LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!
This young man swam for high school and it was a huge part of his life. Shooting in a pool made complete sense, for part of his session!
When we think about having or taking pictures, we usually have a grand idea of a beautiful back drop or scene in our minds! When I am asked what would be a good location for a session, I take a couple of things into consideration!
This beautiful water and mountain setting was perfect for this outdoor girl!
1) Who is my subject?
If you are shooting a newborn, a beautiful mountain setting may not be the best choice. If my session is with just one individual (annual portraits or senior pictures), I typically try to find out what the person prefers, a more urban setting or a rural setting!
Newborns, I almost always photograph them in the home! It's a perfect backdrop as most of the images will be close up to their perfect little faces!
2) What time of day are we shooting?
Since I am a natural light photographer, all my sessions are either in the earlier morning, or the later afternoon. I have to take into consideration which way the sun will be facing and how it will either accentuate or completely ruin a setting lol.
This beautiful family was photographed in the afternoon in a park that had amazing light, and reflected their love for the outdoors!
3) What is the purpose of the shoot?
If the purpose is purely to get a head shot, you don't really need to care much about the surrounding scene and just need good light and a simple "backdrop"! If my session is of a family or senior, I will need to be able to use my location for all it's available beauty to enhance my subject!
This family had very busy toddlers and wanted a comfortable outdoor setting where their girls could run free! This park was a fantastic choice!
4) What does the client prefer?
Of course this is high on the list! You want the client to be in a setting they find comfort in versus feeling out of place!!
When I think of this client, I think beach and water! Having her session at a local water source made her feel and look at home!
Who doesn't love Starbucks? ;-) This senior spent a lot of time here with friends, enjoying beverages and studying! Including this location for her session was a great!!
The son in this fun loving family has played baseball since a very young age and the family spends a lot of time out at the fields! This location helps them remember this fond memory!
Again, an a wonderful location to preserve a very important time of life!
5) Is there shade available?
I absolutely must have access to shade. I don't mind shooting in the sun but I work way better with shade! If I am going to a park, I need to ensure it has trees or buildings.
We were able to sneak away into a large tree to get some shade on these beautiful babies!
6) How far do we get to walk?
I LOVE to find a location where we can wander around a bit! I want to start in one spot and discover treasures along the way! Its helps the kids have fun and not lose interest in me as easily ;-) AND helps us a get a fantastic variety in the final images!
I'll wrap it up there, but truly there must be conscious thought that goes into choosing a location! Also most importantly, these pictures (people pictures) are about the people and not as much about the setting. The setting will enhance the picture but, my biggest concern is on the lighting available so that I can make my subject look their very best!
If you have questions or would like to book a session, please contact me at suzannelopez321@gmail.com!
I would love to hear from you!!
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