One of the trickiest parts of booking a session is figuring out where you are going to do it. I always ask my clients if they want an outdoor-nature, city or town square, or a little of both for their backdrops. After several years shooting around Atlanta I have found some of the best locations- some you may know well and some you haven’t checked out yet. While maybe the “best” locations is not totally substantiated, these are my personal favorites. Either way- gatekeeping has no place here.
Something to Think About…
It’s important and really essential to ask your clients what their vision is too . While we are the xperts, they also may have a picture in their head of what they want their photographs to look like. In the same turn, some clients just say “Tell us where and we’ll show up!” Gaining more information, asking the important questions, is the best way to ensure they are thrilled with their final gallery. Knowing what the client wants as far as location also ensures they dress appropriately. For example, wearing elegant clothing and heels wouldn’t fit well in a field. The gist: ask questions! Don’t be afraid to hop on a phone call, get to know them a little bit while simultaneously showing them you are dedicated to their photographs.
Piedmont Park
A popular and obvious choice for Atlanta natives and transplants alike. This park is huge and has several options for getting the most out of the beauty of this park. This location gives you big trees, skyline views, a duck pond, benches, and a photographer’s favorite: giant staircases. You can’t go wrong shooting at Piedmont Park. Look up their map and plan ahead with your client by parking on the same side of the park, establishing where you will meet and how much ground you want to cover. If they want it all, be sure they book a 90 minute or two hour session because you will need it!
2. Grant Park
Grant Park is a large, greenery galore tucked into the city right by the Atlanta Zoo. Due to the size of this park, much like Piedmont, you will want to look up their map and establish which side streets you want to meet at. Grant Park is a favorite for Fall sessions because of the giant trees, beautiful canopies, and classic pathways for walking shots. Bringing a blanket and props is ideal as there are plenty of wide open spaces to utilize!
3. Summerhill
Located right by Georgia State Stadium is this adorable little shopping and restaurant strip that makes me feel like I am in a micro town square. Ice cream, coffee shops, and restaurants on this street are surrounded by beautiful architecture, murals, and colors. During normal business hours, make sure not to utilize space that belongs to a restaurant in a way that interrupts customers trying to enjoy their meal. If there is no one out there, go for it! When in doubt, just ask if they mind you taking a couple of photos for five minutes. More often than not, everyone is super friendly and doesn’t mind, as long as you leave it the way you found it. The little bonus about this spot- if you walk towards th end of this street, away from the Georgia State Stadium, you’ll find a little park. That way you can get some greenery if you want to do a little of both!
4. The Beltline by Krog Street
Most people who live in Atlanta have visited the beltline at least once. It is a lot of hustle and bustle, rollerbladers, bike riders, and joggers all enjoying the beauty of our city. These kind of spaces, while very busy and popular, make for the best combination of city and park backdrops. There are beautiful graffiti murals, blooming trees in the spring, and hidden architectural gems like the one in the photo above. The beltline is perfect for a 90 minute session so you can stroll along the long path and stop as you go, when you see something that strikes your creative flame. I find there are usually options for street parking either above the beltline where the Shake Shack is, as well as in the little neighborhoods right off of Krog Street. If you don’t mind paying for parking, there is a deck located on DeKalb Ave, across from the Krog Street Tunnel. The only downside like I mentioned, is how crowded and busy it can get. Be sure to consider this when picking a time for your photo session.
5. Historic Fourth Ward Park
Fourth Ward park is directly adjacent to the incredible Ponce City Market, boasting beautiful foliage in the Fall, a bridge that circles a duck pond with a fountain, and never-ending staircases for the perfect photos. It’s popular among photographers so you will probably see another photog in action, utilizing this perfect golden egg in the heart of the city. It gives you the perfect park setting with natural framing everywhere you turn. I like to have my clients start at one end and we shoot as we walk along the loop, finishing where we started. It’s great for express and standard sessions! I usually shoot for the free street parking which you can usually find on both entrances to the park- one next to PCM and one by the children’s playground on Rankin Street. For those with little ones, it’s the perfect reward when they get to cross the street to the park, playing, after all of their hard work during the session.
If you’re client base is similar to mine then you have a large percentage living in the Marietta, Smyrna, or Roswell areas. With the beloved Atlanta traffic it can take some time to travel depending on where you are coming from. My rule of thumb: don’t make the client come to you, especially if they have kids. This may be unpopular but the way I see it, is the shorter the travel distance for them, the happier the kids will be, therefore the better a session we will have. However, anything over an hour, I charge a travel fee of $50 for 30 minutes and $75 for an hour. This covers costs more than anything, especially factoring in the travel time back.