10 Picturesque Places In The South, From Our Photo Editors

It's about capturing the right moment at the right time.

As photo editors, it’s our job to make sure Southern Living’s images represent stories - and our brand - in the best possible light. We spend a lot of time researching people, places, and things, prior to every photo shoot. Our intention is to pull together a team and a shot list that is fine-tuned to meet the needs of the subject. Photographers have hiked, kayaked, and even gone scuba diving in order to get the very best photo. Our teams frequently start working before the sun comes up in order to be in place for first light, then work for 10-12 hrs in order to get the job done. We love being able to work with such talented and dedicated photographers along with all the other people (park rangers, boat captains, tourism directors, shop owners, etc) that come together to make these photo shoots happen. Here are a few of our favorites.

Related: How We Re-created the First Southern Living Cover

How We Picked This List

This list was picked by the photo editors at Southern Living, who scout locations, research and travel to destinations, and book photographers across the region. The editors review thousands of photos every year.

Linn Cove Viaduct, Blue Ridge Parkway

North Carolina

The parkway connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. This, and the fact that the parkway has over 75 different scenic overlooks with sights like Grandfather Mountain, Mt. Pisgah, etc, means that the Blue Ridge Parkway belongs on this list. The team drove this vintage vehicle (with questionable brakes!), up and down that stretch of road morning, noon, and dusk, in order to see which light worked best for the shot.

Explore the Blue Ridge Parkway

Fly Creek Marina

Alabama

There’s a hefty supply of beautiful spots along the Florida/Alabama Gulf Coast so it’s hard to narrow it down to one. But if we had to pick, this image from Robbie Caponetto’s photo shoot at a charming little marina in Fairhope is it. Robbie scouted sunrise and sunset and waited until the absolute perfect time of day to capture this. The pastel colored skies remind me of all of the beautiful sunrises and sunsets I’ve witnessed in this special part of the South.

Read About Fairhope

Harpers Ferry, Zipline Canopy Tours

West Virginia

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has the perfect blend of natural landscape, historical significance, and a super charming downtown area with views of not one, but two great rivers. This shot was taken from the banks of the Potomac River.

More on Harpers Ferry

The Lighthouse at Haig Point

Georgia

There are so many images from the Daufuskie, South Carolina, story that could have made it on this list, but the cover image of the Lighthouse at Haig Point is my favorite. Peter Frank Edward’s image of a couple bicycling on a summer afternoon in that gorgeous golden light made me want to add Daufuskie to my own summer bucket list. When planning photo shoots, we frequently add in shots that we think might have cover potential (even if the shoot is not an "official" cover shoot). This was one of those occasions.

More on Daufuskie Island

Cades Cove Loop Road

Tennessee

My favorite part of visiting the Smokies is driving the Cades Cove Loop. I love this shot that Robbie took of the horses running through the valley with the mountains in the background. It captures what I love most about the Smokies.

More on Smoky Mountains

Savannah

Georgia

This shot is from a memorable week-long cover shoot in Savannah, Georgia. We secured all the necessary permits and permissions for our string of locations throughout downtown. We booked models – both human and canine. We had a traveling crew of hair, makeup, wardrobe, and prop stylists in tow. Photographer Peter Frank Edwards texted this shot to me the very first night the team arrived in Savannah as he was scouting locations, with the caption, “I got it.” And he did. We carried on with the shoot as planned, but this shot was indeed the cover for that April issue.

The 28 Best Things To Do In Savannah, Georgia

Captiva Island

Florida

In addition to being taken during Covid times, this photo shoot started with a red tide! There were multiple heavy rains throughout the week as well. The skies eventually cleared and Cedric Angeles came away with tons of great cover options. This particular image didn’t end up on the cover, but is a favorite nonetheless!

More on Captiva

Bluebonnets in Texas Hill Country

Texas

What’s prettier than rolling hills covered in springtime bluebonnets and sleepy cows? We have pursued bluebonnets on more than one occasion over the past few years, and this shot is evidence of one of our more successful attempts. Seasonal blooms can be a tricky thing. For one thing, they never really happen at exactly the same time each year, so setting up the shoot is alway a bit of a gamble. Particularly dry or wet years can also influence the show of blooms. And possibly the most heartbreaking occasion is when you've scheduled the photo shoot for the exact right time and place and the blooms are wondrous, then there is an unexpected storm the day or two before the shoot that knocks all the blooms off. We lucked out with this one!

More on Hill Country

Fiesta Noche del Rio at La Villita

Texas

There is so much to love about San Antonio. It has anything you could ever want in a city - history, architecture, music, culture, delicious food, the list goes on. The Riverwalk is an iconic view of the city but I love the images of the ballet folklórico dancers at La Villita. It captures the special energy of the city and is easily something one might stumble upon when out exploring SATX.

More on San Antonio

Pippin Hill

Virginia

Pippin Hill Vineyards in springtime looks like a place that unicorns would live. The dramatic light the photographer was able to capture makes this beautiful landscape even more wondrous.

More on Charlottesville

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