Photography has given me so many wonderful opportunities – from shooting OU football games to my best friends proposals – but some of the opportunities I hold most dear are when I get to reconnect with OU Theta sisters like Madison! She had emailed me about a week or two ago hopeful that I would be in Tulsa for a session soon. At the time, I didn’t have any firm plans, but a few things fell into place and I found myself on a day trip up to the city this past weekend! It was the perfect excuse to spend a few hours with two of my best friends before meeting up with Madison downtown for headshots! She is easy-going, creative, and so sweet to be around – I was bummed we didn’t have more time to catch up and chat!

I haven’t had very many sessions in Tulsa, so this was a great chance to shoot in a new place downtown! There are a few tips I have picked up throughout the past 8 years of photography when shooting in an unfamiliar location, and I put them into practice for this shoot in downtown Tulsa!

1. If possible, scout beforehand. I have done this with almost every new location I shoot – doing a quick walk-around (not just a drive by!) is helpful when picking angles, backgrounds, good light, and trying to pinpoint distractions!
2. Pick locations that lend to variety. One of my biggest priorities on a shoot is finding a spot that has several options for backgrounds, or several photogenic areas nearby (this is a HUGE priority for me when I am strategically picking locations on OU’s campus for seniors.) I want to make the most of my time with a client – walking/traveling less, shooting more!
3. Ask for suggestions! Madison and I chatted about how she wanted Tulsa skyline photos. We couldn’t quite pinpoint the perfect spot for these that wasn’t too far away from the view, but we still got a few at the top of a parking garage and then some from the street too! I love how the street photos turned out! I may be a country girl at heart, but I LOVE a good crosswalk city shot!