Fort Zachary Taylor Maternity Session
Destination Portrait Session - Key West, FL
The picturesque Fort Zachary Taylor State Park was the setting for Rachel and Dustin's maternity session. I always like to make images of real people in new places when I travel. So when the opportunity to go down to Key West, FL, arose, I sent out an all-call for people to come to stand in front of my camera. Newly-weds Rachel and Dustin were among the few that answered, and I had the great opportunity to photograph their growing family.
The tiny island of Key West is filled with so many incredible locations to photograph in. from the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum located in the heart of the island to the Audubon House and Tropical Gardens, you would not be hard-pressed to find a place to make some spectacular images for whatever occasion you might be celebrating.
I did a little research and chose Fort Zachary Taylor park for many reasons. Here are the main ones:
Easy to get to
Plentiful parking
Backdrop Variety
Ocean Breezes
One of a kind sunset
Easy to get to
Seeing that I was coming from out of town and definitely not a local, I wanted a location that would be easy to get to for the couple and me. While it's always nice to have a set of secret spots in your back pocket as a photographer for your sessions, all bets are off when you go for a destination session. You have to find a great location that you can quickly get to and make fantastic images. Ft. Zachary Taylor park was it for me!
Plentiful Parking
There's nothing worse than heading for a session and then spending 30 minutes of your life driving around in circles to find a place to park your car. As a resident New Englander who conducts many a session in Providence, Boston, and other city areas, the obligatory hunt for a parking space is the bane of my existence. One of the things that I read about Key West is that there is very little parking on the island, especially when you get into the old town (where the park is located). There's such little parking that the hotel I stayed at offered a complimentary and frequent shuttle into old town so folks wouldn't have to worry about their cars. Since I had camera equipment, I needed a vehicle, so the PAID parking lot of Fort Zachary was a god-send for me! It cost all of $5. Chump change, my friend! CHUMP CHANGE! I happily paid the fee.
“Pro Tip - When you go to the park, pay at the gate with the attendant and not the fee collection machines that you see. ”
Backdrop Variety
One of my favorite things about photographing portrait sessions is to surprise my clients with a myriad of images with incredible backdrops without moving to another location.
Ocean Breezes
As an individual, being immersed in nature's elements settles me. I love sitting in front of a roaring fire, listening to the wind blowing in the trees when I'm in the mountain. I love sunning on my deck in the summer and watching the ocean lap back and forth on the beach. The ocean breeze combines 4 of these elements for me, and I am at my most creative. Being by the Ocean in Florida is an additional bonus because Florida is HOT! Like, the sun is right next to your face hot! So being located right at the southernmost point of the main island was a draw for me because nothing came between me and the Atlantic Ocean air.
One of a kind sunsets
See the picture below. Nothing else to say.
I look forward to going back to Key West and checking out another location to photograph. If you’re in market for a photographer, give me a call. Let’s find another glorious spot to check out!
