I had a great time photographing engagement portraits with Krista, Will, and (especially) their adorable white fluffy dog. The location we chose was Bowie, Maryland, a city that holds a special place in Krista’s heart, and mine too, as long-time natives. Bowie is a unique and picturesque place that offers a lot of different options for portrait photography.
Bowie is a city with a rich history and is always undergoing a lot of new development. It has an array of parks, some of which are quite lovely, but also somewhat generic at times. What sets Bowie apart though is the presence of some unique and historic buildings and properties. This makes it a great destination for portraits, especially if you have an attachment to the city. Bowie may not be the ideal location for people who are looking for immediately recognizable settings — DC, Annapolis or Baltimore are much better for that — but in Bowie, parking is never an issue, getting around town is super easy, and there are essentially no permits required anywhere.
For Krista and Will’s session, we wanted to make sure to capture as many of Bowie’s iconic settings as possible before the sun set. We began our session at the Bel Air Mansion — a popular spot among locals. We captured some really charming photos of Krista’s dog, who was dressed in a cute orange knit sweater, on the steps out back next to a hand-written sign that read “My Human’s Are Finally Getting Married.” That dog has exceptional handwriting. Krista’s mother also came along to assist with the dog, who was extremely well-behaved, making our job easier.
After the Bel Air Mansion, we set off to capture some photos at a classic Bowie spot, the Tree Tunnel on Bel Air Drive. The Tunnel was covered in a beautiful array of multi-colored leaves, making for a perfect autumnal backdrop. As the sun began to set, we dashed over to Foxhill Park where an old historic stone bridge spans Woodward Pond, known better to locals as Foxhill Lake. Many of us have fond memories of visiting this bridge as children, feeding the turtles and ducks, and getting into mischief as teenagers.
With the sun setting fast, we parked our car next to the bike path on Faith Lane and walked down toward the water. We took some final shots of Krista and Will as the light faded and walked back to the car.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and memorable day, capturing beautiful and unique shots of Krista, Will, and their beloved dog in the city they call home.
