Easy photoshoot locations

I recently moved back to the town where I went to high school and booked a couple of clients. As usual, this question popped up:

“What location do you suggest?”
“What’s the perfect photoshoot location?”
“Where do you suggest we shoot?”

I’m sure if you are a photographer you’re nodding.

This blog post is for both photographers and clients which will help you to brainstorm some ideas for photoshoot locations in your area. I like to keep a few on hand which I trust.

Okay but don’t get me wrong, it is NOT always about the location at all. However, being a female photographer I can’t just venture off with a model or a family into a dodgy forest. I need locations that are safe, that are functional and I don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get into.

I like to ask my clients what vibe they are going for. Do you want something cozy and homely? More of a natural setting? Perhaps their horse like above. Maybe they want to go to a city.

Here’s a list of locations that may be in your area that you may not have thought of:

• Your local park.
• Your local reserve. I have an eco-reserve 10 minutes from my office which is safe, large enough that it does not look like the same location everytime and it is beautiful.
• A local coffee shop. Work out a deal with your local coffee shop such as taking photos for their social media in return that they let you shoot there when needed.
• A large empty piece of land / field. This might be more of a dangerous one, especially in South Africa. However, you can achieve some beautiful results from it.

• An equestrian centre nearby. I recently shot an engagement session at one and it was stunning! It was nestled in hills, surrounded by large trees.
• A parking lot. Now this may sound a bit odd but if you take a couple or model to one it can work! My local mall has a parking lot on top of the building which has a stunning sunset view. Be prepared for security to chase you away – but just be friendly, they might let you stick around.
• Home! I think this one is so underrated! Shooting in your home really captures the essence of you in your everyday surroundings. This one is especially perfect for couples.

• If you’re in the city, the top of buildings can work really well. It is very difficult to find one to shoot in. However, if you have a friend who has access to one, do make use of it. 100% recommend it!
• The street. Every town has pretty streets – maybe not many but they do have. This is free and no one will chase you.
• A river / dam / lake / stream. Don’t underestimate the power of water in a photo! Sunset makes any body of water the most romantic location.
• Textured walls. Have you ever driven passed a building and a certain part of the building was interesting? Use it!
• A nursery. This one is great! Chat to your local nursery or botanical garden and see if they will let you shoot there.

• In front of plants. Yep, nothing fancy but your garden or interesting foliage will do here. As pictured above, this was in front of palm-type bushes.
• Broken-down buildings. Be careful in these but you should get some really moody shots.
• A hiking trail. It’s also a fun activity to do!

To sum it up, almost any location can be worked with.

As a client, think of where you see yourself in. If you hate being outisde and in the wilderness, why would you want to have your photos taken there? Maybe you and your lover are bookworms, it would be more genuine if you did your photoshoot at home snuggled up or maybe a cozy coffee shop or library.

As a photographer, photoshoot locations will become more apparent as you shoot. You will see which location suits which kind of session and so forth.

Keep shooting,

Siobhan

My socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sbrazierphotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sbrazierphotography/

7 Useful Tips For Your First Photoshoot

From someone who has been in your position, I know how intimidating it can be. Your very first photoshoot can be nerve-wracking! In this blog post, I give you my tips for your first photoshoot and how you can be prepared and make the most of this experience..

Choose wisely who you want to work with

Ask yourself how YOU would want to be photographed. Perhaps you’re torn between a couple of photographers in your area, take into consideration if you see yourself in their photos. Do you like their editing? Their styling? I have a blog post on how to choose a photographer.

Prepare | Body Care

Now, depending on your session, you don’t need to prepare for weeks or months in advance.

• If you want to get your hair coloured, ensure it’s at least one week before. This gives the colour time to settle, resulting in a more natural look.
• The same with tanning, ensure it has time to settle. At least one to two weeks before the session.
• Ensure your nails are neat or done. Trust me, you’ll thank me later on this!
• Micro-blading also needs time to settle, so ensure you have a 2 week grace period.
• Moisturize before your session. This will help you have a dewy look.

Prepare | Clothing

Clothing choices can make or break a session. My go-to tips for clothing choices:

As a family or couple, choose a colour palette. Neutrals, light colours or dark colours. Say you want to wear a red dress, get your partner to wear something that will compliment you, such as blues. If you can, sneak that same shade of red in a shirt or accessory.

Do not wear branded clothing! I know Nike shirts are cool, if that’s the kind of session you’re going for, fine. However, in couple sessions or family sessions, it is EXTREMELY distracting and breaks any sort of cohesion. The only time this works is if you are both “twinning”, you’re alone and it’s more of a fashion shoot or the logo is not on your chest. Just skip it for the session.

Prepare your clothing the day before. Iron your clothes, put them on hangers, ensure your shoes are clean.

