Top 5 Places to Take Photos in Memphis

Memphis Photo Spots

Don’t miss a beat when exploring Memphis. We easily connect people with trusted photographers for fun photo shoots and have captured over three million memories worldwide. The magic of Flytographer is both the experience and the photos. Explore the city with a fun, talented photographer and get wall-worthy photos to relive your trip, forever. Today, we asked our local photographers to show us around all the very best places to take photos in Memphis.

As the birthplace of both rock and roll and the civil rights movement, Memphis’ influence on American culture is as outsized as the mighty Mississippi River itself. Located in Tennessee, Bluff City is proud of its heritage, and tourists flock to world-famous attractions like Graceland and Beale Street, the home of the blues. 🎷 But bring your camera beyond the usual tourist spots, and you’ll discover spectacular skyline views over a mini-Mississippi, colourful street art and even a 321-foot glass pyramid.

TLDR

(A little sneak peek just for you 😊)

1. The Peabody Hotel: Experience Southern hospitality and an unexpected tradition at this Memphis landmark. 🦆
2. Main Street: Strut your stuff along the car-free centre of the city and seek out the city’s street art.
3. Beale Street: Visit the official home of the blues – a must-do on any Memphis trip.
4. Downtown Memphis: Walk or catch a vintage trolley around the historic heart of Memphis.
5. Sun Studio: See the spot where Elvis caught his big break and embrace your inner rock and roll star. ✨

Photo: Izabella in Memphis for Flytographer. City photo of Main Street.

1. The Peabody Hotel

The historic Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis has been a Bluff City icon with its blend of whimsy and grandeur since 1869. This luxury hotel is famed for its five ducks, who parade out of the elevators and through the lobby to take a daily dip in the ornate fountain. 

The duck march occurs twice daily at 11 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. and is open to guests and the public. It’s a popular and unique tourist attraction, so turn up early if you want to watch the waddle. The best way to snag a front-row seat is to reserve a table in the lobby, which you can do if you order something from the bar. 

Photo ops abound in the elegant lobby. It’s the perfect spot to dress up for a romantic couples shoot with the famous fountain in the background. Or head to the rooftop bar for sunset, where you can enjoy spectacular views over the city with a cocktail in hand. 😎

2. Main Street

For one of the best places to take photos in Memphis, head to the pedestrianized Main Street. Lined with restaurants and bars, this buzzy strip is ideal for strolling and snapping Memphis street life.

Hop on the Main Street Trolley, a classic streetcar worthy of a picture itself, and ride to the South Main Arts District. Memphis’s first suburb is full of beautiful architecture, Instagrammable street art, and dining hotspots. 😋At the south end of Main Street, you’ll find The Blues Hall of Fame, a must-see for music fans.

Check out the Sound of Memphis Mural at 100 S Main St., a mural depicting Memphis’ famous spots. Murals make for dynamic backdrops and are ideal for group pics. While in the area, don’t miss the National Civil Rights Museum at the historic Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. The museum chronicles the struggle for civil rights from slavery to the present day.

Photo: Izabella in Memphis for Flytographer. City photo of Main Street.

3. Beale Street

Nashville may be the centre of country music, but Memphis is the home of the blues. Don’t be fooled by its National Historic Landmark status — Beale Street is no museum. It’s the beating heart of Memphis’s legendary blues scene. Day or night, this two-block strip is bustling. Colourful neon lights adorn red brick buildings, live music spills from clubs, and street performers entertain the crowds. It’s also the only place in Tennessee where it’s legal to walk around with an open alcohol container, so you can stroll and sip! 🥤

The official home of the blues starts at the Mississippi River and ends a mile later at East Street, offering plenty of photo opportunities in between. You can take a selfie with the King of Rock and Roll himself if you stop by the Elvis Presley statue, located at 115 Beale St. 🤩

Other great photography spots are under the Beale Street sign at dusk, the B.B. King’s Blues Club sign (stop inside for delicious Southern BBQ food!) or in front of the colourful I Love Memphis mural.

4. Downtown Memphis

Many of the best places to take photos in Memphis are easily found downtown. 🚎

Don’t miss the spectacular Bass Pro Shops Pyramid at the end of Bass Pro Drive on the river. The outdoor store boasts killer views from the observation deck at the apex of the 32-story glass and steel pyramid, plus a giant cypress swamp complete with alligators!

For ground-level views of the Memphis skyline, cross Wolf River Harbor on the footbridge at 125 N. Front Street over to Mud Island River Park. Find yourself a hammock or tire swing to soak up the atmosphere before continuing onto the Riverwalk. 

The Mud Island Riverwalk is a scale model of the lower Mississippi River and a great way to learn about the second-longest river in North America. If you have kids, pretend to be giants and grab some action shots of them splashing about! The Riverwalk ends by the Memphis sign at a million-gallon pool representing the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the ultimate backdrop to a memorable group shot. 

Photo: Izabella in Memphis for Flytographer. City photo of Downtown Memphis in The Edge District.

5. Sun Studio

Sun Studio is the legendary red brick recording studio where Elvis Presley, B.B. King, and Johnny Cash launched their careers. Pose like the rock star you are under the giant electric guitar sign over the door. 🎸Inside, Sun Studio is a time capsule of its 1950s heyday and biggest discovery, Elvis Presley. Tours are offered daily, so stop by and pay your respects to the birthplace of rock and roll.

After checking out Sun Studio, brave the Memphis sun for a stroll around the Edge District. This vibrant area is full of boutiques, craft breweries, and street art. Check out the With Love From Memphis postcard mural near the High Cotton taproom. If you’re hungry, swing by Sabor Caribe for zesty Caribbean flavours. 

If you like Sun Studio, don’t miss the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, a ten-minute drive south on 926 E. McLemore Ave. The retro red-and-blue neon sign is the perfect spot for a photo op, and the museum inside is a must-see deep dive into the Memphis rock and roll music scene.

Places to Take Photos in Memphis Outside Downtown

Downtown and midtown are packed with great photo spots, but don’t skip the city’s gorgeous public parks if you have the time. Overton Park on Poplar Avenue is where Memphis locals go to connect with nature, and it features the only old-growth forest in an urban setting in the Southeast. 🌳 With miles of trails, meadows, gardens, and the Memphis Zoo, it’s a refreshing change of pace from city life and the perfect location for a chic country-themed photo shoot.

The Memphis Botanic Garden is another popular place with photographers, who often arrange bridal and engagement photo shoots in the serene surroundings. If you’d like to celebrate a milestone in this romantic Memphis landmark, be sure to connect with a local professional Flytographer who can handle the permits and take the perfect shots.

Travelling with kids who need to blow off steam? Head to Shelby Farms Park. This fun, all-abilities playground has won international awards for its innovative design. The park is a 25-minute drive from downtown Memphis in the East Memphis neighbourhood.

Memphis is also within a day’s drive of some stunning Tennessee national parks and historic sites. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country, is six hours away in the scenic Appalachian Mountains. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is another beautiful nearby public open space with sandstone bluffs, forests, and waterways.

Take Home Magical Memphis Memories

Get out from behind the camera and let a professional Flytographer capture the moment while you focus on having fun. Whether you’re a tourist looking to soak up the Memphis music scene and sample Southern barbeque or a long-time local, we love creating fun, personalized photo shoots you’ll treasure for a lifetime. Capture those Memphis moments forever by booking your photo shoot today!