Introduction

If you’ve ever wanted a map that shows you all the best free shoot spots in Toronto, you’ve now found it! On top of that we include descriptions for everything as a master list with pictures of each place in this article. Have fun reading and even more fun shooting at each location! If you have any suggestions, let us know on Instagram!

And if you’re in the market for new gear, check out our suggested GEAR page!

Original image by @TheMattewLai (tap image to open his IG)

HERE ARE THE BEST FREE PHOTO & VIDEO SHOOT SPOTS IN TORONTO & ONTARIO

This map here has all the geographic locations of the best shoot spots around Toronto.

The article below has all the photos and details about each location of the best Toronto area shoot spots.

Handy if you’re traveling and want to know what Toronto has to offer! This list was brought to you by That Toronto Studio

Want to see map in full-screen? Tap this Google Maps link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/embed?mid=1k8GfZYidMjgiIkWEWGbh-1OtH2eHpKVm

Toronto’s Top Free Video & Photo Shoot Spots, in detail!

Ready for our favourite shoot spots in and around the Toronto area? Get ready, set, go!

Wrigley Lofts

A 1900s industrial-era vibe. The sunsets are great in between these two massive loft buildings! Unfortunately, you can not actually enter the building itself, but you can still enjoy the surrounding area.

Screen Shot 2022-08-31 at 10.23.03 AM.png

Screen Shot 2022-08-31 at 10.22.50 AM.png

Gerrard Square Bridge

Phenomenal views of the Toronto skyline from an urban grungy feeling bridge. One of the perfect places for skating as well it has the vibes and structure to get amazing shots of skaters in the area.

Dundas & Carlaw Patio

Want to feel the vibe of Toronto’s East-end? Our Studio District’s Leslieville vibe is unmatched at the corner bar at Dundas & Carlaw. Yeah, that’s the Bar’s name!

And if you want, you’re always welcome to book THAT Toronto Studio if it’s raining and you wanna shoot indoors! Note, booking the studio is not free, but it’s definitely one of the best bangs for your buck when renting a photography studio in Toronto! Now, back to our list of FREE spots, JEEZ way to shamelessly plugs your studio, D! 🤦‍♂️

Photo by @EtherPhotographyStudios, Toronto Wedding Photographer

Bluffer’s Park Beach & Lookout

A wonderful hidden gem, the Bluffs are Toronto’s top free photoshoot spot because it literally looks like you’re in the tropics! This explains why any Toronto photographer worth their weight shoots at the beach located in the bay area of the lookout. If you’ve ever been to El Matador Beach in Malibu, you know that you can expect to see at least 3-4 photographers capturing photos there at sunset. Well, at the Bluffs you can sometimes see the same amount. It’s a really popular spot, and rightfully so, have you not seen how beautiful it is?

The Guild Inn Estate

Less known by most photographers in Toronto, but also in the same area as the Scarborough Bluffs is the Guild Inn Estate. This is an amazing free place to photograph shoots requiring a Greco-Roman type architecture and aesthetic. This is a little bit out from Toronto, actually located in Scarborough, but it’s worth the drive. Great spot for capturing wedding photos!

Toronto’s Distillery District

This is an awesome free spot to do a photoshoot in Toronto because it’s got cobblestone pedestrian roads, industry-era architecture, and pubs and restaurants aplenty. Lots of epic photos here for an industrial-era vibe. What kind of shoot would you do here?

36893581_2191749917507959_8891769242702053376_o-1024x681.jpg

Yorkville

In Toronto’s most chic and expensive area, you can expect to find lots of photographic opportunities with narrow little alleyways, bougie stores, and fancy restaurants, plus a ton of nice cars parked all alongside the street. Just don’t upset the owners of those fine-parked cars, they might throw their Louis Vuitton shoes at you!

