Good place in Ft. worth for Graduation pictures

[sirsean52]

I'm needing to take some graduation pictures for someone this weekend. Where is a good place to do that in Ft. Worth? I've never done senior pictures so I'm kind've nervous.

[JohnT]

I like downtown. There's the water gardens, the Cultural District, the TCCC campus (formerly Radio Shack campus), and stockyards area if he/she is into that.

[lyncca]

Yep, what he said :)

[sirsean52]

Where is that at? Is it the new radioshack building? (the really nice one)

[ndsimm]

what about the Botanical Gardens? not sure about right now, but Spring Time should be awesome!

[toverman]

What about the graduate's school for starters? Even crummy schools have some columns or whatnot to use.

Haven't been by the RadioShack headquarters in some time, but they used to have gigantic 9-volt batteries out front that could be hilarious.

[lyncca]

I think the important thing is to talk to the senior and see what their interests are. You want the pictures to reflect their personality.

[mike_sax]

These are all great places to shoot. However, you need to be aware that the Botanical Gardens charges an hourly fee for anyone that looks like a professional and the Ft. Worth Water Gardens charges $75/hr for a permit to shoot there. You can sometimes get away with it but there usually is a Parks and Recreation guy down there who will run you off if you don't have a permit.

[lyncca]

Interesting. I've shot in the water gardens a few times and never saw anyone. I asked around on the forums and everyone said there wasn't a fee. I'll have to find out about that.

[mike_sax]

I did a shoot there on a Friday back in July. When I went back to do another one the following Monday I was informed by the Parks & Recreation gentleman that the city requires you to purchase a $75/hr permit inside the Convention Center between the hours of 8am and 5pm for any photography involving the Water Gardens. I said how can this be since it is taxpayer funded and he informed me that even though there are no signs posted that is what the city requires.

[CaptainTom]

This is the cities one and only posting for fees associated with photography.

I think it is not clear and leaves a lot of room for individual judgement.

I also find in ironic that it is cheaper to bring 100 people and have a party there, than to have a photographer and a client.

http://www.fortworthgov.org/pacs/inf....aspx?id=22856

[lyncca]

Yea, that is all I could find too after Mike's post.

I have a friend that is going to do a shoot down there this weekend in bikini, scarf, hat, & furry boots just for fun, so I'm not going to pay the fee cause it certainly isn't a commercial shoot and I'm not getting paid. We are going early, so I doubt we will even see anyone. I didn't a few weeks ago even by noon.

If we get busted, he will just have to tell my bikini clad friend we have to leave!

[CaptainTom]

Many people associate the word commercial with money. Whether or not money crosses palms is not the defining rule.

If I take your picture and put it on my web site it doesn't matter whether you were paid for it or not, it's still a commercial use. But, I'm sure you can talk your way around it. Our point is that you should be prepared to be confronted by the "photo police" and that you aren't surprised.

Hope you get a good shoot, and nobody hassles you. Early is probably a good way to miss the "photo police".

[lyncca]

Agreed. Before taking a paying client down there again I will get a permit, but I'm not going to go out of pocket for something I am doing for fun. In this case, if we have to leave, then we leave. In the case of a real client, that would be a tad bit embarrassing!

[sporkthedork]

Originally Posted by sirsean52

I'm needing to take some graduation pictures for someone this weekend. Where is a good place to do that in Ft. Worth? I've never done senior pictures so I'm kind've nervous.

I had a friend who had her graduation pictures done outside the Amon Carter Museum (along the terraced planters); I don't know what the rules are for shooting there, though.