Location scouting is not an easy task. It takes vision to be able to see the potential in a place before you even start shooting there. It also takes time. Time to be out and about at the right time of day. Paying attention to where the sun is in the sky at the same time you’ll be getting your pictures done.
If you’re having your photographer come to you on your property, there are a few things you can do beforehand to make the photoshoot process easier on both of you.
Tip #1: Record the time when the sun sets
Most photoshoots take place during “golden hour” and sunset. Golden hour refers to the time just before the sun dips below the horizon. This is when the tones are warm and the shadows are less harsh. If you can record the time when the sun goes below the horizon then the best time to start shooting pictures would ideally be an hour to an hour and a half BEFORE that time. Some of that depends on how many are in your party for the pictures. Larger families take longer, whereas couples take less time.
Tip #2: Scout out a place that has trees or shade as well as an open area
These can be two completely different spots, within a few minutes drive or walk from each other. During golden hour, the perfect place to take pictures is in the shade of trees or on the east side of a building. This creates shadows that are soft and may even give you that light flare effect from the sun. After the sun goes down, we can move into an open area such as a meadow or field that won’t give any harsh shadows. This is a short window for pictures because now our light has gone. We will need to work quickly and efficiently to maximize the amount of light left before the pictures will be too dark.
Tip #3: Calculate how long it will take to get to your desired location
If your desired location is away from the house/where we will meet, you will need to calculate how long it will take to get there to maximize our time together. Whether it’s a short walk or a four wheeler/car ride away, I will need to know how long it will take to get to your location. This will be calculated in our start time. For example, if it takes 20 minutes to get there I will arrive at a time that will guarantee we get our golden hour glow & sunset colors.
These three tips should help your photoshoot go smoothly and efficiently. They are things to be aware of beforehand and may be things you haven’t thought about before. Since I am coming to your place, I will not have the same resources available that you might. You are my eyes. What an awesome opportunity! There is always a little wiggle room for tweaking and adjusting to reach our desired effects. Getting a headstart on these three tips will make your photoshoot less stressful and more memorable.
