Petone Beach Photos

Petone Beach is an easy-access location with great views of Wellington City. I usually meet clients in the old wharf car park which is easy to park in with children. On one side of the wharf is the dog beach, so there is a dog-friendly area and on the other side of the wharf there are usually no dogs off leads. In the summertime, this popular spot is covered in cute bunny tail grass and there are a lot of different backdrops within walking distance from the car. The best time for photos here is about 1-1.5 hours before sunset depending on the time of year and weather forecast (particularly in winter the light gets lost behind the hills a bit quicker than expected).

Eastbourne Beach Photos

Eastbourne is a popular location because of its long grass and beach setting. It can be a little windy though so bring a jacket and hair tie (like most areas in Wellington). Best time for photos here is usually 1 hour before sunset. This location is also dog friendly.

Percy Reserve Photos

Percy Reserve is a great location for families with younger children who aren’t able to stay up late for a sunset session at Petone or Eastbourne Beach. It’s also great on a windy day rather than doing photos at the beach as it’s more sheltered. There are a few areas within walking distance of the car park that I like to use and I’ll often finish the session at the duck pond so children can enjoy that part of the reserve. This reserve is also great because of the open spaces and concreted pathways, it’s not overwhelming with green tones which can sometimes affect the colour of skin in photos if it’s a highly dense bush area. Best time of day for photos here can be morning or early/mid afternoon.

belmont recreation reserve - Lower Hutt River

Lower Hutt river has a few different areas that are suitable for photos but I love Belmont Recreation Reserve! It has good parking and multiple spots for photos including a garden lawn setting and then the river bank. There is also a playground area that kids can play on after the photo session. The best time of day for photos here can depend on the weather forecast and time of year but as a rule, anytime from about 2.5-2 hours before sunset is suitable before the light is lost in behind the hills.