Looking for a Salt Lake City photographer? You’ve found her. I’m Jen Kunz, and I photograph families, seniors, maternity sessions, newborns, weddings, and branding work throughout Salt Lake City and the surrounding valley. Salt Lake is Utah’s vibrant capital — a city where towering mountain peaks meet a thriving urban core, historic neighborhoods sit alongside modern development, and the creative energy is palpable on every block. I make the 30-minute drive down I-15 from my home base in Ogden regularly because this city offers a depth and diversity of backdrops that no other location in the state can match.
Why Salt Lake City is a photographer’s dream
Salt Lake City sits at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, framed by peaks that rise dramatically from the valley floor. The city itself is a rich mix of old and new — Victorian homes in the Avenues, street art in the Granary District, the sweeping grounds of the Utah State Capitol, and quiet trails in City Creek Canyon just minutes from downtown. The light here shifts with the seasons and the mountains, creating golden hour conditions that rival anything I’ve seen along the entire Wasatch Front.
Beyond the city center, I work throughout the Salt Lake Valley — from the tree-lined streets of Sugar House to the foothills above the University of Utah, from Liberty Park’s wide lawns to the red-roofed neighborhoods of Federal Heights. Salt Lake is big enough to offer endless variety but connected enough that we can hit two or three locations in a single session without breaking a sweat. Whether you want urban texture, mountain grandeur, or something in between, this city delivers.
If you’re nearby, I also photograph in Sandy, Draper, and South Jordan — all within easy reach of downtown Salt Lake.
What I photograph in Salt Lake City
Families
Family sessions in Salt Lake City are endlessly varied because the city gives us so many options. Want an urban feel? We’ll shoot in a downtown alley with exposed brick and moody light. Prefer something natural? City Creek Canyon or the foothills above Red Butte Garden offer lush greenery and mountain views without leaving city limits. I focus on genuine moments — the way your toddler grabs your hand, the laugh that happens right after a tickle attack, the quiet glance between partners. We’ll get the clean group shots for grandma’s mantel, but the real treasures are the in-between moments that show who your family actually is.
Weddings & Elopements
As a Salt Lake City wedding photographer, I’ve worked in venues across the valley — from elegant downtown receptions at places like The Grand America and Pierpont Place to intimate elopements in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Salt Lake weddings have a special energy. The city offers world-class venues, the mountains are always within reach for portraits, and the cultural mix means every wedding feels unique. I bring a documentary approach — calm, unobtrusive, and focused on what’s real. Your ceremony, your people, your details. I capture it all so you can stay present in your day without worrying about what’s being missed.
Maternity
Salt Lake’s combination of mountain backdrops and golden valley light makes it an incredible setting for maternity photography. I love using the wide-open spaces along the foothills or the quiet paths in Memory Grove for maternity sessions — places where the landscape creates a sense of beauty and openness that mirrors this season in your life. Sessions are best between 28 and 34 weeks, and I’ll guide you through posing so you feel confident, comfortable, and gorgeous. Bring a flowing dress or something fitted that shows off your belly, and the scenery does the rest.
Newborns
For newborn sessions in Salt Lake City, I come to your home. You have enough going on with a brand-new baby — the last thing you need is to pack a diaper bag, navigate downtown traffic, and try to keep a sleeping newborn asleep through a car ride. I bring simple wraps and minimal props, work with whatever window light your home offers, and move entirely at your baby’s pace. The focus is on the tiny details: curled fingers, sleeping expressions, the way they nestle into your chest. Parents and siblings are always included — this is about your whole family in this fleeting, beautiful moment.
Senior Pictures
Salt Lake City seniors have access to the most diverse range of backdrops in the entire state. The University of Utah campus for academic architecture, downtown murals and street art for something edgy, Ensign Peak for mountain drama, or the tree-lined streets of the Avenues for a classic, neighborhood feel. I build every senior session around your personality — your sport, your art, your vibe. We’ll pick two or three locations, plan outfits that match the settings, and create a gallery that captures who you are right now. Not posed. Not generic. Unmistakably you.
Real Estate & Branding
Salt Lake City’s business scene is booming, and sharp visual content is what separates the brands that stand out from the ones that blend in. As a Salt Lake City branding photographer, I work with entrepreneurs, small business owners, real estate agents, and professionals who need headshots, lifestyle imagery, and property photography that feels polished but approachable. Whether you’re launching a startup in the Silicon Slopes corridor, listing a home in the Avenues, or building a personal brand on social media, I’ll create images that communicate credibility and personality in equal measure.
