Do Your Research Before You Shoot!
If you’re going outside of your studio, whether for a client’s destination wedding, an ad campaign shoot or just on your own personal vacation, it pays to be prepared. If you want to be fully ready to seize any and all opportunities, it’s worth doing a little research about the location to find out what you are getting yourself into. Researching your destination doesn’t take away from the “in-the-moment” mentality of the photo shoot; it might just give you a few ideas of what to keep your eyes peeled for.
Check out some guidebooks
While they may not include the pinnacles of artistic photography, guidebooks can give you an idea of what your destination is known for. Is there a historical landmark you can’t afford to miss? A hole-in-the-wall garden that grows award winning roses? Guidebooks are extremely thorough and packed with information that you can use when planning your shoot. For instance, if you’re travelling for a client’s wedding, they may help you select a few unique places to take the bridal party photos. This makes you look more prepared and professional the day of the event. Plus it is one less surprise for you.
Take a look at other photos
If you are going to a well-known destination, perusing popular online photo sharing sites like Flickr will let you know what the favored subjects are, and how they are usually photographed. If everyone has the same frame of the same gravestone at the same cemetery, maybe you should skip that one. Or at least know that you have to take a creative approach with your angle/lighting/framing to make the photo really stand out.
Read the local news
This can help give you a sense of the place you are going. What is important to the areas’ residents? Who or what are the big attractions when you’ll be visiting? You don’t have to subscribe to the local newspaper, but try searching online for recent news stories about the area. You never know what interesting tidbit you come across that could help create a more dynamic shoot.
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