The (New & Old) Cherry Street Bridge

So, the old bridge is still in operation as of 2022. The new bridge won’t be in actual operation for some time but you can still see it when you head down Cherry street. Here is an epic free shoot spot for Toronto photographers to capture brand new vehicles against a rugged piece of classical architecture from Toronto’s industrial age. In the summertime during sunset, the sun comes down behind the Toronto skyline, which makes for an epic backdrop of your subject, whether it’s a person or a vehicle. But be warned Toronto, there’s an ever-increasing amount of traffic on Cherry street, so your photographic opportunities may be tough to come by here.

Sir Isaac Brock Bridge

Another bridge, but much more central is the Bathurst street bridge which is located at the southernmost part of Bathurst Street. Great views of the railway, as well as the downtown core and the CN Tower, can be found here. And again, be cautious to not get run over by vehicles as there is a lot of traffic here, especially during the day.

University of Toronto Varsity Centre

This is an awesome free place to snap some pictures for your yoga, running, track and field, sportswear campaigns. But be warned, it’s not a public field so if you’re spotted with a camera they may want to see a permit else they ask you to leave their premises.

Casa Loma

Did you know Toronto has a little castle? No? Well, it does. It’s pretty awesome and apparently haunted too. You can’t go inside for free, but you can shoot around it with it as the backdrop to some of your awesome photos. This may make some good photos for Halloween too!

The 1 Hotel (Formerly Thomson Hotel) Rooftop Lounge

You’ll always find epic views of the Toronto cityscape here, but you might have to sneak your camera in. We’ve been kicked out before for having photography equipment that looked too “pro”. It’s a free spot to shoot from, but only if you don’t have too professional looking of a setup. You gotta look like you’re there to order a ton of drinks!

Liberty Village

A wonderful free photoshoot location for Toronto photographers because it’s got a ton of character! It’s full of rustic architecture, awesome people, and a ton of pubs and patios you can visit after you’re done with your photoshoot! Why wouldn’t this sound like a good idea?

Screen Shot 2021-10-18 at 9.51.29 AM.png

Secret Beach

Secret beach has long been a secret, but no longer! This is on the list of top photoshoot spots because it’s so private. There’s hardly ever anyone there and you can literally capture whatever you want without worry. So if you’re trying to do a hippie-styled, free-spirited topless shoot, here might be the spot!

R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

At first, this water treatment plant doesn’t really sound like the greatest location to take pictures but once you actually arrive at the location the first thing you’ll notice is a great view of Lake Ontario and plenty of grassy areas to take pictures on as well, it is one of the most perfect places for proposals, speaking from experience when I came to visit the location I spotted people getting the place ready for a proposal. What is also great about the location is if you come later in the evening you can have the perfect sunset lighting for your photoshoot.

Leuty Lifeguard Station

If you are looking for a spot to take some Baywatch-type photoshoots then Leuty Lifeguard Station is the place for you. At Leuty Lifeguard Station the entire place is covered in sand with a boardwalk that stretches all throughout the beach and a great view of Lake Ontario, another amazing location for sunset photoshoots.

Riverdale Park East

Riverdale Park East is a grassy park with lots of empty space, the perfect place for having a picnic while watching the sun go down throughout the city during the summer.

Prince Edward Viaduct

At Prince Edward Viaduct it may be a little risky taking pictures on top of the bridge, but right below the bridge is a little cement pathway that gives off a little spooky vibe at night perfect for a Halloween-themed photoshoot.

Gibraltar Point Lighthouse

The Toronto Harbour Lighthouse, another perfect location for the spooky season, arriving at night makes the entire area look like it just came out of a horror movie.

Cabana Waterfront Patio

Looking for a place to party? Then Cabana Waterfront Patio is the place you may be looking for. It is a lounging area with a beautiful view of the city, pretty lights and is definitely Instagram-able; They’ve also got food, drinks and a pool! Perfect for a summer vibe Instagram post.

Hanlan's Point Beach

Hanlan’s Point Beach is a one of a kind beach here in Ontario, because this beach doesn’t require clothing, If you are looking for beach location to take more natural shots I’d say Hanlan’s Point Beach is the place you are looking for.

