that communicate how it felt to be there.
Though we’re based in Arizona, we’ll travel anywhere for a good love story. We invite you to follow the links below to learn more about us and our services, and to get in contact with us!
