As a small-town portrait studio, I love the comfort and control of working in my studio. But when a customer has a special location in mind, I'm willing to travel. One location that I've come to appreciate is Grand Falls in Joplin.(Locals just call it “the Falls”)

Some Benefits of THE Falls

Neutral Rock Colors: My favorite feature of the Falls is the neutral color of the rocks. Unlike common photography location choices of grassy fields or parks where green light can reflect from the grass/trees into eye sockets and necks, causing ghoulish color casts- the neutral rocks at the Falls avoid this issue entirely! As a bonus, the muted color helps make skin colors look vibrant and healthy against it. I personally love warm, glowing skin and I’ve noticed that brightly saturated colors make other colors around it seem dull in comparison. Whereas- muted colors seem to make other colors seem vibrant. So if you want to surround your skin with muted colors and you don’t want to be in the studio, the Falls are a good choice.

Aesthetic Appeal: A finished wall portrait with mostly neutral scenery is a timeless addition to any home. The natural, calming tones of the rocks blend well with how most people in the Ozarks currently decorate their homes.

NOW… FOR The Challenges of Shoal Creek Falls

Windy Conditions: If you’re not a fan of the windblown hair look, this might not be the ideal location for your shoot! It’s always windy when I go. Maybe it’s just the times I’ve chosen…? I personally love a windblown look because I like a sense of movement in pictures, but I’ve noticed the majority of my clients don’t love it when they see their pictures. Specifically- moms don’t like it on themselves. The don’t even notice it on their children, and sometimes even love it without knowing why the love it… but they will use wind-blown hair as an excuse to not purchase an image of themselves. Funny how they see their kids through the lens of love, but focus on fault-finding with themselves… but that’s another potential blog post! 🤪 😵‍💫

Difficult Access: Another consideration is the accessibility of the Falls. The path down to the water can be challenging to navigate. If you have mobility or balance issues, or if you're planning a shoot with a young toddler, I wouldn't recommend this location. The risk of tripping or falling is significant.

What do you think about Grand Falls? Do you have tea to spill about your experience being photographed there? Email me so I can share with clients considering this location! And enjoy this family of three, photographed early November, enjoying a sunny morning at Shoal Creek.