Choosing the Best Location for s Photo Shoot
So you have decided to shoot outdoors rather than in the studio.
Awesome! It’s a greater challenge to shoot outdoors but it will be well
worth the effort. Here are a few tips to ease your path.
The Best Locations
- Wooded, forested areas are serene and often times untouched
which gives the photographer ample opportunity to set up some
amazing and wondrous photographs and the best part of it all? Mother
Nature isn’t going to charge you a dime!
- Natural streams and trickling brooks provide creative
opportunities that you can not duplicate anywhere else and the
presence of water is always a wonderful addition to your
photography.
- Mother Nature provides the opportunity to capture some amazing
pictures throughout the year through the changing of the seasons.
These seasonal opportunities provide an astounding array of
backdrops and interesting composition through the varying contrasts
the seasons provide; again, for no extra charge other than some well
placed effort!
Natural areas are an optimal choice for outdoor photography but don’t
stop there. It all depends on what kind of look you are going for. Inner
city photography may suit your needs just as well and as long as you
plan out the look you are going for, you can find the right environment
just about anywhere to suit your needs.
Equipment You Will Need Outdoors versus an Indoor Shoot
What special precautions and equipment should you have on hand to
maximize your outdoor photographic efforts? Shooting outdoors provides
its own special challenges and knowing what kind of equipment you are
going to need will save you a lot of heartbreak and hassle in the long
run. Here are just a few suggestions
- Make sure that you bring a map and/or compass if necessary along
with a flashlight if you are shooting in the evening along with
extra batteries for your flash and light meter. Also, check the
forecast and plan accordingly; you can never be too cautious.
- Tripod! This is absolutely mandatory for taking longer exposures
and allows you to take your time and not rush a shot. There is the
added benefit of framing your shot with precision.
- Dust Cloth. This will really help you keep your equipment clean
outside in the elements.
- The right kind of film! If you are going for sharpness and
reduced grain, use a slower film, but if you are trying to capture
action outdoors, use a faster film to capture the action with a
faster shutter speed.
- Releasing Cables. They just eliminate the possibility of moving
your camera when shooting.
- Filters! Filters! Filters! If you find yourself outside on an
overcast day, warming filters are going to be necessary to reduce
the blue tint of your photography. Polarizing filters are truly
needed to reduce the glare of the sun and to enhance the colors of
your pictures.
Shooting outdoors can be a challenge, but if you are well prepared in
advance the possibilities are never ending and will be worth the extra
effort you put into your shoot. |
