Last Updated on November 30, 2022
Are you heading to Atlanta soon and looking for some places to take photos? Whether it be professional photography or just for some fun, here are the best places to take pictures in Atlanta:
Piedmont Park
ADDRESS: There are multiple entrances to the park, but the GPS address is 1320 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30306.
Piedmont Park is one of the top places to take pictures in Atlanta. You will often see a wedding or engagement session when you visit the park.
Not only does Piedmont Park provide fantastic views of downtown Atlanta, but there is also a lake, a gazebo, and Oak Hill, which has giant oaks on a sweeping green hill. People come here to jog, walk dogs, practice yoga, play sports, picnic, swim, or just lay on Oak Hill and watch the clouds drift by. And if you are into street photography, Piedmont Park is your place.
Other than paying for parking, Piedmont Park is free to visit. There are multiple places to park around Piedmont Park, but we prefer to use the parking garage at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (the maximum daily rate for parking is $15).
Atlanta Botanical Garden
ADDRESS: 1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Another beautiful place to take pictures in Atlanta is the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Here you can get incredible photos of colorful gardens with the city in the background.
Atlanta Botanical Garden has several gardens to visit, including a small Japanese Garden, the Skyline Garden (great for pictures with downtown Atlanta in the background), the Cascades Gardens, the Great Lawn (another good spot for photos with Atlanta’s skyscrapers in the background), and a fun canopy walk where you can walk and take photos among the trees.
There are also indoor gardens, including an orchid house, a desert house, and a rotunda that houses tropical plants. I love walking around in these, but photography is a bit challenging since these are tighter spaces to move around.
When should you visit the gardens? Winter is fun for the holiday lights, and I also enjoy spring as everything begins to bloom and come to life. Sometimes they will have exhibits such as Alice and Wonderland, displayed the past few years, and the SUPERnatural garden exhibition that featured aerial and glass art.
For a day trip, we usually park at Atlanta Botanical Garden in the morning and head to Piedmont Park in the afternoon. But unlike the park, Atlanta Botanical Garden is not free to visit, and you can purchase tickets on their website. Also, if you plan to do professional photography, you will want to review their policies here.
SkyView Ferris Wheel and Centennial Olympic Park
ADDRESS: The GPS address for the SkyView Ferris Wheel is 168 Luckie Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Centennial Olympic Park is next to the SkyView Ferris Wheel at 265 Park Avenue W NW, Atlanta, GA 30313.
I’m terrified of heights, so you will never catch me on the SkyView Ferris Wheel, but it’s a fun spot for photography, even from the ground! But if you are braver than me and want to get pictures of Atlanta from high above, you can visit their website for ticket information.
Once you are done riding the Ferris wheel or taking many photos as I did, you can hop on over to the Centennial Olympic Park. Atlanta was host to the Olympic Games in 1996. Sadly, I was too young to remember any of this, but now we have this large park commemorating the event. Today, the Olympic rings are still popular in Atlanta to take pictures as people climb and sit in the rings.
The Centennial Olympic Park is large at 22 acres which contains the Olympics rings, a small reflecting pool, and flat green lawns. Sometimes they will have the fountains running where kids can splash around.
Like Piedmont Park, this is an excellent spot for street photography, as many come here to take pictures, walk, and sit by the reflecting pool.
While it is free to visit Centennial Olympic Park, parking can be costly, especially if there is a large event or game taking place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. There are parking garages and street parking near the park, but we usually park at the Georgia Aquarium and take the short walk over. Parking is usually cheaper at the Georgia Aquarium at $17 compared to the nearby parking garages, which usually start at $30.
Georgia Aquarium
ADDRESS: 225 Baker Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30313
If you are looking for unique places to take pictures in Atlanta, you will want to add the Georgia Aquarium to your list. The aquarium is the largest in the United States and is home to thousands of animals. They have a new shark exhibit that opened recently that I’ve wanted to see.
I take several photos when we go, but the best and most unique photo spot is in front of the giant aquatic tank in the Ocean Voyager exhibit. Here, you can take pictures with gigantic whale sharks, grouper, sharks, turtles, manta rays, and other fish.
This fantastic view is also very popular, so expect crowds, especially on the weekends. If you don’t feel like waiting on people to get out of your frame, plan a weekday visit when schools are in session. We went on a Tuesday in January one year, and the experience was incredible – there were few people, and we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves!
But as much as I love the Ocean Voyager, I prefer the Tropical Diver exhibit. This is another great photo spot in front of a large tank full of colorful corals and tropical fish. I am not scuba certified (I wish I were!), but being there makes me feel like I am swimming in this turquoise water with thousands of vibrant fish.
If you plan to do professional photography, you will want to consult the Georgia Aquarium website regarding its policies. Also, visit their website for general admission information and prices. It is pricey to see, but worth it considering it is the largest aquarium in the US.
VISITING TIP: if you are a Georgia resident, visit on your birthday for free general admission and to save some money!
ATLANTA Mural
ADDRESS: 295 Marietta St NW (the mural is at the corner of Marietta Street and Baker Street)
The ATLANTA mural is not too far from the Georgia Aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park. I never knew it existed until recently when we accidentally took a wrong turn and saw it! There is also a parking garage nearby where you can go to the upper floors to get an aerial photo.
Jackson Street Bridge
ADDRESS: You can locate this bridge at Jackson St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30312.
I can’t make this list without including the famous Jackson Street Bridge. This bridge is an excellent spot to get incredible images of Atlanta’s cityscape, especially for sunrise and sunset.
