Charleston's Unlimited Options
Charleston has an unlimited number of locations for beautiful portraits. With year round beautiful weather, rest assured, you will find a place for your photo shoot. When I moved to the Lowcountry from Wisconsin, I was overwhelmed with where to start. I did what I always do, go to various Facebook groups and Googled to find where I should set up sessions. People gave great advice, so I hope this view is helpful for photographer and hobbyists.
Hampton Park
Before I moved to Charleston, I was very excited to create at Hampton park. A favorite of locals and visitors and for all the charming reasons. The azaleas bloom in the spring, and the golden hue is strong all year round at golden hour. If you are looking for greenery, the oaks, sea moss and magnolia trees will fill your cup.
There is free parking available at the actual park, but sometimes there are events and it can be blocked off. So I usually park on a side street unless I am carrying a lot of props.
Folly Beach
Folly Beach is a fantastic location for those craving a laid back beach vibe.
I love the far end of Folly Beach, specifically at the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve. You get the famous Morris Island lighthouse and beached driftwood. The colors of the sunset are unreal and it is obvious why people love it.
You can put Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve in your GPS and this will take you to the end of Folly Beach. You can pay to park at the beach access or find a spot at the side of the street. Keep in mind it takes about 10 minutes to walk to the beach from where the road ends, so be prepared with proper footwear.
If you're lucky, you might see dolphins especially after sunrise or at sunset. It's always a treat!
Downtown Charleston
I could write a whole blog about Charleston's downtown locations. For now, I'll keep it short and sweet.
White Point Gardens, located at the tip of the Charleston peninsula has the moody trees the gazebo of your dreams. it has plenty of options to play around and pose clients.
You can't go wrong with a cobble street, unless your clients are wearing heels, then maybe skip them. My favorite streets for shoots are Church, Broad, Meeting and Philadelphia Alley.
My style leans on moody but the many pastel colored buildings can be a great backdrop for portraits. With clients that don't mind exploring, you can find a lot of fun locations within minutes of walking.
For parking, I pick a ramp that is closest to a start of the photo shoot. With a shoot only lasting a couple hours, parking prices are under $10. I always pick a ramp versus the flat parking lots, as those seems to be more per hour.
Coming up
I have a new location that I will be sharing soon!
