down and enjoy the day make any of these an excellent place to
enjoy a photoshoot. Th ere’s even a chance you could hear the sound
of a passing train rumbling by as you smile into the camera.
Warehouse District of Downtown Raleigh, Area bordered by
Morgan Street and Western Boulevard: If you are looking for more
of a cityscape, you may be interested in scoping out the Warehouse
District in downtown Raleigh. Lined with train tracks, the six-block
area of red-brick former industrial buildings has a young heart and
an artistic vibe. It won’t take long to fi nd places to strike a pose.
HISTORICAL SPOTS
Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 N. Main Street, Wake Forest:
Th e historic two-story Greek Revival Calvin Jones House that
today hosts the Museum and features the history of Wake Forest
provides a lovely backdrop. In addition, you will fi nd the restored
Old Well and gardens and grounds that are as pretty as a picture.
Southeastern Baptist Th eological Seminary, 100 N. Wingate
Street, Wake Forest: Th e buildings rendered in Classical, Georgian,
and Colonial Revival styles; perfectly manicured lawns; old
large trees; brick pathways; and a winding wall made of old stone
pavers create the perfect photo opportunity at every turn.
North Carolina State Capitol, 1 East Edenton Street, Raleigh:
Th e Greek Revival architecture of the Capitol Building in downtown
Raleigh may be the ideal location for your pictures during
this election year – and that’s not up for debate!
TIPS OF THE TRADE
When it comes to great locations, capturing the beauty of your setting
is vital. Now that most people have mobile devices that can take
amazing photos, here are some tips to make them even better.
– Photograph during the “golden hour” for best lighting. Th e golden
hour actually consists of two hours during the day. For ideal light-
ing, take pictures immediately aft er sunrise or within the hour be-
fore sunset when the sun is low and the daylight is redder and
soft er than other times of the day. In addition to the ideal color,
the low angle of the sun casts long shadows and can show de-
tails that may otherwise be lost during another part of the day.
– While the golden hour is the best time to take pictures, you can
also manually set your exposure as well. You can access this on
an iPhone by tapping on the screen to make the lens refocus,
then you will see a small sun icon and a vertical scale. You can
use this scale to adjust the light. You can fi nd manual mode in
most Android settings or you can download an app such as Adobe
Lightroom that will allow you to do this.
– Th e “rule of thirds” will help determine the points of interest in
the composition. It uses three imaginary lines placed evenly in
both horizontal and vertical directions across the picture. You can
fi nd this grid pattern tool on your phone in your settings listed as
“grid” or “grid lines.” Putting the horizon line in the center of the
picture will not give you as pleasing of an image as putting it on
the lower grid line or the upper grid line. Th is can be useful verti-
cally as well for a composition that includes the edge of a building,
for example. Instead of placing that strong vertical image in the
center, place it along one of the outer grid lines.
– Don’t zoom! Instead of zooming in on those amazing pearly
whites, physically move the camera forward. Th is will keep you
from compromising quality.
– Be sure to cleanse your lens if your photos appear blurry.
Robyn Goss-Bennai is a local writer and can be reached at
robyngossbennai@gmail.com.
Photo of E. Carroll Joyner Park courtesy of George Randy Bass
(georgerandybass.com).
CIRCA Magazine | October • November • December 2020 | www.circamagazine.com 33
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