Are you a fan of the TV series The Walking Dead? If so, Jackson Street Bridge might look familiar to you. Whenever I see this view, I always think of the character Rick Grimes on his horse heading to the zombie-infested city.
The TV series made Jackson Street Bridge popular; photographers and tourists will take pictures of Atlanta here, especially during golden and blue hours. Depending on what day and when you go, you might run into crowds and tour buses that occasionally make stops at the bridge.
Parking can be tricky, and you cannot park on the bridge. We were lucky to get free street parking on Jackson Street next to the bridge in the neighborhood. You can also find street parking on nearby streets and walk down, but you’ll want to check for parking signs (you can only park at certain times of the day) and make sure it is not a bike path.
Also, if you don’t mind walking, you can park at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Parking is free here, and is located on John Wesley Dobbs Avenue, right next to Jackson Street.
But if you have to walk far to get to the bridge, the view will be worth it! When you are done, head to nearby Krog Street, next on this list.
Photographer’s Tip: If you want the “streamy” look of cars driving by, don’t forget to bring your tripod and a shutter release cable, as I did!
Krog Street (Krog Street Tunnel) and Wylie Street in Cabbagetown
ADDRESS: You can find Krog St NE and Wylie St SE on a map here.
Hands down, Krog Street and Cabbagetown (murals on Wylie Street) are the most remarkable places to take images in Atlanta if you love street art. In this area, you will find lots of colorful street murals created by talented artists. Every time I visit, I see something new, which never disappoints.
You’ll want to walk through Krog Street Tunnel, filled with street art, to get to Wylie Street. If you are lucky, you’ll see an artist hard at work creating their art. Once you reach Wylie Street, you will see a long wall of murals stretching east and west.
It is free to visit these areas, but you’ll probably have to pay for parking. We find it easiest to park at Krog Street Market for a small fee, and it is a short walking distance to Krog Street Tunnel. And Krog Street Market has some excellent selections if you are hungry or want to grab a drink. The address to Krog Street Market is 99 Krog Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30307.
Ponce City Market
ADDRESS: 675 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Constructed in the mid-1920s and once the Atlanta headquarters for Sears, Roebuck & Company, Ponce City Market is a historical building recently renovated to include many restaurants and retail stores. The decor at Ponce City Market maintains its historical roots but with a modern, industrial vibe. Plus, I love when cities reuse buildings that have been sitting vacant for years.
If you enjoy taking pictures of people, you will want to add Ponce City Market to your places to take photographs in Atlanta since there are always many people here, especially on weekends.
Don’t forget to head up to The Roof, at the top of Ponce City Market, to get aerial views of downtown Atlanta or take some fun photos at Skyline Park, a small amusement park with mini-golf.
And while visiting Ponce City Market is free, you must pay for parking and entry to The Roof. You can view additional information about the Roof here.
Atlanta Beltline
ADDRESS: There are many access points to the Atlanta Beltine. For example, you can access the loop from Piedmont Park, Ponce City Market, and Krog Street Market.
What is the Atlanta Beltline? The Beltline is a loop around downtown Atlanta that connects parks and neighborhoods, and if you are at Ponce City Market, you can access one of the entrances to the Beltline from the second floor.
The whole loop isn’t completed, but I would love to walk the full 22 miles one day. Talk about goals!
You can easily take many photos as you walk along the Beltline. Street photography is excellent here, with many people walking, biking, or skating. You’ll also pass by many restaurants, local breweries, and a skating park (also a fun place for photos if you like street photography!).
There are numerous parks along the Beltline, including the most recent addition, Westside Park. This park is at the former site of the Bellwood Quarry and is now the largest greenspace in Atlanta. To read more about Atlanta’s newest park, check out my article A Look at Atlanta’s Newest Park: Westside Park.
Swan House at the Atlanta History Museum
ADDRESS: 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Atlanta has some beautiful historic homes, but the Swan House is one of my favorites. The home is part of the Atlanta History Center and is located on a road with some of the most lavish homes in Atlanta.
If you have seen the Hunger Games movie, the Swan House might look familiar to you. This English and Italian-styled home was constructed in the 1920s for the Inman Family, and the interior and exterior of the home make gorgeous photos. There are also lovely gardens throughout the property.
Since it is part of the Atlanta History Center, you have to purchase a ticket for the Swan House, and you can do so on their website. If you plan to do professional photography, you will want to check out their policies here.
Fox Theater
ADDRESS: 660 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30308
While the theater’s exterior might not be the most photographic place on this list, I had to include it because it is an iconic place in Atlanta for its theatrical productions.
Constructed in 1928, the Fox Theater was initially planned to house the Shriners Organization. The extravagant construction and architectural designs turned out to be a little too costly for the Shriners, resulting in them leasing the building to William Fox. Fox was known for building movie theaters in America in the 1920s, and with his financial assistance, the Fox Theater was completed.
Today you can watch a live performance, a movie or attend a concert or comedy show. You usually can’t take pictures during a performance, but you can before and after a show. And when you are inside the theater, it will feel as if you stepped into a Middle Eastern temple with numerous stars twinkling over your head.
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A Note on My Images
Most of the images in this article that I took are shot on 35mm film, and it took multiple trips down to Atlanta to take these exposures. The weather was not on my side for many of these times, especially when we went to Ponce City Market. The third time was a charm, however! I finally got some sunny blue skies.
And I’m lucky to live near Atlanta and have these incredible places to discover. I learned more about my city even though I lived in this area all my life! I hope to add more to this post as Atlanta grows, as it is a city that is quickly changing and evolving!
Stay tuned for updates!
