In this latest edition of the “How To:” series, we’re looking at how important it is to get the most out your photoshoot location in order to be able to create a story and a collection of images that can be used on a variety of platforms to create links back to your own website and your blog post.

With Instagram fast becoming the pre-eminent platform for promoting your photography work, it is really easy to fall into the trap of seeking that one perfect image for your next post. Instead, we need to shift our focus from a solitary hero shoot to a mini portfolio of work that promotes us as the commodity.

The endpoint of Instagram is to get your followers to convert to blog readers, and possibly print buyers or any other product that you are wanting to sell.

If you want people to connect or ‘buy-in’ to your photography its best to see Instagram as the teaser to come to your blog or website. When you have a blog, you afford yourself the chance to convey your experience of the shoot location. Once you start thinking and planning your shoots in this mindset, it becomes easier to adapt and direct your focus whilst on location.

 

 

 

Think about the following questions when you’re on a location shoot and you’ve had a quick explore:

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF ON LOCATION

• What are the most prominent features of this location?
• What are the features of this destination or landscape that you weren’t aware of before?
  (this is the unique point of difference for your shoot, but also your recollection of it later on in the blog post)
• Are there any objects that I can focus on to provide a different perspective or different focus for an image?
• Can I come back at a later time and shoot these features in golden light?
• Can I shoot this feature from different angles and perspectives?
  – this can be a great way to add what I call ‘consistent variety’ to share your blog post across your desired social media platforms

 

 

 

As you can see from these two images above (from the Lizard Peninsula), the time of day is key in both. The top image, however, is also incorporating an object that shows you how the location is experienced. In this case a weather-worn loveseat, allowing visitors to soak in the coastal splendour before them. Object-oriented images like these allow the viewer to imagine themselves in that location, and how they too would experience it.

You might be thinking “But what if I don’t know what to write?”.

The best tip I can give is to take note of what that location makes you feel;

• Does it remind you of something (or a trip) from childhood
• Does that location make you feel more relaxed? If so, is it the sounds, the colours, the flora or the fauna, the buildings, the history etc. You get where I’m going, right?

Your first few blog posts can just be a couple of sentences per image, then a summary to sign off. Your confidence to write up your shoot experiences will grow, and eventually, the words will flow.

The more images you take of places/features that make your heart sing, the easier it will be to write about them and eloquently convey the sense of place you felt there.

I know, I know, I’ve consistently spoken about capturing what makes our hearts sing, but it’s so important.

It’s where the connection happens, and its where people choose to tag along, where they emotionally buy-in to your photography.

You want to create as many opportunities as possible from that one location photoshoot as well. And sometimes the best learning comes from what you feel you could have done better. Ask yourself the following after a shoot:

• What tips could you have given yourself beforehand to have made the shoot easier?
• What did you pack, what apps or resources could you use to make sure you will be getting optimum light opportunities for your photographic vision next time?

I know how easy it is for your mind to race at a location and you come back with images that truly don’t convey what you felt there.

Try some of these things and see how you go. If you’re just going to remember one thing, remember to explore. Allow yourself to observe and the images will come!

Buutt, I also thought I’d give you a little something that I find helpful when I go out on my personal shoots, and to be honest, I adapt it a wee bit the night before client shoots so I’ve got a rough idea to go by.

 

Sooo, here is my B-Roll Location Checklist PDF! Click image below and it will take you to the PDF of my checklist

 

Let me know in the comments below, what other ideas do you think would be helpful for getting the most out of your location shoots?

 

Much Love