Toronto Harbour Lighthouse

This lighthouse is another spot to take your spooky-themed photoshoot, the place looks abandoned but is actually still in use. The location has a wide view of Lake Ontario; you can also spot the city from this location.

Ireland Park

If you are looking for a place to take more history themed pictures, then Ireland Park may be able to help you out. The statues at this park dates back 1995, The sculptures were donated by Norma Smurfit of the Smurfit foundation to the people of Ireland and the citizens of Dublin to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the famine. Plus you also get EPIC views of the planes landing at Toronto’s very own Billy Bishop Airport

HTO Beach

HTO Beach is both a beach and a park perfect location for someone who wants both grassy and sandy photoshoots. Although you can not exactly swim in the water at the beach you can still enjoy the beach with picnics and sailboat watching. Note, these umbrellas are actually yellow at HTO Beach.

Sugar Beach Park

If you are into beaches and the colour pink, then Sugar Beach Park is the perfect place for you, the beach umbrellas look just like cotton candy, super Instagram-able location and has a cute little view of the harbour. Note, the umbrellas at Sugar Beach are rosey purple toned.

Cinesphere Theatre

The Cinesphere Theatre is a super cool location to take pictures in with its abnormal spherical shape, it is even better to take pictures at night when the outside of the theatre lights up. And Before or After your photoshoot you can go ahead and watch a movie inside the theatre.

Sunnyside Beach

Humber Bay Arch Bridge

Personally, I come here a lot it has such a beautiful view of the lakeshore, it is a great place to take late-night photoshoots or wedding photos at noon.

Forks of the Credit Provincial Park

Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, is a wonderful to take pictures with nature and wildlife. They have many hiking trails to walk through. This location is beautiful although it is outside of Toronto.

Cheltenham Badlands

Chelten Badlands is a unique location to have a photo shoot, because of its unusual ground patterns. This location is perfect for an outlandish or apocalyptical photoshoot. It is a bit of a drive outside Toronto, but if you want a unique picture for your next post this is that place you wanna be in. However, be sure to check whether or not they are open because sometimes they shut down the lands to let them regenerate.

Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area (Reservations Required)

The Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area is a popular location for rock climbing and their hiking trails and is also a place with a wonderful overview of the rural area that surrounds the place.

Sandbanks Dunes Beach

The Sandbanks Dunes has a unique landscape, it has a bit of the feeling of an island. If you are looking for an island type location for your next photoshoot, but still want to stay in Toronto then the Sandbanks Dunes Beach is where you need to be. This photo doesn’t exactly do it justice but the dunes are EPIC. Some shots you can make it look like you’re lost in a desert Oasis. It’s nuts!

Big Tub Lighthouse

Big Tub Lighthouse is another lighthouse that you need go for your next photoshoot, its quite convenient it is near a motel. As for the location itself you get the view of the beautifully blue Tobermory Harbour, the water is calm and swimmable and they also allow fishing, definitely a place to check out.

The Grotto

The Grotto is an amazing place to visit if you want to get away from the feeling of Canada without actually getting out of the country. The location feels like it came right from the Caribbeans. It has a beautiful view of Lake Huron and has underwater tunnels and caves to explore. Although it is a bit of a drive from Toronto it is definitely worth the time to visit, and I do recommend on planning your trip ahead of time and reserve a parking spot because it is a popular location.

Indian Head Cove

The Indian Head Cove is another location that is quite the drive from Toronto, but it is a beautiful location to visit for your next photoshoot with the view of Lake Huron. The Indian Head cove is also located near The Grotto so you can attend both places.

Wasaga Beach, The Beach

Personally, I have actually visited this location and from what I remember it was a super popular place it was quite hard to find a parking spot, but once you do it is so worth it, you get an amazing view of the Georgian Bay. The beach has 7 beaches if that makes any sense, If you wanna get some amazing shots of the beach I highly recommend beach 4, because it is the most relaxing and quite compared to the other beaches, it also has the best view of the bay perfect for a beach day photoshoot.

