10 Best Locations to Film and Photoshoot In Calgary

We have all seen those amazing photos and videos capturing iconic scenes of Calgary, Alberta. Whether along the Bow River, in one of the many urban cores, or heading towards the mountains.

Location scouting is an important part of creating engaging content that will resonate with viewers. Our team has selected some popular and hidden gems worth exploring in Calgary for your next video production, or photoshoot:

Outdoor Locations

East Village Square

East Village is a happening area where hip eateries, indie music venues, galleries, and clothing stores fill converted warehouses. Landmarks include the New Central Library and Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, with displays of vintage instruments and memorabilia. The RiverWalk path follows the Bow River and revitalized St. Patrick’s Island has wooded trails, wetlands, and a fishing cove.

Fish Creek Park

Fish Creek Provincial Park in Calgary, boasts beautiful paths and places to explore. Plenty of lush scenery and panoramic views for your next project. The meadows and creek pass are excellent to explore.

Scotsman’s Hill

This lookout point offers striking vistas of skyscrapers & landmarks in downtown Calgary. The iconic ‘Hockey Night In Canada’, Calgary Flames opening game video shots were taken here.

Mt. Pleasant View Point

This lookout of the downtown skyline is our Directors’ favorite view of downtown Calgary. You truly get the sense of the sprawling downtown core from this vantage point. When the sun sets, beautiful reflections from the skyline glazing emerge, and interesting shadows passing through the East/Westbound streets of downtown.

Inglewood 9th Ave Main Street

Quirky Inglewood is home to shops selling vintage furniture, indie fashion, and rare vinyl, and offers an eclectic dining scene spanning Vietnamese, Mediterranean, and modern Canadian cuisine. The Esker Foundation and indie galleries show contemporary art, while city history is chronicled at the 1875-built Fort Calgary. Music venues like Festival Hall stage folk and alternative gigs. This place is a must on any content creators list!

Stephen Ave

Home to the Globe Cinema and hustle-n-bustle of Calgary’s business core, Stephen Avenue is more than just a great place to eat and enjoy a beer. This location offers excellent urban backdrops for any videographer or photographer looking to capture. Pro Tip: Reach out to the team at National on 8th. They have a beautiful open patio on 8th Ave that makes for some really cool shots of an outdoor party within the city core.

The Peace Bridge & Inner City Bow River

Modern, red pedestrian & bike bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava, a well-known Spanish architect. Go capture in the evening to see the bridge light-up. The soft LED lights on the bridge create beautiful, bokeh backdrops.

Griffith Woods:

A frequent hotspot for the avid hiker and explorer, but a hidden gem to most. Griffith woods offers incredible trails to create content. Within 10 minutes of walking on these trails, you really get the sense that you have ventured into the unknown. A sprawling woodland full of creatures and mystery.

And to sweeten the pot, here are a couple of indoor studios that are great for your next creative project in Calgary.

Studio 8 YYC

Studio 8 is Calgary’s newest production studio available for commercial photo and video shoots located ten minutes from downtown Calgary. It features a 1000 sq. foot industrial space, 16-foot ceilings, two East-facing large bay doors, hair & makeup station, changing room, wi-fi, parking, and a half-ton movable I-beam to hang gear and objects from across the entire space; even the art director.

Something Orange Studio

Full-service black-box photography & video studio in the heart of Inglewood. The guys at Something Orange are beauties.

Located in the same building as Cold Garden Brewing Company. Take advantage of a ‘cold one when you are taking a break in between shoots!

Hopefully, this list is helpful and will allow you to make your time in Calgary full of great content and beautiful moments. Reach out to us if you know of any hidden gems our team should explore!

Andrew founded Vek Labs in December 2017 with the goal of bringing cinematic visuals to the corporate and documentary sectors. With over a decade of experience as a designer in UX/UI, branding, editorial, and audio production, Andrew has a diverse background that informs his work. His time in Rome, Italy, included work as a marketing consultant for various non-profits and institutions, including the Holy See. At Vek Labs, Andrew has been involved in the production of documentaries that have reached wide audiences and secured syndication deals. His primary interest lies in the thoughtful combination of video production and musical scoring to tell meaningful stories.