Deep Ellum Photo Locations

[Shane]

I have heard several people on the board mention that Deep Ellum has several good locations to shoot portraits and I have seen a few cool backgrounds on some photos here, but here is my question . . . where EXACTLY in Deep Ellum are these locations?

I am not familiar with the area, so some cross streets would be appreciated as I have a shoot this weekend and would like to utilize some of the grafitti covered walls as a backdrop.

Thanks in advance for sharing this info!

[chach]

two spots for some graffiti in deep ellum is the Underground skate and bike shop (2518 elm street, i believe) it's on the edge of deep ellum close to downtown. there is also a parking lot adjacent to the now defunct Trees along elm with heavy graffiti and tagging along the walls. Below is an image taken at the bike ramp outside of Underground. Now non of the graffiti is great in these areas. The murals along the Good Latimer tunnel (which will be filled in with cement soon) are actually nice.

[DallasNikonian]

If you walk up and down Main or Elm there are great photo ops. Friday or Saturday nights are great opportunities for Street Photography as well.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

The main tagger area last week was very poor in what was available-someone painted one whole wall blue which basically left just one wall painted and the work there was not very good. This is where the old Coca Cola Plant was on Elm about 2 blocks east of the 7-11.

You really just need to get out and walk around and see what your eyes catch.

What type of shoot? Fashion? Industrial? or just Portrait?

Your wrong about the parking lot Next to Trees, those have never been tagged. You are thinking about the one mentioned above across the street from Trees. Baylor would never let taggers get away with anything in their lot!

[Shane]

Thanks for the info . . . it is a senior portrait shoot for a co-worker's daughter. I am planning on taking a few in Deep Ellum, the canals at Las Colinas, the lake behind Fellowship Church in Grapevine and a few more in the studio.

[chedemann]

here the view from Elm St. I think looking back to downtown:






go about a 1/2 block west on the left is the largest of the graffie walls.





but like the other said get out and walk around. the best time if you want the place to yourself is early Sunday mornning.

carsten...

[DallasNikonian]

That's exacly where I took the Porsche pic....

[brad]

As others have said, along Elm street is best.. but there are some nice areas along Main as well... (both as you move away from downtown).

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

My best advice would be to think differently of how to do a shoot in Ellum. Try something that is just a bit to the wild side.

Don't just think of the place as a place with graffiti- You can see more graffiti on the rail lines going north of Mockinbird now than you can really find in Ellum at times-but more of a full background. AS you walk down the streets do a full 360 at times and look back the other way/down the side streets for what would look good. Try to capture the scene as an enternainment area.

[Shane]

Thanks for all of the info and advice . . . I will keep my eyes open while I am there Saturday morning to see what comes to me!

[Jehos]

Deep Ellum is really just the 3 parallel streets, Elm, Main, and Commerce. You can scout the area pretty easily just driving up and down, then find a spot to park and walk to the location you wanted. You're only talking about a 3 x 5 block or so area.

[JohnT]

Is it safe down there or is it better to go in pairs or more?

[DallasNikonian]

I've walked down there alone early in the morning. Just be smart, pay attention to your surroundings, it is a downtown area, but overall you should be OK.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by DallasNikonian

I've walked down there alone early in the morning. Just be smart, pay attention to your surroundings, it is a downtown area, but overall you should be OK.

OK. Thanks!

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Only unsafe time that I have found down there is after 2:00 am until sunrise, just have your radar on. Right now the homeless problem is down a bit and also don't leave a lot of equipment setting out visible in the car unless you keep the car in direct line of site.
Also Deep Ellum does include Canton Street but basically the area between the I-45 overheads to Exposition. Now the area known as Exposition Park can have some interesting photo ops also.
http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?ad...w=1&name=&qty= map covers both areas-Exposition Park just being west of the Fair Park gates. Heck there are some great backgrounds in Fair Park, there is that great fountain back behind the Dallas Horticulture Center.
http://www.dallascityhall.com/dallas...ral_guide.html
good map can be found here of Fair Park
http://www.bigtex.com/
BTW they have put back the ice rink into the Coliseum don't know what they charge to get on the ice but may be able to set up some photo ops in there that you couldn't elsewhere in the city.