Algonquin Provincial Park

The Algonquin Provincial Park is a bit of a drive from Toronto, but definitely worth it if you are looking for a place to take photoshoots with nature. The park has amazing hiking trails and has a lot of activities to enjoy while you are there.

Garrison Common

If you are looking for a concert or a wide-open space for a photo shoot, then I highly recommend checking out Garrison Common. They host concerts and all sorts of events and not only that they have a wide area of grassy areas ready for photos to be taken, so come on and check out Garrison Common it just might be the place you are looking for.

Canoe Landing Park

Canoe Landing Park has an interesting location, a small park in between all these tall buildings. I am not too sure if the placement of this park was intentional, but I think it serves a great contrast between the big city and small little park, it kind of reminds me of the house in the movie UP where the old grandpas house was stuck in between these two skyscrapers but refused to move. So if you are looking for that type of concept, then Canoe Landing Park is a place you need to check out.

Toronto Music Garden

The Toronto Music Garden is located in downtown Toronto, it is a beautiful place it really gives you an Alice in Wonderland vibe which I personally love. They have paths to walk through, a flower garden and a stage, also a perfect place to have a picnic. What I think is also pretty amazing is that not only does it look wonderful in the daytime, it looks just beautiful in the evening when they have the lights lit up, a pretty romantic place for a proposal.

Trinity Bellwoods Park

Trinity Bellwoods Park is a pretty popular park, the park has huge open space of grass and pathways plenty of space for everyone, it is a pretty quite and relaxing park so I doubt anyone would be interrupting your photoshoot at the park.

Yonge-Dundas Square

Yonge-Dundas square one of my favourite places to take pictures in. My friend and I actually filmed a music video here for their school project. They have many varieties of backgrounds to choose from depending on what part of the square you want to take a picture with. Personally I love coming to the square around the evening or night, because I think that is when the square looks best because of all the lights that light up night. Yonge-Dundas Square is place you want to go to if your looking for a place that gives off New York vibes without really being in New York, Definitely one of the best places in Toronto for a free photoshoot spot.

City Hall

Needs no explanation. This is the same place as in our cover photo at the top of the article!

Allan Gardens

Located in downtown Toronto you can find Allan Gardens. The Garden house is a beautiful structure to take a photoshoot with, but what is even better is the inside of the garden house. The garden house is filled with beautiful flowers and other plants to take picture of and with. Both the inside and outside of the garden are wonderful places to take wedding photos.

Metropolitan University (Formerly Egerton Ryerson University) Community Park

This location in downtown Toronto is the perfect for spot for university students looking for a place to take pictures for their next Instagram post. It is super convenient and looks so stunning at night with the lights that get lit up, and in the winter the water actually gets turned into an ice rink.

Spadina Museum

One of my favourite types of aesthetics comes from the Victorian era and if it is yours as well then the Spadina Museum is the place you may be looking for! This building is perfect for a proper and elegant photoshoot, weddings included as well. The outside of the museum looks like a house that came right out of the Victorian era and the inside looks elegant with the beautifully decorated furniture.

The Garden at Casa Loma

The Casa Loma Garden is another beautiful garden to take photos in with a medieval structure in the background. They have a lovely fountain in the middle of the garden and access to a meal al fresco with a stunning view of the city skyline.

Trinity College

Trinity College is the perfect location for autumn photoshoots as well as people who have light or dark academia aesthetics. If you are person who loves books as well wait until you see their library, a beautiful place to have a photoshoot with plenty of books

Queen's Park

Also known as the legislative building, where protest usually take place, but when there isn’t one happening the place is actually quite beautiful with their lovely little garden of flowers, old timely designed street lamps, their academic looking building and is especially beautiful looking in the winter time.

