Botanica Wichita
Don’t miss the full effect of Botanica’s rainbow entrance to its children’s garden. Late in the afternoon, when the sun is behind your subject and the structure, you’ll see the colors of the structure projected on the concrete for a cool effect.

Union Station
There’s a great spot on the platform above the depot: a large concrete structure with the word “Wichita” on the south end.

Kansas Aviation Museum
There are interesting architectural details on the front of the building, around the corner from the main museum entrance, and be sure to photograph the static aircraft on the tarmac with the museum as a backdrop.

Keeper of the Plains
If you’re photographing people in front of the Keeper, shoot from the south side of the Arkansas River for the best light for your subject(s).

Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center
This building comes alive with color at night and offers a centerpiece for your Wichita skyline photography.

Exploration Place
The placement of Exploration Place next to the water allows you to capture reflections of the Arkansas River that make for great photos.

Keeper of the Plains
For a more unique perspective, try to capture the sun rays through the headdress.

Downtown Wichita Skyline
From any outer corner of downtown, you can always get an amazing shot of downtown with sunrise or sunset.

Sedgwick County Zoo
Wear something similar to what the zookeepers wear, including hats and specific colors. Check out the gift shop for what to buy. The animals may pay more attention to you if they think they recognize you. And visit toward the end of the day, after the animals had their afternoon naps. They might also be more hungry, and more active, as they watch for dinner.

Old Cowtown Museum
My favorite time to be there is when the weather is not at its best: Try a rainy summer afternoon or a cold winter day. The 'spirits' of Old Cowtown will greet you.

Wildlife Parks
Swanson Park (my favorite) and Chisholm Creek Park at Great Plains Nature Center, are both filled with wildlife. Start early, before the people activity and heat of the day sends the animals into hiding. Make an extra effort to go when it’s snowing. Each animal leaves a nice set of footprints to follow with your camera.

^{Leopard at the Sedgwick County Zoo - Rick Reitmeyer}

^{Amur Tiger at the Sedgwick County Zoo - Rick Reitmeyer}

Keeper of the Plains

I cut my teeth on landscape photography at the Keeper of the Plains. It’s great for both beginners and experienced photographers, and worth visiting in all four seasons. You’ll find ice, snow and fog in the winter; flowers and other growth in the foreground during spring; wild sunflowers for a short period in June; and grasses and trees for warmer tones in the fall. It's also a great place to photograph storms rolling in from spring through summer.

No matter what season, make sure to shoot different angles. One of my go-to spots is on the north bank of the river, using the small waterfall/rapids as a foreground. Shooting from the south bank in summer can be good as the sun sets farther north. When the river and wind are calm, the area above the waterfall can be a great place for a good reflection of the Keeper. Also, getting closer up to the Keeper or the bow-and-arrow inspired bridges can give unique perspectives. Sunrise, in particular, can be awesome from up on the bridges.

^{Sunrise fog at the Keeper of the Plains was shot in March when spring was just arriving in Kansas. The bush makes an awesome foreground as the foggy sunrise gave the background a unique color. - Mickey Shannon}

River bend near Wichita Art Museum
For years, I scouted this spot to use my drone and it just never quite caught the fall colors and a good sunrise at the same time until this capture in 2021. If the wind isn't too bad, you can get a great shot of the sunrise reflected in the river bend with the Wichita skyline in the background.

Klausmeyer Sunflower Farm
Catching a sunflower field in bloom is all about timing (generally ranging late-July to September). Keep an eye on the Klausmeyer Sunflower Farm Facebook page for information on when their fields will be in bloom. I also update this article on my blog when sunflower season begins for fields near Wichita.

Friends University Davis Administration Building
This building is a work of art when it comes to architecture and history. Every year, they light the clocktower for the season just after Thanksgiving and it makes a great subject; give it a try in any season.

Oakland Avenue
This colorful little street is super fun to take selfies or other fashion images. You know, the ones like when you’re really feeling yourself and want to go model for your phone or take group pics with your friends! It’s the best little street to visit after having brunch at Vora Restaurant European, which is on Douglas Avenue just a block north of Oakland Avenue. The lighting there is pretty versatile during the day due to the buildings on the street, though I always recommend trying it out close to sunset. You can also walk to Crown Uptown Theatre and take pictures at the entrance under the showbiz lights (they look best when they are lit up).

Wichita Art Museum
This is one of my favorite indoor locations to take pictures, especially when it’s cold outside. There are so many different areas to work with to create stunning images in this building plus you get to enjoy amazing artwork while you’re creating some of your own. General admission for the Wichita Art Museum is free but some special exhibitions have a fee. There is a photography policy that must be followed but it is nothing you can’t work with. They even have a photography request form on their website.

Riparian Woodland Nature Trail
The entrance to this trail, which is on the northwest edge of Sedgwick County Park in west Wichita, is absolutely beautiful during the springtime! It is filled with colorful flowers, greenery and–my favorite part—a row of tall columnar trees. The columnar trees can help you create leading lines and they look really nice against a pop of contrasting color your subject might be wearing, such as yellow, red, white, etc.