After my family sessions at the Lincoln Memorial a few weeks ago, I was very excited for this session with the Colgans. Not only are they a wonderful family, but I knew the US Capitol was going to be a stunning backdrop. The color of the building is a light and airy photographer’s dream. The architecture adds visual interest to the photos. And there’s just something special about shooting at an iconic and historic place. I had high hopes for my first time doing US Capitol family photos and it did not disappoint!

Family Photos at the US Capitol

As with the Lincoln Memorial shoots, I recommended that we meet in the morning. Not only was the light going to be best then (rising over the Capitol), but the crowds were going to be minimal. There were plenty of walkers and runners out and about, but we didn’t have to worry about large groups of people in the background of our photos.

There was one downside that morning though… the temperature! Kim was super on top of it and had their outfits planned out well in advance, only to learn that they needed warmer clothes in the days leading up to their session. The sweaters and jacket she found worked out perfectly though and Everett was such a trooper through the whole thing. He may have been chilly, but he still gave me lots of smiles!

The biggest challenge of the morning was arriving to find the front of the Capitol covered in scaffolding. I certainly didn’t want to draw attention to that in the photos, so I knew I needed to get a bit creative. I intentionally composed the photos so that someone or something was covering the scaffolding. In some pictures it was a big tree that hadn’t lost its leaves yet. In others it was a railing covering most of the building so that only the dome was visible. All in all, I’m really proud of how I was able to handle this challenge and am thrilled with the final photos!

I’m so thankful that Kim and Tyler trusted me to document their family at such an iconic location. If you’re interested in US Capitol family photos as well, please reach out to me. I’d love to capture your family memories there too!

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