Oh, the Location’s You’ll Go!

Photography is a funny thing. You work so hard to plan for the perfect weather, meticulously select your outfit (or family’s wardrobe), and painstakingly choose a location. To be honest, selecting a location can easily be one of the most important facets of a good shot. Finding somewhere outside is exciting because it takes you out of the traditional shots you’ve seen a thousand times in front of an indoor background. The pictures will be more engaging and a better example of the kind of person you are.

Ambient lighting is always key. We’ve talked a lot in the last several weeks about the importance of natural lighting and how valuable it can be to a good photo. Ambient lighting is so key that some people swear by it and avoid shooting in anything else. When you’re shooting outside, shoot somewhere that is well lit that provides you natural, diffused light. The kind of images you will end up with will feel authentic and as true to color as the camera can capture.

Want to know our secret trick? Stay out of direct sunlight when photographing people. Look for shaded environments to shoot in if you’re photographing in the middle of the day. Otherwise, plan to shoot in the early morning or the early evening when the sun isn’t directly overhead. Aggressive sunlight produces extremely hard shadows which can hurt your image. No places to get out of the sunlight? No worries, have some friends help hold a large white sheet over top of the subject you’re shooting to diffuse the light and soften the overall look of the image.

Another thing to consider is how busy the location you’re selecting may be. Objects in motion behind your camera can not only be distracting to your end composition, but may also be just as distracting to your subject matter. Time and time again we hear people talking about traveling to large local Metro Gardens, golf courses in neighborhood communities etc. but the problem is, everyone thinks of the same places and these can often be overcrowded and difficult to work with. Some of the best photography locations, aren’t very popular at all.

Mrs. Maxson told me a story about a wedding she was photographing about a month ago at the Highland Lakes Country Club that proved keeping your location simple can be the best bet. Around that same time, a lot of the local high schools were celebrating Homecoming and obviously one of the big parts of the event are the pictures with friends beforehand. Mrs. Maxson told me that when she took the bride and groom out in the back to take a few pictures, there were easily over 80 kids in the same area they were all trying to capture their photos in the same area. The problem? It was like an ants nest full of people so to help avoid issues like this, avoid places like this and head to more remote locations. Try locations like the woods or parts of town that are not as frequently visited, but that have neat architecture to work with. Places like this are often deserted which gives you the freedom to move around and capture exciting angles and poses without having to work around others.

Picking the perfect shooting locations is very subjective. Again, there are a few very important things to consider about your location. The first making sure you have ambient light where you’re taking your photos. How do you do that again? Shoot outside! Make sure you have a lot of natural, ambient light. Another one; stay out of direct sunlight. That one is pretty easy. The last thing to follow directly regards your location. Pick a location that isn’t filled with people. If you think of a park or golf course to take photos, chances are, tons of other people had the same exact idea. Plus, some of the best locations are hidden! Picking a location is a pretty broad subject, but if you can choose places that line up with these few guidelines, your photos will turn out great!