Sometimes the crowd is part of the allure of the location you’ve chosen, like if you choose a big city. Other times, being in a crowded place isn’t what you had in mind for your photos. For a proposal, this can mean applause that you didn’t anticipate or unsolicited comments about getting married. Even if it’s not a proposal, you might not want all eyes on you while you’re PDAing, or you might not want randos in the photos hanging on your wall. I can edit people out to an extent, but if you want to show off the landscape without worrying about other people in your photos, there are easier options. Here are my suggestions for not having a lot of people around for your photos:
Consider having your session in the winter. Some times of year, like spring break and summer break, tend to attract visitors, but people tend to stay inside in the winter. I’ve had a few winter sessions at lakes that are normally popular, but were almost empty in the winter. The photo below was taken in the winter at a normally popular place, but we didn’t see anyone the whole time we were there.
2. Consider reserving the location. In the photo below, not only did the reservation ensure that nobody else would reserve that time, it also ensured that nobody else would be there except us. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen it empty, and I’ve definitely seen it crowded!
3. Find the less popular places. Take a few photos in the iconic spots and then find a less popular spot. This photo was taken in Central Park on the 4th of July! The Strawberry Fields memorial, however, had tons of people around it, so we just kept walking.
4. Consider going closer to sunrise. Fewer people tend to be awake and out of the house at that point. The photo below was taken on a Saturday as soon as the park opened. We had the whole overlook to ourselves for a while!
5. Consider a lesser-known place. For example, there are tons of people in downtown Greenville who want to stop and look at the Reedy River Falls. You could go to a smaller park downtown, like Rock Quarry Garden or Cancer Survivors Park, or even in the woods that face the Reedy River Falls.
6. Check the calendar or the venue’s schedule for events that might draw people there to take photos. For example, places like Falls Park and the Botanical Gardens will attract prom couples on Saturdays in the spring, downtown Greenville will be crowded on the weekend of Fall for Greenville, and Pretty Place will be crowded on Easter weekend. There are also common times when people are off from work or school, like the weekend of Memorial Day or Thanksgiving.
7. Use tight shots and creative angles to crop people out. For the photo below, this was the best angle for getting the cross in the photo with the least amount of people possible to edit out. I edited a few people out, but with this angle, I completely avoided the other people in the pews.
8. Consider a weekday, when fewer people are going out. This session was in downtown Greenville on a Monday, and it was a lot less crowded than when we came on Saturday to pick a spot.
9. Allocate more time. If it’s a popular place to take photos, you can wait your turn with other people without asking people to move.
Photo by Shehzad Ziaee
My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 47 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.
One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.
I can’t wait to meet you!
