Location Scouting for Photographers

I was reading an article the other day and the 2nd point was about “Location Scouting”. Which in my view photographers don’t do enough of especially if they rely on those locations because they do not have a studio. So I am going to give you some invaluable tips for a good location session which can be applied whether you shoot for fun or shoot for a living.

Jodi over at MCPActions, invited Ohio based photographer and trainer Michelle Black to write a guest blog and Michelle listed the 7 steps she takes for a successful location shoot. Now I want to take step 2 which is about Location Scouting and give you my take in things from a Scottish perspective. In my view if you get the location right, everything else will fall into place and you will increase your chances of successful shoot. You can read the article that inspired this article via the link at the bottom of the post. Enjoy the article and feel free to ask questions and add your own tips in the comments.

There are many considerations to why you would choose a particular location, but before we talk about those lets consider.

What does a location mean to you as a photographer?

Well, its your background of course. In a studio we have numerous ways to create a backdrop for our subject. But lets face it nothing beats nature. However be warned, I see so many photographers use the same location week in week out and although that location becomes easier to use because the lighting becomes predictable. That in turn becomes the issue. Predictable = Average and average is what every other photographer is doing. You don’t want to be average!

Take the woodland location in the image above. This was taken at a local public park in Ayr. I have seen this bridal path being used for countless photographs over the years, both professional and amateur. Heck! I have shot here many times myself. It was shot with my little Canon G9 and it is a straight up shot without any adjustments at all. Just the Camera Standard profile applied. Now this is not going to be an award winning shot, but it does help me make choices about lighting and also the post production. In Scotland we suffer from pretty flat lighting for most of the winter time. Grey over cast days that can be used for nothing other than fill. If you were to take a family to this location on a given day, chances are this is the kind of light you will get. So the first thing we learn about this location is that to make our family, model, doggy, stand out, we are going to have to add to the ambient light that is already there with little Off Camera flash.

But hold your horses! You are forgetting an important part of location scouting. Who decides the location? Lets deal with that little chestnut first, then we will come back to the light.

If you are shooting personal work, fashion or your own kids etc, then obviously you. But if you are doing a paying portrait session then you need to give mum or dad etc the scope to make the decision about the location. It is far better to let the client choose because then you are allowing them to pick somewhere special that means a lot to them. It sounds simple but its crucial point that can mean the difference between getting a sale or not.

I have actually been out with photographers and helped them on location. As far as the family were concerned I was just the hired help. But for the photographer I was their safety net to a successful shoot. Sadly I am not usually part of the booking process and the choice of location. So invariably the photographer has made the choice upon past experience and the family go along with him or her because they have not been given a choice and as far as they are concerned the photographer probably knows best.

Now don’t get me wrong the shoot goes off without a hitch but 1 week later when the family views the images. There is all of a sudden this uneasiness because mum and dad don’t like the shots but don’t know why? One word: Location They do buy some images because its there kids after all, but maybe don’t spend as much because they did not have that magical connection with the location. Remember, locations don’t have to be parks. They can be anywhere. The garden, living room, theme park, beach, river walk, park, hotel, you named it, its endless the amount of choices available.

So my first tip:

#1 – Give the client the opportunity to choose a location that is special to them. Its a simple thing, but it can make a big difference.

This then gives you the chance to scout the location and read the rest of this article for more handy hints. Now, coming hot on the heels of tip 1,  we have tip 2.

#2 – Make time to visit the location one or two days before the shoot at the approximate time of the shoot.

This lets you see the rough light that maybe about on the day, mind you if you have weather conditions like Ayrshire, then they can change every 15 minutes and so can the light. So be flexible. It is also handy to take compass with you that way you know where the sun has risen in the east and also where its roughly going to set in the west. If you have an iPhone or iPod touch you can download all manner of apps to help you with light direction and also the sunrise and sunset.

Remember the shot I took of my good friend, fellow photographer and 2nd shooter Tony? I used it for a the Creating a Lomo Effect Screencast. Well that was a test shot from a location scouting session and take within an hour of actual shoot but a day or so apart. Below is a from the wedding day.

The lighting from the off-camera flash is in a different place and the colour of the post-processing is also different, but the ambient which was underexposed by -2 EV is pretty close to the scouting image and this mean’t that what I had in my minds eye for that location was achieved on the day.

#3 – Look for locations within locations.

What do I mean by that? Well variety is your best friend on a photo session. The more variety in poses, lighting, expression, and backdrops, then the more chance you have selling your work. Take a family all in the same location and all you have is a lack of options for when it comes to the viewing in a weeks time. So you need to find locations from within the chosen location.