Ladies, underwear choices are vital. Black shirts need black bras, especially if they are see-through. White shirts need nude bras or white bras. Same with underwear. If you have a backless dress, stick on bras are a must. Do your pants show underwear lines? Check this before the session!

Makeup & Hair

If you are going to a makeup artist, arrive with a completely clean face. Bring your moisturizer and foundation with you. If you are doing your own makeup, you can apply makeup slightly heavier than usual, especially eye makeup. Ladies, please do not cake on foundation! Most photographers will edit out any large pimples. Caking it on is not always the answer.

If you are getting your hair done, be sure to ask if your hair stylist if you should wash your hair before or if they wash it there. If it’s just being styled, come with clean dry hair. If you are doing your own hair, the natural route is always the best route. If you have curly hair, embrace them! You can always change up the looks with ponytails, buns, half-up hairstyles etc.

Inspiration for your session

If you have ideas for your session, create a shared Pinterest board with your photographer. This will help them get an idea of what you want from the session. Communicate with your photographer your ideas and think of a photoshoot location. Read more on how to find a photoshoot location here.

• An important note on Pinterest: take into consideration that your images will NOT be an EXACT duplicate of your inspiration images. Your photographer will take it into account but cannot guarentee an exact replica. Take into consideration their shooting style, editing and approach to sessions.

Posing Preparation

I like to send a basic posing guide to my clients – especially solo portraits. Don’t fret too much about it, but run through basic poses in the mirror to see what side you prefer, if you can nail certain poses, where you may be self-conscious and so forth. Your photographer will guide you through posing as well, but it’s nice to be a bit prepared. Also, communicate with your photographer any areas that you may be self-conscious about. We pose you in a way that we think is flattering, but you may be worried about a scar or your arms etc. Be sure to let them know so that they can take that into account.

Create a playlist

I like to ask my clients if they have any music requests as I like to play music throughout the session. This keeps you relaxed and you get to groove out during your session! I have some fun playlist on my Apple music such as this one for studio work.

I hope that these tips are helpful! I hope you have a great session and relaaaaaaaaaax. Do you have any other tips for fellow clients? Leave them below! If you would like to see more of me and what I’m up to, follow my Facebook and Instagram.

Until next time,
Siobhan

How to choose a photographer to work with

Choosing a photographer to work with can be tricky – especially if it’s your first time hiring a professional photographer. These days everyone knows or knows of a photographer, however, there is a considerable amount of factors to take into account when trying to pick a photographer to capture your memories.

Let’s break down some factors that you can take into account:

1. What genres they capture

This is my number 1 beyond anything else! If you are getting married choose a wedding photographer. If you want your family to be captured, find a family/lifestyle photographer. Photographers niche their work. Yes, we are capable of capturing photos in general but when it comes to spending you need to take into account the photographers speciality. With most services, businesses aim to only work within their niche. From what I’ve seen in the past, clients can be let down by not getting a photographer with skills in the “field” they want. For example, my strengths lie with portraiture and weddings. While I can capture families and new-borns, it’s not my niche.

2. The photographer’s editing style

Not to be confused with their genres. If you like bright and airy photos, you don’t want to choose a photographer with a moody editing style. Similar to their niche, their editing strengths usually lie within:

• Creative edits
• Moody edits
• Bright and airy edits

There are hundreds of editing styles! However, if you choose to hire a photographer with moody editing, don’t expect your images to come out bright and airy. This is a common occurrence with clients & photographers.

3. THEIR PORTFOLIO

Depending on what your session entails, you would want some sort of a portfolio from the photographer. If a photographer is still in their early days, they may have a limited portfolio – we all start somewhere. However, be sure that they have a portfolio of some sort. This will help you get a feel for their work and if it’s something you see yourself being a part of. You should be able to see some previous work through their social media or website.

4. REVIEWS

I love using reviews to ensure my potential clients feel safe and want to ensure that they can trust me with capturing them. This isn’t a must – but if the photographer does have them available on their social media or website it’s always good to read! If they have Facebook reviews, that’s also a good way to find out if clients enjoyed their session. Reviews aren’t always the be all and end all!

5. PRICING

The “controversial” topic. Basic psychology plays a role in this – usually the higher the price, we perceive it as more valuable and of higher quality. Lower prices usually mean cheaper, not of higher quality. Keep in mind this is not always the case. The pricing ultimately comes down to the photographer and how they price themselves. Some photographers base their pricing on their personal cost of business, while others base their prices on their competitor. While some people don’t care about pricing, others do and that is why it’s a factor.

FINAL THOUGHTS

My final advice to you, is if you ADORE a photographers work and you see yourself in their photographs, then that’s the one to go for. If their portfolio resonates with you and makes you smile and excited, go with them.

What other factors do you take into account?

Siobhan