When I set out to create this portrait park, I had a lot of different ideas and inspiration. But the one thread of thought I’ve had all along was to create an environment where I could “layer” my images. I wanted multiple spaces that gave me options to use foreground and background with my subjects in many different ways, depending on the subject, their clothing, props, etc.
Yes, the spaces change yearly, seasonally, and when I decide to build something new. But the consistent thought has always been, how will it look, or could it look, in a photograph. None of it looks like a manicured garden in “real life”. It is real, but I’m not looking for an area that looks great, I’m looking for an area that will make OTHERS look great.
The Portrait Park changes all the time too…
Take the above garden space, for example. The large photo above was taken there just recently. I moved the big arbor over from an area where it had been flourishing with a beautiful flowering vine, to this area just last year. It looked a little out of place here for a while, but I’ve been waiting for the plants to grow more, and for the right inspiration to hit. The former arbor location didn’t work with too dark of a background, so I had to let that large flowering plant go…sad…
But this new location gives me more options for a light and airy background. And light and airy is a very popular look. So the arbor is positioned in such a way that the open field is in the far background, and I’ve layered some tall grasses and other flowering shrubs in the more immediate background.
Fighting nature…and cute forest animals all the time
I “fight” nature in many ways – the deer are driving me nuts having eaten plants that should have big beautiful flowers on them now, but then I discovered they don’t eat the Butterfly Bushes! So now the new butterfly bushes are thriving, and with the clematis on the other trellis, it layered nicely with the field behind it all. Win win, if I get color and beautiful light with a non distracting background all in one scene.
Foreground…butterfly bushes and muhly grasses. Background, field with setting sunlight…subject, well, beautiful.
The Portrait Park is alive…so we keep it fresh
This Portrait Park is an ongoing venture. There will always be something to move, repaint, add, tweak, or improve. I love that part of it too. But the main goal of this area remains – a beautiful location for photos, private and without concern for onlookers or photo bombers.
We’ve created the portrait park as the place to go for senior photos in Northern Virginia – it’s all conveniently located in one location in western Loudoun making it the most popular location for senior pictures in all of Loudoun and Fairfax County. We draw clients from all over Northern Virginia and further as clients have come from as far as Dubai for their senior portraits here.
When will you list the Portrait Park?
It really is all designed for photos.
Please visit my full website portfolio HERE to see more images from the Portrait Park
Check out this YouTube video to see more of the Portrait Park –
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