Popular Engagement Photo Spot In Downtown Dayton

Potential clients often ask me what my favorite location to photograph couples is. For years, it has been the Oregon District which is Fifth Street just east of Patterson Boulevard in downtown Dayton, Ohio. This newly engaged couple decided to use this uniquely Dayton location, a popular engagement photo spot in downtown Dayton, Ohio. As we started the session, we got a pleasant surprise from the owner of the Oregon Express bar and restaurant.

I had just set my studio lights outside when he asked if we would like to use the balcony to photograph with the City of Dayton in the background. One of my photographer tricks I use is to shoot low and shoot high to get different perspectives than most people. So of course, we took him up on the offer. After squeezing through a tiny stairwell, we exited onto the balcony.

Using Downtown Dayton As A Background

I have used downtown as a background hundreds of times, but the angle from the second floor was awesome. Instead of partially being blocked bo the active railroad bridge, downtown was there in all of its Gem City glory. The bridge acted as the lower frame of the city instead of intersecting it. The only thing that could have made the photos up there better was if a train was going by.

Once back on the street, we worked our way through the streets and past historic houses and buildings, ending up at the park just two blocks south of Fifth Street. This isn’t my favorite park due to utility lines and cars all around, but I can squeak out some good photos before moving on. The bride to be, wearing a perfect maroon sleeveless shirt, jokingly said she wanted photos on the Tyrannosaurus Rec Center, a piece of playground equipment, I obliged, and you can see the resulting T-Rec Center engagement photo below.

We spent the next 45 minutes capturing photos of the personalities and love. When we left, I felt they were much more comfortable than when we first started. Not many people like to have their photos taken, especially when it is one photographed and themselves. One of the reasons I like people to take engagement photos is to understand how I work and to become comfortable with the process. Check out more of my engagement session portfolio.

Other Oregon District Blog Posts

Dayton Ohio Senior Photos Photographer Oregon District

A Soaking Wet Dayton Engagement Session In The Fountains

A Downtown Dayton Engagement Session At 2 Iconic Engagement Locations

Eastwood MetroPark Dayton Marriage Proposal Photography

Engagement Photography In Downtown Dayton’s Historic District