downtown dayton is a photographer's dream
Yeah, you heard me right. I know not many people would think "Dayton Ohio" when asked to think of the best locations for an urban portrait session. Now, let me enlighten you as to why they absolutely should.
Dayton Ohio was a bustling city, once upon a time. The first half of the 20th century saw Dayton as a wealthy industrial hub of the Midwest. As any native will remind you, it was the birthplace and workshop location for the Wright Brothers. It also boasts architectural gems spanning a multitude of architectural styles - from art deco to prairie to neo-classical and far beyond. The fact that post-2008 Dayton is a bit sleepy (okay, maybe more than a bit) is actually the number one reason it makes a fantastic photoshoot backdrop.
The typical battle for the most scenic spaces in an urban setting are easily overcome in Dayton. Apart from a few trendy locations (like the Oregon District), downtown Dayton promises any photographer a multitude of inspiring urban vistas with minimum interruption.
This weekend I had a blast shooting two super fun young men as we tested my "Dayton is an awesome urban photo location" hypothesis.
