Here, There and Everywhere: Photography Locations

When planning photo shoots, one thing that takes a lot of time is figuring out locations. Not only do you have places that do not allow photographs but many of the places that do just don't work well for photos or are locations that you always see in pictures. Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga is a place were you see TONS of photo sessions and I'll admit I've used it once, but being the creative type, I don't want to stick with the same boring field or bridge:) So how do you go about finding unique locations? 

First think about people you know who would allow you to take photos on their land. Close friends and family are usually very willing to let you use their property. I'm planning to do an extended family portrait session on my grandfather's 30+ acres of land.

Another good location is local parks and reserves. You'll need to check with their policy but most are open to photography or have a small fee. You can also check out any public building and use that for a city location. 

Another great thing to do is ask if the client has a location they would like to use or any ideas they have. In shooting Kyle's graduation photo, his mom had friends who owned two barns and suggested that we use that. It always worries me when going to a location without scouting it out ahead of time because some valuable time will be wasted while figuring out where to pose the subject. Since Kyle's mother is also a photographer, I knew I could trust her judgement but I wouldn't suggest agreeing to a location that someone tells you about unless you also trust that person's eye for a good photo. Really in any situation you can find a good photo, it just may be harder than it needs to be.
Here are a few photographs from one of the barns.