Local service guide
Photography and Videography in Colorado Springs
For Photography and Videography in Colorado Springs, choose a provider whose complete projects match your business brief, then agree on deliverables, usage rights, location permissions and postponement terms before paying a deposit. For commercial filming at Garden of the Gods, the regional film office lists a 14-day application deadline and a $500 daily permit fee. Assign responsibility for approvals before confirming the shoot date. [1] [2]
Choose a provider around the finished work
Start with the purpose of the images. For a menu shoot, describe the dishes and placements. For headshots, specify the staff and the look you want across the set. For a property listing or business interview, identify the spaces or messages you need to capture. Give each candidate the same brief and ask to review a complete comparable project.
Review photographs for lighting, color and retouching. For video, listen to speech and examine pacing, music balance and captions. Ask who will attend and who will handle each service. If one crew will capture both photographs and video, request a schedule that gives each part enough time.
Put the handoff in writing: edited image count, file sizes, video lengths, aspect ratios, revision rounds and delivery date. Describe the intended website, print and advertising uses. Ask the provider to document usage permissions, restrictions and any expiration date. Clarify whether you will receive raw files or only finished work.
Confirm location permissions before booking
The City directs commercial photography and video projects at Garden of the Gods to the Office of Special Events for a permit. Its personal-use exception includes wedding, engagement and graduation projects. Describe the final use when asking about permission, especially if your proposed images will promote a business. [1]
The Colorado Springs Film Commission lists a $25 application fee, a $500 daily filming permit fee at Garden of the Gods and a $250 daily fee at other city parks, trails and open spaces. It specifies a 14-day application deadline, restricted filming hours at Garden of the Gods and additional charges for road closures. Confirm the hours and charges for your proposed production. [2]
For filming on private property, the regional film office says you do not need a City or County filming permit. You must work with the owner or manager for permission, and the owner may charge a daily fee. Before arranging a shop or office shoot, agree on equipment placement, access, customer interruptions and the time the crew must leave. [2]
Separate creative work from location costs
Request an itemized quote for preparation, capture, editing, travel, crew and delivery. Give location fees and application charges their own lines. The film office's published permit fees cover location permissions; they do not establish the price of a photography or videography package. [2]
Ask how the provider prices overtime, additional retouching, extra revisions and another shoot date. Include setup and pack-down in the agreed access window. For interviews, decide who approves the questions and final edit. For product images, agree on the number of products and angles before comparing quotes.
Name the person who submits applications, secures owner consent and supplies insurance documents. Ask how the contract handles a location refusal or postponement before paying a location-dependent deposit. Agree on whether you can substitute a location and who pays any resulting costs.
Resolve aerial footage and prepare the appointment
The City prohibits drone use in Garden of the Gods. The regional film office also states that drone filming permits are not currently available for city parks. If your concept needs aerial footage, confirm a feasible location before approving that part of the package. [1] [2]
Ask the proposed drone operator to explain how they will check current aviation requirements and location restrictions for the exact flight. Request confirmation of the pilot's credentials and any approvals needed for the proposed operation. Agree on substitute ground footage or a refund arrangement if the aerial portion cannot proceed.
Prepare a short shot list and mark the images you must have. Confirm staff availability, gather products and approved logos, and tidy the spaces that will appear on camera. Choose a quiet interview room. For outdoor work, agree on an indoor alternative or a time to decide whether to postpone.
Published filming permit rates for one permit day
Local details that affect your job
Airport productions need advance review
Colorado Springs Airport asks applicants to allow ten business days for approval and submit a complete script, storyboard or layout with the request. Film or videotape production managers must attend a walkthrough with an airport representative before approval. The airport charges commercial productions $100 per hour with a two-hour minimum. Obtain express written tenant consent before filming airline or concession areas or their names, logos or other identifiers. [3]
Check the full footprint of a street shoot
The regional film office describes a permit exception for public, non-park filming that does not impede pedestrian or vehicle traffic, require exclusive use or otherwise affect public safety. For road closures or other public accommodations, it lists an event application, detailed traffic plan, map and insurance certificate. Describe your crew, equipment and proposed space use to the film office before relying on the exception for a street or sidewalk shoot. [2]
Check regional backdrop feasibility
The Colorado Springs Film Commission states that filming on the Manitou Incline and in Red Rock Open Space is currently not permitted. For Pikes Peak, it recommends an ideal six-month lead time, while noting that staff may accommodate shorter requests and cannot accommodate all projects because of staffing, weather and events. Discuss access before committing to either a regional backdrop or a production date. [2]
Choose the location approval route
| Proposed shoot | Published requirement | Planning step |
|---|---|---|
| Business promotion at Garden of the Gods | Commercial photo and video permit through the Office of Special Events | Confirm scope, permitted hours and application responsibility |
| Filming on private business premises | Owner or manager permission; no City or County filming permit | Arrange access and ask about owner charges |
| Public non-park street or sidewalk filming | Permit exception depends on traffic, exclusive use and public-safety impacts | Check the complete production footprint with the film office |
| Commercial airport production | Allow ten business days for approval; submit a script, storyboard or layout | Begin the airport review before confirming the shoot |
| Drone coverage at Garden of the Gods | City prohibits drone use | Plan ground footage or investigate another location |
Your hiring checklist
- Write a brief naming the subjects, intended uses, deadline and deliverables.
- Review a complete comparable project and confirm the attending crew.
- Separate creative-service charges from application and location fees.
- Assign responsibility for owner consent, permits and insurance documents.
- Confirm the proposed footprint and permissions before fixing the location.
- Agree on usage rights, revisions, file formats and delivery dates.
- Document cancellation, postponement and location substitution terms.
- Prepare the shot list, staff schedule, products and interview room.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a paid portrait session at Garden of the Gods need a permit?
The City's published guidance exempts professional photo or video projects whose final product serves the customer's personal use, including wedding, engagement and graduation projects. Commercial photography and video require a permit through the Office of Special Events. Describe any intended business use when confirming the category. [1]
Do the published permit fees tell me what the provider will charge?
The film office publishes location permit fees, not creative-service package prices. Request quotes against the same brief and compare capture time, edited deliverables, usage rights and revisions. Ask the provider to list location and application charges apart from production work. [2]
Can I film outside my storefront without a permit?
Check the proposed footprint with the film office. Its public, non-park exception depends on avoiding traffic obstruction, exclusive use and public-safety impacts. For road closures or other public accommodations, it lists an event application, traffic plan, map and insurance certificate. [2]
What should I confirm before paying a deposit?
Confirm the crew, schedule, location, deliverables, usage rights and payment terms. Name the person responsible for permissions. Ask how the provider handles a refused location, postponement, missed delivery date or requested reshoot, and include the agreed terms in the contract.
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.