Nothing says DC like the National Mall! With a variety of impressive monuments as well as peaceful water backdrops, expansive green spaces, and gardens full of flowers, the National Mall has a little something for everyone. It also looks great year-round!

Please note that I charge an extra $50 to help cover the cost of photo permits for any sessions that take place on National Parks Service grounds.

The covered marble archways outside the main entrance to Union Station is a gorgeous setting for portraits that works in all weather! As a bonus, the plaza immediately across from it has a view of the capital dome!

Old Town Alexandria, near the waterfront, is the perfect place for portraits of any kind. With so many beautiful backdrops within a few blocks of each other, it makes the ideal location for senior portraits or engagement shoots because it offers a wide variety of posing and printing options! Bonus - there are no permit fees!

Another gorgeous area of Old Town that offers several different types of backdrops within a few short minute's walk of each other! Here you have views of the Potomac and Woodrow Wilson Bridge, plus flowering gardens, brick steps and rocks to pose on, and the super cool Wilkes Street Tunnel. This is also a great location for families with small children because there is a lovely playground at Windmill Hill Park!

This park in Alexandria is directly under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. If you're wanting a rustic look, there are gravel trails through the woods, little coves where you can get down right by the water of the Potomac, a gorgeous old white Lighthouse. If you want a dynamic, urban look you can also pose on the concrete right below the highway!

This gorgeous public garden in Arlington is the perfect setting for family portraits. It's laid out like a maze with pathways and a few trellised archways winding through beds of multicolored roses. On the north side, there is also an area with tall hedges of other types of vibrant colors. Best of all - there is no permit required for this location!

This beautiful park has gorgeously cultivated flower gardens and green lawns at the front of the property, and a more rugged area at the back with tree-lined paths, logs, a rocky creek bed, bridges, gazebos, and ponds!

This public park in Lorton, VA is the perfect location outside the busy beltway and is fairly secluded. There is a 5-minute walk on gravel trails to reach the bridge.

This green open space has tall grasses, wooden horse fences, large grey rocks, and a cute little garden to pose with.

This large public park on the Virginia side is a great choice for those looking for a rustic backdrop. The best fall color here is typically around Halloween!

There are a number of beautiful backdrops for portraits around the Hidden Pond Nature Center in West Springfield, VA. This is very close to my home so I am always game for a photoshoot here! 

The boardwalks over this pretty pond in Chantilly is a great location for family portraits, especially for those located on the Northwest side of the National Capital Region.