Finding the Perfect Location for Your Shoot
You know as a professional photographer that the setting of your photo shoots can make or break the quality of your pictures. How then can you choose the perfect location and make sure that your clients get the attention they deserve? In order to make your life a little easier, we’ve compiled some helpful advice and tips if you’re having trouble finding appropriate photographic locations.
Location with a flattering light
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Avoid places with poor lighting options; dark spaces are difficult to work in and frequently unattractive. Organizing an outside picture shoot during the most flattering part of the day is one of the simplest methods to get around this. The softest and warmest types of natural lighting are typically available for early morning or late evening shots.
Find a site with lots of space to set up artificial lighting equipment as part of your portable photo studio setup if you’re planning an interior photo session. After all, you might need to add additional lighting to the sun’s natural rays that is properly aimed to showcase your subjects’ greatest features and mimic natural lighting.
Location suiting you purpose
You should think about what story your photos will tell before choosing a place. You need to establish a theme and narrative for the shoot whether you’re seeking for family photo ideas or unique settings for lifestyle portraiture. Consider the scenario when you are working on a high-concept fashion shoot with sharp, fitted suits and expensive velvet dresses. Find a setting that exudes glamour and elegance, like a ballroom, a posh drawing room, or an art gallery. Additionally, you might want to consider hiring props to give some artistic flair to the pictures, but be careful not to go crazy and make them appear overly “busy”.
Always have a backup location
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In the days and hours prior to your shoot, try to pay attention to the weather predictions. While a downpour could completely halt an outdoor photo studio shoot (unless you’re trying for the wet appearance! ), an overcast sky could substantially change the quality of your lighting. Obviously, rescheduling a shoot at the last minute could interfere with your hectic schedule and frustrate your clients. As a result, it’s a good idea to pick a site with a climate that is primarily sunny, warm, and dry. If you want to be extra cautious, you could also find a backup spot to utilize in the event of a storm.
Location with variety angles
You should aim to photograph your subjects against a variety of backgrounds when doing a photo session. Finding a location with a diversity of objects, colors, and textures is therefore a smart idea. We advise you to locate at least five appropriate backdrops for each site you visit when looking for settings and photo studios.
Accessibility of your location
Look for a place that is both accessible and not too far away. Along with annoying your clients, spending hours in a car or van will cut into the time allotted for the actual session. Additionally, it could make your models feel drowsy and exhausted before the job even begins, which is when you need them to be at their best. We advise picking a location that your employees, clients, and models can get to easily and via a range of transportation options.
Do not undervalue color
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Don’t undervalue the impact of color while deciding where to go. For instance, if you are shooting a project for a corporate client, you must create images that complement their brand’s color scheme and look great on their website and other marketing touchpoints. Making visuals that clash with these hues could make your job useless and frustrate your clients. Similar to this, before choosing a venue, ask your non-corporate clients what color scheme they prefer because they probably have a few different ideas about it!
Work with your client
The choice of where to shoot should ultimately be made by your customer. Therefore, it’s crucial to outline all of their demands and requirements in advance to save time and effort. During the first meeting, inquire about things like:
- Are there any particular places I should stay away from?
- Do you have any preferences for certain themes?
- Do you have any illustrations you’ve seen that you’d want to copy?
- Are there any particular items you feel are crucial to have in the background?
Location shouldn’t distract
In portrait photography, finding the right setting is essential, but it should never overshadow the rest of the image. Check your images periodically while you are shooting; if your attention is pulled more to the background than the subject, you are placing too much emphasis on the wrong item.
Simply widening the aperture on your lens is a quick and efficient trick. This blurs the background, keeping it from being overly obtrusive, giving the scene depth, and directing the viewer’s attention to the main topic.
Search license to photoshoot
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This might be an essential idea to think about. The local government may require you to obtain a license or permit before entering certain public spaces, parks and gardens, historical landmarks, and structures.
This is particularly relevant if you’re utilizing photo-shooting tools like tripods, modifiers, and generators that could annoy other people.
Contacting the local authorities and obtaining the necessary authorization letter in advance will help you save a lot of trouble and misunderstanding later on.
Finalize your theme
Look around your neighbourhood for locations that fulfil your needs if a specific structure or natural backdrop would fit your theme well. If you’re unsure of the backdrop you want, travel about your city for inspiration throughout the afternoon. Beautiful places that are virtually in your backyard are simple to miss. For more suggestions, talk to your photographer, family, or friends.
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