Nov 12, 20212 min read

Tips For Taking Photos In Crowded Locations | Courtney | McCutcheon High School Senior

I'm so excited to share Courtney's senior session with you! This girl is super down to earth, easy going, and passionate about color guard and photography, which made this a fun session for me! Make sure you check out the camera photos below!

Courtney is graduating from McCutcheon High School this year with plans to go into forensic science. I always tend to think of the show NCIS when students tell me that they want to go into forensics. I mean, who wouldn't want to be an Abby Sciutto? This girl is going to do great things, I just know it!

Courtney,

Thanks so much for trusting me with your photos! They were so incredibly fun to take! It was so fun getting to know you more, and I pray you enjoy your photos as much as I enjoyed taking and editing them! Good luck with the rest of your senior year! -Meghan

We started our session downtown, and unfortunately it was the trick-or-treat night for families and children. I had no idea! Once we recognized the situation, it was pretty simple to come up with a game plan to make this senior session just as special as others without the crowds. So here are 3 tips on how to take your senior photos in crowded locations:

Be Patient.

Obviously with crowds, it will take you more time to walk from location to location. Take your time and don't stress out. Use this as an opportunity to get to know your senior, ask them questions about themselves or their future plans, and keep the conversation light and cheerful to keep the session upbeat. There's nothing wrong with building your relationship further and getting a few less photos because of the extra travel time.

2. Wait for the right moment

With crowded locations, sometimes your background will have people walking back and forth. If possible, pose your subject and just wait for the right moment. When people realize you're taking photos, they will hustle to get out of your shot. If you can't avoid people in the background, wait until they are not directly behind your subject. Those people will be easier to edit out without disrupting how your subject looks.

3. Incorporate local places and landmarks

For Courtney's session, we used the courthouse for a lot of her photos. No one was in this location and it had a beautiful light background. I have used other local businesses for senior portraits before as well. It's a great way to make a senior session unique and special. Just be sure to check with the store associates that it's ok to shoot in their establishment. I always tag the business when I post to give them credit for helping us out during a session and they're always grateful and excited to see your final products.

Well there you go! I hope these tips help when you're planning and preparing to take photos in a crowded space! XOXO, Meghan