12 Beautiful Lake Photoshoot Ideas

Hoping to take photos in or around a lake? We’ve got 12 beautiful lake photoshoot ideas for you. Just read on to learn more and get inspired.

1. Rent a location with lake access for your photoshoot

If you don’t have easy access to a public lake or you’d prefer to take photographs with more privacy, this lake photoshoot idea will be a big help. Use Peerspace to find a location near you with access to a lake that you can rent by the hour.

For example, if you’re anywhere near Waterford Township in Michigan, this open-concept lake house with endless sunsets would be an ideal choice for a lake photoshoot. It is a “beautifully updated home with 100 feet of lake frontage on an all-sports private lake, just 30 miles outside of Detroit in Oakland County. The exquisitely appointed 3,000 square foot home sits on a hill with 50 foot of sloped yard to the lake. This idyllic setting provides endless lake shot POV possibilities from the upper deck, the walk out lower level or the dock.”

You can even enjoy stunning lake views from inside, especially from the home’s all-glass sunroom and its living room. Or, if you’re near Emory, Texas (1.5 hours from Dallas), you can rent this lake boathouse and dock for a shockingly low cost of just $25 per hour. It provides you with access to 100 feet of idyllic shoreline, and the hosts even provide access to kayaks so you can take photos while you’re out on the water.

2. Sitting on the dock staring out at the water

This is quite a pensive pose, but it’s perfect for portrait photography. You can take elegant, detailed photos of your subject in profile or head-on photos where they’re looking directly at the camera. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to hone your portrait photography skills.

3. Floating air mattress on the lake

This is an especially romantic, creative lake photoshoot idea for engagement photos or couples’ photos of any kind. Rebecca Carpenter Photography is the source of this inspiring and beautiful lake photoshoot idea, and she explains how you would execute it on her blog. All you’ll really need is an air mattress and a sheet of some kind to cover it. Then, just send it out on the water with the couple you’re photographing lying on it. 

Happen to be expecting a little bundle of joy? Then you need to see our outdoor maternity photoshoot ideas next!

4. Take photos near sunrise and/or sunset

There are few places more beautiful than a body of water at dawn or dusk. That’s because not only do you get to enjoy the gorgeous sunrise and sunset, but you also experience it reflected in the water, so it’s effectively twice as much bang for your buck!

5. Mid-air jumping into the water photos

For this lake photoshoot idea, have the people you’re photographing all jump off the dock at once and capture them in mid-air. The result will be some seriously fun and dynamic photos, and when you see them, you’ll all look back at the fun day you had on the lake and smile.

6. Take photos during different kinds of weather

If you can get out to the lake you’re photographing several times during different types of weather – sunny with blue skies, foggy morning, or with the dramatic storm clouds of an oncoming thunderstorm – your photos will be that much more exciting and interesting.

7. And during different seasons

Similar to our last lake photoshoot idea, visiting the lake during different seasons will present you with some especially gorgeous vistas to be photographed. That’s because the lake reflects whatever is surrounding it, so in fall, that might mean fiery-hued leaves, while in the winter, that might be bare branches covered in snow.

8. Get out on the water and take photos

For those of you who are lucky enough to have access to a boat of some kind (big or small), try to take some photos in the boat itself, if possible. It provides a completely different vantage point on the lake, and you’re sure to be creatively inspired by that new perspective. Just be extra careful with your camera, as you probably won’t want to get it wet unless it’s waterproof.

9. Water activities photos

Another source of dynamic photos is to capture yourself, friends, or family doing water sports like swimming, paddleboarding, water skiing, kayaking, or just about anything else. This is the ideal time for more candid photos, capturing people doing the activities they love and connecting with nature in the process.

Looking to get in the water? Then our splashy summer photoshoot ideas can give you more inspiration!

10. Focus on lake wildlife

Animal lovers will enjoy taking the time to notice what wildlife lives around the lake and attempting to capture their potentially elusive presence on camera. You might see aquatic birds, beavers, turtles, otters, dragonflies, alligators, and lots more, depending on where your lake is. Just don’t get too close; for your safety and theirs. Use the zoom function on your camera whenever possible.

11. Mermaid of the lake photoshoot

One of our favorite lake photoshoot ideas is also one of our most unusual suggestions: dress up in your best mermaid costume and take photos of yourself swimming in the lake, emerging from the water, and sunning your tail on the dock!

You can buy beautiful, wearable mermaid tails on Etsy, such as this one from SparkleMeGorgeous, which is covered in glittering iridescent scales that will come through beautifully in your photos.

12. Candid fishing photoshoot

Perhaps one of the things you (or your friends or loved ones) love to do at the lake is to go fishing. This is excellent subject matter for a candid photoshoot capturing the subject doing something they love, feeling happy and relaxed.

For instance, at the moment when they feel a tug at their fishing hook and begin to reel in a fish, you can capture their genuine shock and excitement on camera. That’s what makes this one of our top lake photoshoot ideas.

Find unique photoshoot locations on Peerspace