Top 5 Portrait Spots at Boston University

Finding the perfect spot to shoot portraits in Boston is definitely one of my favorite activities. The location scoping incorporates my love for exploring new destinations. Generally, I look for places that offer beautiful depth of field, soft colors, nuanced details, and gentle lighting. You'll notice that a lot of my portraits are balanced in color and lighting as a result. There is no one more giddy than me on a cloudy day because of the way it makes skin tones pop while creating rich, velvety tones.

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As a BU student (Go terriers!), I have grown accustomed to taking photos around BU. The campus offers a little bit of everything that is inherently Boston. For example, it has the beautiful brick brownstones, the iconic CITGO sign, Charles River, the Esplanade, and everyone's favorite highway, I-90. All are great backdrops for some top-notch portraits. Of all the places on campus, I have compiled my favorite top picks below:

"Hojo" - 595 Commonwealth Avenue

Here is where my favorite Citgo sign portrait was taken as well as other portraits that included a white wall that had perpendicular pieces jutting out. This is a student dorm that the students affectionately call "HoJo," taking its name from the old Howard Johnson hotel that used to be in its place. The front of the building doesn't lend much but if you go to the back of the building, you'll see that there is a small elevated parking lot. If the photographer stands at the bottom and the model stands at the top, you can get some cool perspective shots. Conversely, you can both be in the elevated portion and utilize the white walls of HoJo to your advantage.

"Tsai Performance Center" - 685 Commonwealth Avenue

The giant gold doors and wide cascading steps make Tsai Performance Center a jewel in itself. By having the subject stand at the top center of the stairs and the photographer standing at the bottom, you can really get all three doors in the shot while achieving that perfect symmetry of your hopes and dreams. Step inside Tsai and you'll find a large atrium that leads to the performance center's doors. You'll also see steps on both sides of the atrium. I've found that by going up the steps on the left and shooting the atrium area as a background lends itself very well as seen in the second photo.

Hours: Open on weekdays and weekends. All floors are accessible.

(Photo of me by Greg Waldmann)

"COM Lawn" - 640 Commonwealth Avenue

Summer shooting here is a must! The pink and purple flower trees bloom and the criss-cross sidewalks create great leading lines. There is also some rock statues that may be good for some seated shots.

School of Law - 765 Commonwealth Avenue

For some great indoor and outdoor shots, the School of Law is awesome. It's just been renovated so the interior is brand new with tall walls of glass. There is a glass stairwell and a big lobby inside that makes for some good headshot worthy shots. The outside exterior glass is great for those non-descript neutral background shots and the cement overhang takes away the harsh light.

Hours: Open on weekdays and weekends. Top floors are restricted on weekends.

"Row of pine trees" - 1839 Bay State Road

I wasn't sure how to describe this place because it doesn't have a name, but I ALWAYS go here. BU planted a long row of pine trees right behind the Law School and it's great for some nature-esque shots. The pine needles can be tricky and you'll have to work with their placement, but the bokeh from the pine needles are superb. The past few times I shot here, I got some amused looks from pedestrians as the model and I were trying to navigate the pine trees while escaping from being poked in the eye. Bonus: Come here in the winter and you get snow covered pine trees!

Here's a map of the spots mentioned above:

Cheers!

Icy

#Places