Senior portraits in historic Lebanon, Ohio

This very busy senior chose to do her senior portraits in historic Lebanon, Ohio. It had been years since I had walked around downtown, so I did a scouting trip and came back excited about all the interesting architectural details that would make interesting backdrops for portraits.

I was also impressed by how friendly the locals were. In an hour-long walk, I obtained a new library card and had conversations with at least three people about photography, their favorite spots in town, and a nearby park where a butterfly release was to take place the next Saturday. They were obviously proud of their charming town, and with good reason. I asked about permits to shoot at the train station and on the train cars, and although no one had me fill out an application, I was directed to talk to this person and that person, who all graciously gave permission by the authority of their first names, but warned me about certain times that I should avoid because of local events. I did not want to be posing my senior in front of hundreds of children eager to ride Thomas the Train.

We had another rescheduling because of rain, so by the time we finally got to do our session, my senior was ready to go, even if it meant wearing a leather jacket in 89 degree weather.

And accessorizing with an adorable goldendoodle fur muff.

Seriously, this little puppy was the cutest thing, but after an hour in the heat, this baby was spent.

While her family took her back to rest, my senior and I pressed on and found more interesting spots. I thought this would be a nice blank canvas for text for a graduation announcement or a party invitation.

How cute is this vintage gas station?

I kept stopping on the way to the trains every time I spotted something that caught my eye. This time, it was a low brick wall with a great curve.

We finally did get to the train station.

I have declined to do train track portraits in the past on the grounds that they encourage trespassing and can put both the model and the train in danger. Many photographers aren’t aware that train tracks are not public property and they shouldn’t be on the tracks without permission. In this case, we did talk to several people both to obtain permission and also to make sure that there would be no active trains during the time frame we planned the shoot.

We grabbed this simple background portrait on the way back to make sure she had something appropriate for the yearbook. I know historically, her school’s yearbook has been fairly flexible about what was allowed, but it is good insurance to have a very traditional head shot just in case the guidelines change. Besides, the simplicity of the portrait shows off her beautiful complexion and eyes better.

My model spotted this metal staircase. I had been lamenting that another one we passed had a prominent sign warning against trespassing, so we steered clear. So she found this one to make up for it.

I’m happy she has a good eye, since historic Lebanon was her idea, and I had a chance to rediscover it from a portrait photography standpoint. Obviously, she is a wonderful model, but she is planning on re-exploring the area from the photographer’s viewpoint for a photography class in a few months. I’m sure she will find a wealth of interesting subjects, just as I did.