HOW BLESSED ARE WE to live in such a beautiful world?! A world where there are Octobers (iykyk;), a world where there are mountains, hills, valleys, and a plethora of magnificent colors. A world with light and texture and space!!! One of my favorite things as a photographer is getting to explore the nature around me in search of unique, diverse, and varied locations for my clients. Click HERE to jump right to the tips + advice I have to share on what to look for in a photo location:)
I believe location is one of the key components to a portrait session. I love seeing the beauty of the world compliment my subject in a way that brings each image to life. Especially for seniors, locations can be a way of showcasing their personality, highlighting who they are and even adding a touch of nostalgia.
For example, I think of one of my seniors a couple years ago who asked if we could take photos at her grandparent’s lake cabin in Spirit Lake, Idaho. Shauna grew up going to this cabin as a little kid and eventually her family acquired another lake house nearby. I didn't scout the location beforehand, but ended up walking around the property finding great photo spots as Shauna shared memories from her childhood at the cabin. I even got to meet her grandparents! I loved seeing a little peek into Shauna’s life. I feel it helped me better understand who she was and allowed me to capture her personality in a more personal way.
Another one of my clients requested photos on the property surrounding her home in Spokane, Washington. I had her send me a couple photos of the area beforehand and then we spent the evening of her session exploring, chatting with her family, and capturing some beautiful photos in an area that meant so much to her. I love that being in a significant location can lead to some really cool discussions- I learned that Macie’s family loves to hunt and would often wake up in the wee hours of the morning to go wait together in different tree stands around their property to capture different animals. It was so cool to hear how this activity bonded their family and created such fun memories! There’s nothing I love more than getting a glimpse of my client’s lives and capturing special memories and moments. It was truly a magnificent night.
A location doesn’t necessarily need to be a house or property/have a significant meaning to the client to be the perfect fit.
One of my clients this year mentioned before her session that she loves pops of color and wanted a flower field or something bright in her photos. Her session was mid-July, and I was determined to find a location that would feel like her and reflect her personality. My uncle ended up saving the day- he sent me a video of the most BEAUTIFUL sunflower field near his house in Spokane Valley, Washington and I immediately sent it to Aubrie. We set it as our last location for the evening, during golden hour. It ended up being such a perfect location for Aubrie in reflecting the light that shines from her inside and out!!
While I love exploring, it can be stressful to find the right spot for your sessions! In the beginning days of my photography career, I would spend hours upon hours driving around the Inland Northwest, searching for the most picturesque spots and stunning sceneries. In trying to find epic mountainscapes, grand wheat fields, or the perfect dilapidated old, quintessential barn at which to take photos, I found I was causing myself more harm than good (and not working very effectively) by becoming stressed and anxious that I couldn’t find the ‘perfect’ location.
I learned overtime that a good location doesn’t need to be jaw-droppingly gorgeous to provide a good backdrop for a photo session. Now, I drive around looking for a couple specific qualities to a location, keeping my clients in mind- hoping to offer just what they might need.
When it comes to locations, there are a couple things I specifically look for before adding a location to my bank of options for clients (you can download my FREE quick reference guide with these qualities HERE to take with you next time you location scout):
Easy accessibility:
** Is the location easy to get to?
** How much walking is involved?
** Is the land public or private property?
** Do I have service at this location?
I like to look for locations that are within 10-15 minutes of the freeway and include photo spots somewhat close to where we park our cars. If a certain spot involves more walking, I make sure to disclose that to my clients beforehand in my location guide. It’s also important to note who owns the land you will be shooting on. When I first started my business, I got told off a couple times for being on private property- eek! Not my favorite thing, it can be kind of embarrassing, especially as a new photographer. Make sure to get permission from whoever owns the property beforehand. It will add credibility to your name and show you made the effort and took the right steps to prepare for your session.
Lastly, make note of if you have service at the location. Especially in Utah up the canyons, you can lose service and the ability to contact your clients! It’s happened to me a couple times where I get to a location beforehand waiting for a client and realize I don’t know what their car looks like or they can't find where to park. No service means no communication. You can still shoot at locations that don’t have service, but I recommend meeting at the base of the canyon or a spot that has service outside of your intended location and driving in together. I never do mini sessions in a location without service because I like to be able to communicate with clients throughout the day.
