How to Choose a Location for your Custom-Designed Senior Portrait Experience in the DMV

The Washington DC Metro Area / DMV area has SO many great locations to consider for your High School or College Senior Portrait Experience. Before getting into the details for how to pick a location, keep in mind that the most important aspect of your session will be YOU!

THE BASICS:

Locations certainly play a role in the overall experience, but wherever you decide to have your session, our primary focus will be capturing your unique expressions in a creative and authentic way.  In general, think of your location choice as providing:

~ a fun opportunity to explore, enhancing your session experience

~ a basis for feeling comfortable and confident

~ background scenery to help tell your past, present, or future story.  

What general environment feel special for you: an urban area, iconic DC architecture and monuments, botanical gardens, historical charm, a secluded place in nature, or a place you spent a lot of time during your high school or college years?

IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER:

While brainstorming ideas for where you'd like to have your Senior Portrait Experience, here a a few things we'll consider:  

~ Time of year, time of day, and lighting

~ Parking/ease of accessibility

~ Other people in the background of public spaces

~ Variety of scenery in walking distance

~ Pet restrictions if applicable

~ Safety

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

• Public places to change your clothes: If you're planning to have a complete outfit change, will you need access to a public bathroom? Not all public places have easy access to public bathrooms. If your location doesn't have a nearby bathroom, we can discuss workaround options during your PreSession Consultation.

• Public versus less public spaces: Some Seniors may understandably feel a little self conscious working with a professional photographer in a public setting. If posing on a busy sidewalk with other people walking by doesn't appeal to you, we can find places that are a little off the beaten path, have fewer crowds, or offer more private areas to help you feel more at ease.

• Admissions Fees, Commercial Photograph Permits, and Commercial Photography Fees and/or Photography Reservations: While many locations in the DMV are free and open to the public 24/7, a few locations require that I take additional steps in advance to make a photography appointment and/or pay an hourly or daily commercial photography fee. During our location discussion, I can provide you with more details. A few of the benefits of choosing one of the these locations:

~ fewer photographers and clients on site

~ generally less crowded places

~ more curated environments

~ accessibility to parking and bathrooms.

AND FINALLY....

I’m really looking forward to connecting and collaborating with you! My email is donnaowens571@gmail.com and cell is 571 212-4258 if you'd like to contact me with questions.