Location! Location! Location!

Photoshoots can thrive or dive based on location alone. But how do you make sure the place you pick is perfect for your portraits? Here are the questions you need to ask before nailing down your venue.

Person or Place?

What is the main driving factor behind your photoshoot? Are you going to be setting up for a fashion lineup or are you planning on capturing a special moment? Locations enhance the feel of what the photos are about but you first have to know what that is. Do you need to enhance the thing taking center stage or do you have to enhance the feelings you’re trying to capture?

What Kind of Lighting?

If you need consistent lighting throughout the shoot, it’s important to really consider keeping everything in a studio where lighting is consistent. If, however, the shoot must be outdoors, what time of day? Outdoor lighting means a time crunch. Anything outside will need to be relatively preplanned to make the most of everyone’s time.

Is There Variety?

The give and take of photography involves working with planned shots then mixing it up with some improvisation. This makes a single place with a lot of variety much better than one spot with one look. In addition, the easier it is to use the variety, the better shots you’ll get. Photography, after all, has a flow and if that’s regularly interrupted, it can become near impossible to get what you need.

Are There Other Options?

Weather can surprise us. No matter how hard we aim for that sunny day, rain can always arrive. If your location works during both the best and worst conditions, you have a great spot. Plus, things can always go from bad to good. It might rain during the morning and clear up later, allowing you to add more options to your shoot.