Salt Lake City photo locations and when they shine
This city gives me an incredible range of settings to work with. Here are some of my go-to locations:
| Location | Look & Feel | Best Time |
|---|---|---|
| Utah State Capitol grounds | Grand architecture, manicured gardens, sweeping valley views | Year-round, golden hour or overcast |
| Liberty Park | Mature trees, open lawns, pond, relaxed neighborhood park atmosphere | Spring through fall, evening light |
| Memory Grove & City Creek Canyon | Wooded canyon, creek, stone bridges, peaceful and secluded | Late spring through fall, morning or golden hour |
| The Avenues neighborhood | Victorian homes, tree-lined streets, colorful doors, residential character | Fall foliage or spring blooms, soft afternoon light |
| Red Butte Garden | Curated botanical gardens, mountain backdrop, diverse plantings | Spring and summer, late afternoon |
| Granary District / downtown murals | Urban texture, street art, exposed brick, warehouse aesthetic | Year-round, overcast or open shade |
| Ensign Peak trailhead | Panoramic city and valley views, sagebrush and wildflowers | Spring and fall, sunset |
These are starting points — Salt Lake has dozens of parks, alleys, rooftops, and hidden corners worth exploring. If you have a place that’s meaningful to you — a favorite coffee shop, the block where you first met, the park where your kids play every Saturday — I’d love to shoot there. Personal locations make personal photographs.
Planning your Salt Lake City session
- Wardrobe that works: Soft, muted tones photograph beautifully — dusty blue, sage, cream, terra cotta, warm grey. Avoid neon colors, large logos, and overly busy patterns. For families, coordinate without matching identically. Layers add texture and visual interest.
- Timing for the best light: Golden hour along the Wasatch is stunning — the mountains catch the last light and the valley fills with a warm glow that’s impossible to fake. I’ll set our session time based on the season and location to maximize that window.
- Kids and chaos: Bring snacks. Bring a favorite toy for transitions. And let them be kids — running, exploring, being silly. Those unscripted moments produce the images that end up framed on your wall. I know how to work with little ones who’d rather climb a tree than sit still, and I embrace it.
- Movement over stiffness: Walk toward me, pick up your child, lean into each other and laugh. The best photographs come from genuine interaction, not rigid posing. I give direction — but loosely, because real connection always photographs better than rehearsed smiles.
For maternity sessions, a flowing gown or fitted dress works beautifully against Salt Lake’s mountain backdrop. Newborn sessions need almost nothing from you — a warm home, a fed baby, and I’ll handle everything else. Seniors should bring two or three outfits and let me know their personality so I can select the best locations to match.
My style and approach
I shoot with a Nikon Z6III and fast prime lenses, relying on natural light for nearly every session. My editing style is clean, warm, and true to life — no heavy filters, no orange skin tones, no oversaturated skies. Colors look real. Skin looks like skin. Light looks like the light that was actually there. Every gallery includes black and white edits, because some moments carry more weight when stripped to contrast and emotion. My goal is timeless photography — images that look as good on your wall in twenty years as they do today.
Salt Lake City through the seasons
Spring arrives in the valley before the mountains release their snow, creating a dramatic contrast — cherry blossoms and green lawns with white peaks towering behind. Summer brings long evenings with light that doesn’t quit until after 9 PM, perfect for sessions in the canyons or along the foothills. Fall is Salt Lake at its most photogenic: the Wasatch erupts in red, orange, and gold, and the crisp air sharpens every color in the frame. Winter transforms the city into something quiet and beautiful — fresh powder on the peaks, frost on the trees in Liberty Park, and the warm glow of a low sun cutting through cold air. Every season here gives me something different to work with, and I look forward to all of them.
Frequently asked questions
- How far in advance should I book? Two to four weeks for portrait sessions; weddings, three to six months. Peak fall season fills fastest, so reach out early if you want October colors.
- What if weather doesn’t cooperate? We reschedule at no charge. That said, overcast days are some of my favorites — soft, even light that’s incredibly flattering.
- How many final images will I receive? Depends on session length, but typically 30 to 80 fully edited images delivered through an online gallery.
- Do you travel from Ogden for every session? Yes — the drive down I-15 is about 30 minutes and I make it regularly. Salt Lake is one of my most frequent shooting locations. No travel fees within the valley.
- Do you offer prints and albums? Absolutely. Lab-calibrated prints, canvases, and heirloom albums are available through your gallery. I handle the printing so colors match exactly what you see on screen.
- Can we bring our dog? Please do. Leash for safety, treats for cooperation, and patience all around. Pets are family, and family belongs in the frame.
Book your Salt Lake City session
Ready to make it happen? Reach out here and let’s find the perfect date, location, and plan for your Salt Lake City session. I keep the process simple — clear communication, easy scheduling, and a session that feels as natural as showing up and being yourselves.