How pro photographers find photo Locations is a hard topic to nail down. The term Pro Photographer is very broad. We know that the photography industry has many niches. Finding a location for a Landscape Photographer can be much different from a Street Photographer. This guide will hopefully find the sweet spot between the many niches, and provide a general understanding of how a Pro Photographer finds locations.
Location Scouting
Location Scouting has been around for many years. It is the process that prepares a production team for production day. In photography, the production team is pretty much just the photographer. The photographer collects information thru online research and/or visiting the location physically. This information normally includes; weather, lighting conditions, space dimension, power capability and equipment requirements. Having access to this information before production day can go along way in ensuring the final product comes out the way you intended.
Use Google Maps to Find Local Photo Locations
Google Maps is a free service offered my the industry giant Google. This behemoth of a platform offers locations, directions, photos and reviews. Simply type “best places to shoot in “Your City” and hundreds of places will pop-up. The great thing about this service is that each location comes with many user reviews and photos. You can sift thru the reviews to get an idea of what a location will be like before visiting. The downside to this approach is that Google is flushed with locations and reviews that have absolutely nothing to do with photography. Searching for a specific type of location or relying on non-photographer reviews can quickly become time – consuming and ineffective. Using this service with other options on this list can help solve some of these issues.
Screenshot of Instagram Profile
Ask Social Media to find Cool Photo Locations
Some pro photographers tap into their social network when they want to find a great location. Photographers post pictures to Social Media all the time. Some of the images are geo tagged and some are not. Simply asking your followers or joining a local photography Facebook group can help you find a location with minimal risk. There are downsides to this approach however, you are limited to the knowledge of your network. If you are new to an area, asking strangers on a public platform for locations can come with it’s own risks. Combining this with Google Maps, can help alleviate some of the risks.
Use TakePicsHere to Find Photo Locations
‘Take Pics Here‘ is a free Photo location Finder for Photographers. Created with the intent to help photographers both find locations to shoot and also to coordinate with clients by saving/sharing locations. Locations can be searched by Name, State or Keyword.
Each location has access to weather, photo tips and maps for an enhanced user experience. Users of the platform can create profiles, join local photography groups and earn points by completing photo challenges.
What’s unique about this service is that you can be sure locations and reviews have been made by actual photographers and are photography related. This is a big bonus as the information will be useful and can save you hours of research time.
Overall, I would say that “Take Pics Here” is an awesome platform that has so many free features for location scouting. It’s really a low risk – high reward decision to create a free account.
Overall, There are many ways for Photographers to find Photo Locations
Pro Photographers rely on their experience, network and available tools to find great photo locations. Never limiting themselves to just one method so they are always open to new avenues. In today’s climate, it makes sense to use the technology that is available to us. Free services like Google Maps, Social Media and TakePicsHere can all work together to help you find the right location for your next project. Add one or all of these to your toolkit and immediately enhance your location scouting process.
