Yesterday I wrote about picking a location for engagement photos and all the things you should consider and look for. I have a senior shoot this Friday, and I had a specific idea in mind, so I actually went out looking for new photography locations today. It was an interesting experience, so I thought I’d share my experience.
Looking for New Photography Locations
There are a few ways I’ve gone about finding new locations to take photos. One is to search as you go. This means you just keep your eyes open as you do whatever it is you do. Some of my favorite places to shoot in were just randomly found one day. I was driving and bam, I just saw it. This make this method more productive, you could actually spend some time just traveling around and looking. Get in your car and drive somewhere you haven’t been before. Don’t have a plan, just drive. I bet you’ll find all types of cool places doing this.
Another method is much more structured. This way, you usually have something already in mind. Are you wanting something urban, grungy, a barn, a field, etc? When you already have something in mind, you can narrow down your search. For example, you wouldn’t expect to find a barn in the middle of the city or big buildings out in the country. One technique I used for finding my newest location was to ask for help. Social media is pretty amazing. I simply posted a pic of what I was looking for, and I had about 5 responses in a few hours. If that doesn’t work, try Google. There’s a ton of images and info out there, so I bet you can find something just by typing in a few key words.
One important note. Once you find a location, you really need to go visit it and check it out. Just because a place looks nice on the internet or from a road doesn’t mean it is usable. The first question is whether or not you can even use it. Are you able to easily get to the location? Is it public land or private land? Be careful not to just show up at some place and think you can shoot anywhere. Often photographers will get in trouble for trespassing on other people’s land. I know I’ve made that mistake a few times. Now I’m more careful. If you can use it, will it work for photos? Is the light coming from the right direction? Does it have enough space or different areas to make it worth it?
I enjoyed looking for new photography locations today. I spent roughly 30 minutes doing it, and I found two brand new areas that I plan on using in the future. I think having a new location keeps things fresh and interesting, so I’m going to start adventuring out at least one a month to find something. If you find anything interesting in northwest Arkansas, let me know!
