This morning I was like, “Let’s find killer spots for my new Chanel Boston bag photos in the city.” Grabbed my camera gear, stuffed the bag itself into my tote, and totally forgot my mini tripod. Classic.
The Struggle Was Real Early On
First stop was Boston Public Garden around 8 AM. Figured the morning light would be soft. Wrong. Trees threw these crazy shadows right onto the bench where I wanted the bag to sit. Tried angling it differently but the background looked messy with too many people walking behind. Got weird looks sitting on the grass fiddling with a fancy bag. Moved near the pond bridge instead. Had to practically lie on my stomach to get a low angle shot with the water and the bag in frame. Felt ridiculous but got one usable shot before a duck got too curious.
Chasing Light and Avoiding Security
Next up was Beacon Street near the Commons. Saw these gorgeous brownstone buildings with bright doors. Perfect contrast for the black bag. Leaned it against a fancy blue door for scale. Looked great in the viewfinder! Clicked twice… then the actual homeowner opened that door. Nice lady, but definitely surprised. Apologized like crazy. She just smiled and said, “No problem, dear, but please… move the purse.” Wasn’t feeling it after that. Wandered down towards Newbury Street. Found a fancy boutique window with cool abstract art reflecting onto the sidewalk. Placed the bag carefully in a clean spot, crouched down… and boom. Security guard tapped my shoulder saying “No commercial photography on the property.” Had to argue that it wasn’t commercial, just me being obsessed with my bag. He wasn’t buying it. Packed up quick.
Finally Hitting the Sweet Spots
Got smarter around lunchtime. Headed to Copley Square Library. Those wide stone steps? Gold. Sat the bag on one step near the top. Framed it with the grand archway entrance behind. Light hit the quilted leather just right. No one bothered me because everyone’s busy taking graduation pics anyway! Felt like a win. Later, grabbed coffee and saw marble tables outside a closed restaurant patio downtown. Seriously good texture background. Just wiped off the table with my sleeve, plonked the bag down for an overhead shot. Simple, clean, looked expensive.
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
My feet were killing me by 3 PM. Should’ve worn better shoes. Boston is full of spots, honestly, but timing and avoiding people is key. Early morning sucks near water because mist messes with light. Brownstone steps? Perfect if you find empty ones – Beacon Hill side streets finally delivered near the end. Use natural frames like doorways or arches. Pretend you own that bag when you pose it – confidence keeps security guards away! Got home, dumped all my gear, scrolled the pics. Library steps and marble tables? Top picks for next time. Public Garden? Only super early or very late. Lesson learned.