Low foot traffic:
** How busy does this location get?
** Will I have space to shoot?
Especially in Utah, certain spots can get REALLY busy (like to the point you have to take turns vying for a spot). I tend to avoid the more popular spots in favor of locations that don’t usually get too crowded. I think clients generally appreciate quieter spots as well- I know I personally feel a little more self-conscious when there are other people around while I’m getting my photo taken. This means I spend a lot of time driving in random areas, pinning locations on Apple Maps, and asking permission from property owners to use their land. I still shoot in busy areas, but I mention foot traffic levels in my location guide so my clients know what to expect. If a quiet location is important to them, they can make their location decision based on that knowledge.
Good lighting:
** What is the lighting situation?
** Where will the sun be at the time of my session?
This is such an important aspect of scouting to remember! Lighting is EVERYTHING! As a natural light photographer, certain types of lighting are just plain easier to work with. Tall buildings and woodsy areas can block light more than a wheat field or open space. Certain locations have better lighting at different times of day and sunset varies based on your surroundings (if you’re close to the mountains, you will lose light earlier. If you’re at a high viewpoint, you will get true sunset (what google tells you the sunset is)). Lighting also changes based on seasons; for example, the sun sets in a different spot in Spring than it does in Fall. I always try to location scout in the evening when most of my sessions take place, so I can know what kind of light to expect. I also revisit locations often to know what they look like at different times of the year. You can find good lighting at any location, but knowing where to find that light beforehand better prepares you for the flow of your photo session. In addition, it’s easier to recommend a session start time if you know when you will lose light. For senior sessions with multiple locations, noting lighting scenarios gives me the ability to know exactly which locations we need to start and end with.
Space to move around:
** How much room is there to move?
** What type of client (portrait, family, couple) will I be working with?
** Can they fit in this space?
I’ve shot at a couple locations that are just plain tricky to navigate with larger groups of people. I tend to avoid places like flower gardens or small parks for families, as it just feels more crowded with narrow walkways and small flower beds. I prefer larger, spacious areas like wheat fields, lakes, rivers, ect. for larger groups of people as there is more room to move and breathe. However- taking portraits in a flower garden or small park with a single client is much easier to do as you can get close up shots with the flowers, on a bench, sitting on stairs, ect.
Variety:
**What textures/colors/scenes does this location provide?
**Are there different backgrounds within walking distance?
This goes along with 'space' above, but I tend to prefer locations that have a wide variety of background options. It gives clients more variation in their gallery. This can be as simple as a couple rocks your client can sit on, to a fallen log or a patch of flowers. I’ve utilized fences, barn doors, roads/paths, trees- you name it! Having variety in your location gives a photo session movement and flow. You never want a session to feel stagnant or stuck, so having different background options gives you a reason to keep moving, find what works, and ultimately create a large variety of photos your client will appreciate.
There are many things to keep in mind when location scouting, but remember- a photo location doesn’t need to be or have anything crazy! Some of my favorite photos were taken in the simplest of locations. However, taking note of these specific factors for every location you plan to recommend to your clients gives you a better idea of what types of locations to recommend for each individual client.
This is the first blog post in my 3-part series on location scouting! Follow along for my post next week on key tips for location scouting, and after that- some of my favorite locations in the Spokane/Post Falls area! You won’t want to miss it! Sign up here to be notified when the posts are up. In addition, you can click HERE for my FREE quick and easy guide to finding the perfect locations for your photo sessions. Use it as a reference for when you’re searching for the perfect spot to take photos.
TIPS for using my FREE reference guide:
First, I recommend either saving the guide to your favorites list/photography album on your phone or printing it out. Take it with you as you’re driving around your area looking for locations to use and add to your own personal location list. You can first determine the aspects of each quality and then rate the qualities of the location on the second page. These ratings can inform your recommendations for clients moving forward! At the end of the day, our clients are the ones keeping us in business- they are everything! I’m always striving to improve my client experience, and I believe this is one way to personalize your client interactions!
Also I’d love to hear from you all!!! Comment below- what other things would you add to this list??
LOVE YOU ALL MUCHO!! I hope these blog posts provide value to you. I'm always here for you if you have questions or want to chat photography.
FUN PHOTOGRAPHY FACT: Can you guess what the most viewed photo in the world is??
Hint: You might remember this image from years ago, before iphones and macbooks, when logging on to your old computer through Microsoft ... think rolling green hills and vibrant blue sky.... you guessed it! The most viewed image is Likely Bliss, taken by Charles O'Rear in 1996. Taken on Fujifilm's Velvia film, the image is completely unaltered!! So cool!
<3 Malia
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