While most of Ellie’s NYC senior pictures were thoroughly planned, her Senior Pictures at the W Hotel were not. I’ve always loved staying at W Hotels when I travel. I’m a Marriott lifetime loyal member because of the W Hotel. The W belonged to SPG, but was later acquired by Marriott. Yes, they bought my loyalty. Anyway, the W Hotel has always been my jam and I’ve stayed at the W Hotel in Times Square tons of times.
Every time I stay at the W Hotel NYC, it’s redesigned. You might remember when I shot Lindsey Stavely’s bridal portraits in NYC and we shot at the W Hotel. When Ellie and I checked in and I saw how unique it looked, I knew we would use it for some of her senior portraits in NYC.
![Senior Pictures at the W Hotel in NYC Times Square](https://i0.wp.com/benfieldphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ellie-benfield-senior-pictures-0052-1024x683.jpg?resize=960%2C640)
I needed to bring my own lighting to photograph her senior pictures at the W Hotel. After all, it’s super dark in all the common spaces 24 hours a day. I love the photo above and the one directly below because they look like natural lighting. That’s one of the great little tricks I can do anytime, anywhere with my portable studio.
![](https://i0.wp.com/benfieldphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ellie-benfield-senior-pictures-0312-1024x683.jpg?resize=960%2C640)
![](https://i0.wp.com/benfieldphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ellie-benfield-senior-pictures-0313-683x1024.jpg)
![Senior Pictures at the W Hotel in NYC Times Square](https://i0.wp.com/benfieldphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ellie-benfield-senior-pictures-0053-683x1024.jpg)
The shot below is one of my super favorites because of its simplicity in lighting, ambiance, and composition… but mostly because of Ellie’s pose. I should say that in 75 percent of her senior pictures, Ellie poses herself. I’ll put her where I need in terms of composition and set the lighting, and then she does the rest. She really is a rockstar.
![Senior Pictures at the W Hotel in NYC Times Square](https://i0.wp.com/benfieldphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ellie-benfield-senior-pictures-0048-683x1024.jpg?resize=683%2C1024)
Talk to you soon,
Dale
Looking for more of Ellie’s Senior Pictures?
Ellie’s Senior Pictures in a Bookstore
NYC Senior Photos in the Hudson River
Ellie’s Senior Pictures at NYU
Senior pictures in a record store
Ellie’s Senior pictures at the Museum of Ice Cream
Senior pictures in a subway station
Read the Comments +