Maternity Session Location Planning
I believe the best locations are often found through word of mouth. Charleston and its surrounding areas provide many beautiful spots, which can be overwhelming to choose from. For an upcoming maternity session, I wanted to find a new location I have not used before. The client requested that there be trees, which is music to my ears. I had a list of places to check out, including James Island, Colonial Dorchester, and Laurel Hill Park, to name a few. But I was fortunate that someone recommended a park I had not seen highlighted before: Serenity Park in Hollywood.
Location Scouting
I've always loved park locations for photo shoots, especially back in Wisconsin. The seasons and colors in South Carolina are so different, it often feels like I'm on another planet. But put me near trees and grass, and I’m a very happy photographer.
Whenever I do a photo session at a new location, my first step is always to visit the site beforehand. I could never just show up on the day of the shoot without seeing the location first. I prefer to scout it, ideally around the time of day when the session will take place. This helps with planning for lighting and envisioning how the session will unfold.
Serenity Park
When scouting Serenity Park, I was impressed by the beauty of the place in person. Google searches never do nature justice! The park is home to many grand oaks, greenery, the Stone River with a dock. The golden hour sun delivered perfect light for the maternity session in late November. The park is free to the public, with hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (May–September) and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (October–April).
All of these images in this post are from the beautiful maternity session, and I hope you love them as much as I do.
Coming up
What I started with in my photography business