Hart House

If you are looking for an outdoor wedding downtown, then Hart House is the place you are looking for. Hart House has an elegant design and fairly spacious for lots of guests, perfect for a traditional wedding.

Knox College

The school of theology. At this school they teach the nature of belief, they use many forms of analysis like philosophy and historical events to understand any religious topics. In this place you don’t even need to attend this school to feel the history, the history is all around you. This school is the place you want to check out for more historic background for your next photoshoot.

EDIT: Knox College does not permit any sort of commercial, wedding, or personal photography

St. Lawrence Market

St. Lawrence Market would be pleasing to look at, at night as kind of a night market. especially with all the lights. I think it would definitely go great with a shopping themed photoshoot, during the photoshoot you can explore the market and try new foods.

Victoria Memorial Square

Victoria Memorial square is a spacious park with lots of historical background, for your next photo shoot do not forget to check out Victoria Memorial Square.

Kensington Market

Another favourite spot to take pictures, Kensington Market. I really love how there is so much colour and art throughout the neighborhood and the different types of architectural buildings. There a variety of stores on Kensington Market from restaurant, clothing, and other stores with who knows what they have, you can basically find anything on Kensington Market so during your photoshoot feel free to look around as well.

And if you’re still looking for a spot to shoot Tap here for more info on THAT Toronto Studio or tap here for pricing & packages.

This post was brought to you by THAT Toronto Studio - the photography studio that has it all. Rent daily or hourly!

This post was created by That Toronto Studio

But first a quick mention of the sponsor of this post—a lot of time and effort went into the production of this post, much like the time and effort that Danny puts into making THAT Toronto Studio the best and most versatile studio in Toronto, for one of the best rates around!
This post also took a LONG time to create, so please scroll down and if you are considering buying any new gear on Amazon, buying it by clicking on our links costs you nothing extra, and earns us a very small commission!

Did You Find This Article Helpful?

Please leave us a review on Google if you found our customer service hospitable and helpful.

Tap HERE to review our service on Google if you had a 5-star interaction with us.

Thank you!

Photo by @OmgItsYeshi (tap image to open Instagram) — Photo shot from the TD Towers at Bay and King by @OmgItsYeshi (tap image to open Instagram)

Do You Have Any Location Suggestions?

Leave us a comment below so we can add it to the list. Leave the comment with your @InstagramHandle so we can credit you for the suggestion!

Photo by @JohannesPlenio (tap image to open Instagram) — Photo shot from Centre Island by @JohannesPlenio (tap image to open Instagram)

FURTHER RESOURCES:

That Toronto Studio’s List of Gear for Photographers!

Here’s a list of gear that can help make your shoot a success. We have tried to list products from several price points / tiers so that no matter your budget, you can have an awesome and successful shoot!

Portable Lighting

Neewer 300W Battery Powered Flash w. Softbox | Neewer RGB Camera Mounted LED | Heavy Duty, Tripod-base Light Stand

Drones & Cameras

DJI Mini - highest-end drone manufacturer, great for exploring new areas

Off Brand Drone - affordable drone for low cost urban aerial exploration

GoPro 360 Camera - great for documenting your shoot. Shoot BTS & time-lapse!

Sony A7IV Camera - excellent low light camera. Professional grade.

Canon R6 Mirrorless Camera - high quality pro-grade mirrorless camera.

Canon M200 Vlogging Camera - excellent vlogging camera. Low price point.

Portable Computing, Storage, & Power

Gimbals, Screens, Tripods & Tools

Rainproofing

Rainproof Camera Cover or this Waterproof Cover | Large Umbrella for 2 people

And don’t forget to take care of yourself too!

Protein Bars | Filtered Water Bottle | Mentos Fresh Gum (6 x 50 pack) | SPF 50 Sunscreen

Need to book a photography studio rental in Toronto? You can book our fully-equipped, natural light photography studio space below!

MASTER LIST OF TORONTO’S TOP FREE PHOTOSHOOT SPOTS (2023 Update)