Consider the light and its directionality. Are you going to be using the ambient light, as backlight, fill, rim, or main? All of these are possible depending on the weather and the time of year and by choosing a different locations that are close by and within a 30 second walk of each another means your shoot will have variety and a flow to it.

The shot above is the same shot I used to demonstrate creating a better RAW image. It’s an uneventful location scouting image, but it helped me decide that particular setting would look better as a black and white and if you note the woodland behind the sculpture? Well thats the same trees from the image at the top of article and the setting below is directly behind where I am standing for the shot of the sculpture.

All 3 locations are within 30 seconds from each other and only 2 minutes away from the car which is another important factor. You do not want to have to force your clients half way up a mountain, unless of course thats their chosen location! Then you bill them for the helicopter ride to get you and your gear up there… Joking aside, make sure you are not that far from the car especially if kids are involved. There is nothing worse than tiring out your subjects and yourself before a frame is made. If you get tired, you will go into auto pilot, you won’t think straight and the quality of your images will go downhill faster than a skier at the Winter Olympics! And this brings me neatly onto my fourth tip.

#4 – Comfort Breaks, Rest stops, Going to the loo…

It’s a consideration for both children and adults alike and you have to make sure you have access to clean toilets not far from your location. This little oversight can finish a shoot before it even starts. I even know of some photographers who have and wait for it! Provide Pee Bags and baby wipes. Sounds daft, well not really and it can be the difference between getting a photo session on the computer or having to plan a reshoot.

Whilst we are at it. I would also suggest ideas for the the other end of things as well. Shoots should not last long but providing some refreshments from the boot of car whether it be cold drinks, a flask of tea & coffee, can be a welcome break even what might be a 180 minute shoot. Scouting your location can help you make a number of decisions that not only mean a more professional shoot, but also that little personal touch for your client to remember you by… You will want to be able to take pictures in all weathers and all seasons. Locations will change with the seasons and as you see more clients coming through the door you will get to know a wide variety of locations in your area. So in the summer think about chill box with ice cold drinks, sun screen and in the winter hot chocolate etc… But regardless of the season or location make sure you bring a first aid kit and maybe even go on a first aid course to get qualified.

Ok, lets get back to the light. Here is the shot from the beginning once I have done some basic post processing in Lightroom. This image tells me many things and it allows me to darken the background and give the location real mood and atmosphere that will assist me to make choices beforehand about exposures during the session. It also helps me make a choice about colour. In the Autumn and Winter, you have to think of winter colour’s, and your clients dressed in warm cosy coats, and maybe the kids in knee high wellington boots. You get the idea! But mainly you have to consider the colour pallet and with modern technology that we are all used to you can quickly and easily email or text this image to a client so that they know what to wear that will compliment the location.

If it were summer then we would be looking for a completely different look and feel because of course the light is going to be different. So now I have a pretty good indication of my background, that helps me make decisions about equipment. You know your going to need at least 2 camera bodies. (Backup Always). But what is your lens choice going to be? Are you going to bring one or more flashes? Are you going to need reflectors? Are you going to gel up for warmth? Do you need an assistant to carry all the gear? These are questions that spending an hour on location especially a first time location, can be answered with some test shots and pre-planning. (Do you think when the shoot a feature film, they just turn up at the location with a permit to film?)

Also, don’t think that going out and doing these test shots is overkill its not. It will help you to prepare for the unexpected and also even when you get them back onto your computer. Then the settings you dial into your test shots can be really copied across to the final images saving you time at the other end of the session. Or at least get you in the ballpark and it will help you preview the images faster to your clients. Not too fast though…

#5 – Always have Plan B ready…

Portraiture on location especially outdoors is weather dependant and as such it always pays to have Plan B in place. This can be a location near by that you can get either indoors or at least undercover. Think bandstands, barns, doorways, under bridges, anywhere that has the feeling of the great outdoors, but offers some protection from the elements. But, don’t think because its raining that you cannot make wonderful images in the wet. Of course you can and location scouting can help you to prepare for this…

Finally…

What if you cant get to a location to scout it, due to distance or lack of time? Well again this is where modern technology like Google Maps and now Google Street Maps, can come in really handy. Also, local advice from other photographers or even looking through images shot by people and posted to sites like Flickr can be very useful for virtual scouting. Although limited, it is better than not scouting at all and having a hold load of technical issues and stress in the day because of a lack of knowledge and planning.

I could probably write another couple of articles on location scouting, but I will leave you with some questions and gradually add more tips as I bring you a long for some of my location shoots. We will revisit these locations at different times of the year to show how waiting for the light and the weather makes such a big difference to a location.

Check out Ohio based photographer and trainer Michelle Black‘s guest blog over at MCPActions where Michelle lists the 7 steps she takes for a successful location shoot. Check out the article “7 Steps to take for a Successful Photo Session”. >

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