Gritty urban textures are one of my favorite backgrounds to use in senior portraits. The contrast between the subject and the background helps make the subject stand out. So, that yucky wall might not normally catch your eyes, but I’m searching around for them all the time. Downtown Astoria is great because the ability to use a gritty wall with color and texture for a close up portrait and also the ability to shoot wide and show the awesome town.

Something to think about when picking a location is how it works with your outfits. Dark outfits won’t stand out as much as light ones on a dark background. Reverse it for lighter outfits. Blue will blend with the sky (assuming it’s not cloudy – so maybe ignore this one). Tans blend with the sand. Look at the example photos or gritty urban walls. Do your outfits blend in? Probably not. Lighter colors work, darker colors work, and colors work.

When planning a session, if you wonder what location might be best for your outfits, share your outfit choices with me. The goal is always to make the photos about you, and using a background that helps make you stand out is a good way to make that happen.