The Cutest Downtowns In Southeast Michigan

While downtowns are not exclusively for senior portraits, most sessions that want a bit of an urban look are senior sessions, at least for me. With families, it usually works better to be in a studio or a park of some kind. So in this post, I will be mentioning senior photos, but if you want to have your session in one of these places and you're not a high school or college senior, let's talk and see how we can make that happen for you!

Some people like an urban look with stores and lights but maybe don't want to deal with an actual city like Detroit or Lansing. Or maybe you want a mix of greenery and urban. Small downtowns are PERFECT for this! They usually are close to a park of some kind but still have the stone/brick/glass feel for the urban photos. Not every town has a dedicated "downtown", but here are four of my favorites!
 
Northville 
I just about grew up in Downtown Northville and I just love it! The iconic clock, the little patio where they do music in the summer, the cafes, the movie theater... it's darling! Lots of cool architecture as well. And there are several parks close by if you want some nature background photos to round out the gallery. 

Examples: Noah's senior session (all of his black t-shirt photos are at a church in the area); Danielle's senior session (this is an OLD session so don't focus too much on the style but the location is what you want to see). 

Brighton
I'm captivated by this downtown. For one thing, the storefronts are so cute!!! And there is a bookstore! The whole feel is one of wanting people to stop and stay awhile. Oh, and while there are nature places nearby, there is also plenty of nature within downtown Brighton! There's a large pond/small lake with pathways over it & TONS of planters full of flowers and greenery. Obviously this is during spring and summer but I'm pretty sure they have something darling for fall as well. 

Howell
I haven't spent a lot of time exploring downtown Howell yet but from what I've seen, it's super cute! Of special note is the library and Methodist church. Both are gorgeous old stone structures that would add elegance and class to your senior photos! 

Plymouth
This might be the most well-known downtown in the suburbs of Detroit, at least on the west side of Detroit, because of its Art in the Park and Music in the Park festivals. There is a fountain, an old theater, and lots of cute shops that make for great "down the street" shots. And again, while there are lots of parks around, there is so much nature in the park in the middle of the square. In the height of summer it can be quite dark but we can still find plenty of greenery without being right in the thick of the trees. 



With any downtown, you DEFINITELY want to check on farmer's markets, art fairs, and other activities before choosing a date/time for your session. For instance, there is one weekend each summer that is Art in the Park in Plymouth. Brighton has a farmer's market all summer on Saturdays and they have a craft market weekend as well. You just don't want to pick a day, show up, and have the place crawling with people! But these, and others like them, are gorgeous backdrops that give you great variety in your final gallery.

Which one would you want to use for your portrait session?