Tips for Selecting a Location

Selecting a location for a photo shoot is not a big problem if you know what the factors you should consider are. Usually a lot of problems happen on location if the choice is not right. 

You could run out of lighting equipment, it might be overcrowded or unreachable at certain times. Once you planned and scout a location properly, these problems may not happen.

• You should know the purpose of your project. You should know what kind of photographs you are looking for and what story these photographs are going to tell. Make sure you choose a location according to the story and not the other way round. Locations are just raw materials; once you understand the need you can select a suitable location.
• Locations change depending on the time. Find out the right time for shooting on a particular location, and also scout it at the right time. Not all locations are open seven days a week. Tourists and visitors come to different locations depending on the time of the day. Find out the right time suitable to you.
• Study the available light. All different locations will have different lighting conditions that can change depending on time of the day or may not change at all if lit by artificial lights. Understand the lighting conditions so that you come to the location at the right time for shooting, and bring the required lighting equipment required if any.
• Follow the Sun. Outdoor lighting conditions are sometimes very predictable and sometimes not. The brightest light source, that is, the Sun is your friend, follow it. You already know that during the noon, the sunlight creates very harsh shadows and photographs taken during this time may not look attractive. So go to your locations according to the Sun. Try to reach your locations when the Sun is at good angle to give you better lighting.
• Examine all the natural and artificial elements. Presence of water, Fountains etc can prove to be harmful for your equipment. Examine all the conditions under which you will be photographing. Carry the necessary safety equipment if required. There will be certain locations which will be dangerous for shooting purposes, by all means avoid these. The location may be perfect but if it is not safe then you should not use it. As I said earlier remember that no photograph is as important as your life.
• Find suitable vantage points. Make sure there is sufficient space available for you to set up all your equipment so that you are able to get the photographs that you have in mind.
• Get the permissions for photography if required. Because of security reasons photography is not allowed without permission at a lot of places. See if you can get permission to photograph. Do it before the day you shoot so that you don’t waste time when you are to start with a shooting.
• The last and the most important thing are to make notes when you go scouting for locations. Write about all the factors we just discussed and anything else that you might feel needs to be remembered. It will serve you later also. If you make it a regular habit, within no time you will have very good collection of places which are good for photography. It will be like a personal photography location encyclopedia for you.