In today’s installment of “Where are the best locations for photos in the Blacksburg/NRV area?” allow me to present to you: Heritage Park. Now cue the trumpets, because this place deserves some fanfare.
Heritage Park is probably the most popular location in the area for portraits. People love the mountains, the big open fields, the rustic farm buildings, the hay bales, and the little play area with a kid-sized bird house. I love the wooded walkway, the little groves of trees down between the hills, and the wide sky views. Sunset there can be really amazing. Side note: it’s also located close to Rising Silo, Panera, Starbucks, and other University City Blvd. restaurants, so you can easily stop for a snack after your session (I always want an iced drink).
It’s not a one-size-fits-all spot, however. A few things to consider if you’re thinking of picking Heritage Park for your pictures:
- It’s a lot of walking, and the paths aren’t paved. If you have someone in your group with limited mobility, or if you’re needing to carry a lot of things with you, this can be an issue.
- There is a restroom, but it’s just a port-a-potty, and it’s in the parking lot. That makes it pretty far from where we’re generally shooting. Most of the time this isn’t an issue, but it’s something to keep in mind.
- There’s a pond, but I find it really difficult to use as a background. There isn’t a dock or much open space on the banks, so there aren’t many places to stand. If you really want water in your photos, this isn’t the best option.
- The mowing schedule can make a big difference in your photos. Sometimes there are fields of tall golden grass and even some wildflowers. Other times, they’ve mowed it all, which makes things more walkable but does change the overall look.
Enough words! Let’s see some photos of this beautiful Blacksburg spot! Click the thumbnails to see the full image slides.
