Downtown Courtyard near Mandarin Oriental, Doha

This image of the Downtown Courtyard was taken near the Mandarin Oriental, Doha. First, enter the courtyard from Abdullah Bin Thani St and then walk toward the Mandarin Oriental hotel, which will be located on the west side of the overhanging structure. There will be plenty of angles to work with in this location, but the frame we chose is the right corner area that shows a mosque tower in the opening. Reference the GPS coordinates and you'll see exactly where I stood for this perspective.

The Downtown Courtyard near the Mandarin Oriental, Doha can be visited year round. I suggest visiting in the late fall and winter months due to Qatar's hot temperatures during the spring and summer.

The overhanging structure is very unique at this location. It creates different shadows and patterns throughout the day depending on where the sun is in the sky. Visiting around midday will provide shade in most areas, but the sunlight will come through in specific areas, resulting in space where your subject's shadow will pop! At night, the canopy beautifully illuminate in color—so it's also a great time to visit.

Be respectful of the local laws and keep your camera away until you're photographing your subject.

Look for a composition that has leading lines, which should be created by the shapes on the ground and canopy above.

The most important thing is for both photographer and model to be centered with the tile pattern on the ground to create a sense of balance.

Pay attention to the spacing of all elements in your frame—the leading lines are strong!

Have your model walk back and forth to make sure you get a clean, natural stride.

A bright colored shirt will stand out in a scene that's full of the same tones.

Grab a coffee at one of the cafes that has views of this courtyard to take in the entire scene.

I recommend checking out the current exhibit at the amazing M7 Museum.

You can also explore the other historical highlights in the downtown area, like Msheireb Mosque.