Downtown Harrisburg is one of my favorite engagement session locations for couples. Many think most areas are slightly overused (like the Capitol Building, Walking Bridge, and Front Street Park), myself included. The key to using great locations like downtown is to find some off the beaten path settings and in areas where the parking fee doesn’t rival the cost of college tuition;-).
Nicole & Brian opted to start their session at the Harrisburg Train Station. Originally built in 1887 and remodeled in 1986, the station features wide open natural light windows and a long waiting interior of wooden benches. 
Although not captured during this session, with permission granted, management tends to allow a few outdoor captures on the platform areas when not populated (get your sweet talk on because not everyone gives the ‘Ok’). Next we went for a walk around third street, court and walnut for some neat detailed stops along the way. My personal fave from the session was a stoop we found near The Plum for a cool, urban feel.
Lauren & Ryan, to be married on 7-11-15, opted for a unique engagement experience, starting at 7-11 for some Slurpee and images to commemorate their upcoming wedding day. Downtown, we opted to capture images near the Broad Street market, another historic building rocking out since the mid 1800’s. 
I like to travel a few blocks around the starting area, so we hit up the Mid Town book store, Broad Street and another alley leading to a vacant bank drive through area. One of my favorites, aside from the Mid Town images, was a neat art/pottery store that had stunning colors in their window.
Tips for Downtown-
*Avoid 4-5:30pm if you want to get anywhere around the city.
*Aim to start your session about an hour and a half before sunset time. Building shadow will alter the normal hour before sunset start.
*Go off the beaten path, safely. Harrisburg is a quilt of great neighborhoods meshed with the… well… meh ones. Stick to populated areas with lots of shops and restaurants.
*Shy away from a change of outfit downtown. There are few great places to make a quick change and the less baggage to carry (and set down) the better.
Melissa McClain Photography 
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