Newsletter #02 is here! Happy to have you here as the summer starts winding down.
Everyone is always wanting to have the quintessential mountain backdrop for their engagement sessions, but we often all go to the same spots nearby. What if there were a few gems that aren’t too much further out of the way? 😉 All three of these locations are 30 minutes or less from Chattanooga - just over the Georgia state line!

Let me know what you think of these! ☺️
- Sydnee

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Honestly, this spot was magical when the sunset. It was pretty busy, but there is still plenty of space to shoot in. Since it’s right next door to the Flight Park, you’ll even see the hang gliders flying through the air to the valley below as well as some smaller planes too. It is just gorgeous and worth a shot to drive out to!

Cost: Free! No permits required.
Commute: ~20 minutes from downtown Chattanooga
Accessibility: Easy to pull of the road to park at and if your client is handicap, you can just stay on the flat space before it gets rocky.
Features: Rocky face overlooking the valley, mountain views.
Great for maternity portraits, lifestyle portraits, and couples shoots.
Other things to know: The busyness of this spot can vary - so be prepared for unpredictable traffic. It’s on a normal road on Lookout Mountain, so be aware of residents driving by. Really unique spot with incredible views if the sun sets just right!

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High Point Farms is a wedding venue just 15 minutes south of St. Elmo - right down Highway 193. High Point is kind of a photographer’s dream….with an open field and mountain views, a barn, farm animals, a greenhouse, and garden spaces, there is so much to explore here with your subjects.

Cost: $40 Per Hour | Schedule directly with the venue | 423-280-3238
Commute: ~17 minutes from downtown Chattanooga
Accessibility: Not the most conducive venue for those who may be handicapped or have trouble moving across uneven grounds or mud, etc. but consider boots or stay in one space!
Features: As mentioned above, there’s an actual barn to explore, a small & charming greenhouse, animals all around and open fields with mountain views.
Great for families, senior portraits, engagements and more.
Other things to know: Keep bug spray handy but otherwise, there’s plenty of quiet spots around the park to shoot in!

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Located just 25 minutes from Chattanooga, Cloudland Canyon is perfect for those who love the outdoors and photographers who want variety for their shoots. With a ton of overlooks to explore, Cloudland is truly such a beautiful location to shoot at. Best suited for those who can hike up and down hills, staircases, and rocky areas.

Cost: $5 per vehicle — entry to the state park
Commute: ~45 minutes from downtown Chattanooga - You can go through St. Elmo and head south on 193 for most of the route! Super easy to get to.
Accessibility: This is definitely a hiking trail based location, so make sure that all participants are equipped with the proper shoes.
Features: Wooden bridges, shallow creeks, forested hiking trails, waterfalls, and scenic overlooks.
Great for families, couples shoots and creative portraits.
Other things to know: Make sure to check the weather before heading up there, as it can be unpredictable sometimes and there isn’t much shelter nearby. Bring a rain jacket for random storms just to be safe!

In the next newsletter, I’ll be shedding some light on three freelance drone photographers in Chattanooga to have in your back pocket. They’re hard to find! And great to have in a jiffy for a variety of photoshoots. 📸 Stay tuned for the next edition!

HACK OF THE MONTH 🤓 : Use ChatGPT to generate Lightroom preset recipes!
Looking for a specific feel for your photos but don’t want to pay a premium + customize to your liking? Use ChatGPT (or similar programs) to help you with a starting point. Simply give a prompt like “I want Lightroom adjustments to create a 1970s vintage feel for my images.” and see what it gives you! It should create a list of specific adjustments to make in Lightroom - which you can always tweak to your liking.

Here’s an article about it from FStoppers

Interested in submitting your images for me to feature in the newsletter?
It’s a win-win! For upcoming newsletters, I’ll be featuring local photographers' work for each location - meaning you’ll get free exposure to all of the audience subscribed. Credit will be given under your image and readers will be able to click to visit your website!