Getting Ready for the Photo Walk

Hi Friends!

Hey Love Designs' first (and hopefully not last!) photowalk is finally here! This Saturday I'll be joining fellow photonerds in Old Town Alexandria walking around town and snapping photos. Do I have an agenda? No. We'll go to where the wind blows us (or where the shiniest thing is), taking photos and chatting along the way. So far the weather looks sunny and 85 degrees, and hopefully we're starting early enough to avoid sticky hot DC swamp humidity.

In the meantime I wanted to share some tips to make this experience enjoyable. While this is my first time hosting a photo walk, I have attended a couple (1 & 2) of group photography adventures to give you some advice.

• First and foremost, wear comfortable shoes. This is a case where comfort trumps fashion. We're going to be on our feet for up to two hours.
• While we're on the topic of attire, I suggest avoiding dress clothes, skirts, and dresses and wearing comfortable, lightweight attire. Who knows, maybe we'll find ourselves wanting to photograph things from the ground (see photo below), crawling into small spaces, etc. The last thing you want is to flash your new friends.
• Sunblock is your friend.
• Stay hydrated! Snacks are a good idea as well.
• Keep your camera gear handy but keep it light. You want your essentials handy (spare battery, spare memory card, etc) but you'll also be carrying these things around and they'll get heavy after some time. A cross body bag is probably the most comfortable and most convenient to grab your extra goodies. If you can limit yourself to just one lens, that will make your load even lighter, but if you must have a second lens then I recommend only one additional lens.

True story: Alicia took a photo of Patrick, Chris, and I getting a cool angle of this Marine at the Navy Memorial. She didn't tell us when she was done so we just laid there in the same pose for several minutes!

• CHARGE YOUR BATTERY(IES)!
• Make sure your memory card has lots of space on it, and bring a spare if you have one.
• Smile! We'll probably take some group shots or heck, if you want a new headshot, we can do that too.
• Since our photo walk will be pretty loose, if you have some must-have things you want to photograph, bring a list. Old Town has beautiful architecture, bright colored doors, beautiful cobblestone roads and sidewalks, to give you an idea.
• If you have a tripod, bring it. If you don't, no need to go out and buy one, or we can share. :)
• Bring some business cards. Not only are we having fun geeking it up together, but you might be making new friends.
• Don't forget to your phone either! Don't have a DSLR? No problem! This outing is for any kind of photographer whether you're a pro or just like to take photos for fun. Plus with apps like Instagram and Snapseed, it's possible to take really outstanding photos on your phone. If you're a point and shoot photographer, you're welcome too! We do not discriminate.
• And lastly, HAVE FUN! We're just here to have a good time, expand our portfolios, or just get more practice with our cameras. Be open to meeting new people, share ideas for snapshots, and just relax.

Do you have any tips to add? Will you be joining us this Saturday? RSVP here! I hope to see you on Saturday for what will be the first of many meet ups.