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Planning a Location Shoot- Outdoor Photographer
A successful shoot, especially where landscapes are concerned, is not about actually taking the picture, but instead the work that went into arriving at the location at the right time. Some pre-planning and a little homework goes a long way into setting yourself up for the shoot and can take place days, weeks or even months in advance. Knowing as much about the area you want to photograph beforehand, not only allows you to get a feel of the place before you even arrive, but saves a lot of wasted time when you actually get there. Here are a few pointers, to help you get the best out of a location.
Research
First of all you have to decide where you are going to take your picture. You may of course have a location in mind that you already know about or have seen pictured in a magazine before, which is perfect. If you haven’t, then you need to do some groundwork to find this ideal location.
Looking through magazines and books is a good starting point and photography magazines at least are full of fantastic locations that other photographers have visited (OP’s Viewpoints is a prime example). Also, by going online, you could use photo libraries as another way to see the potential of a certain area. You can then print off thumbnail versions for reference so that you can track down the exact location when you get there. Having found your ideal location however, do try and find your own unique take on that location, rather than just copying the image you have printed off.
Project Yourself
One of the main differences between an amateur photographer and someone working as a professional, is that the professional usually has a set brief from the client about what type of photograph they require. Although the pro is then free to let their photography skills give the client that unique picture they were hired for, they are still working on a specific project. For the amateur, things are little different. They are free to photograph whatever they want, but this can often be a hindrance, rather than an advantage. Having no goal or specific subject to work on, could leave them wondering just what to shoot, so with this in mind, it’s good to set yourself a project. The main advantage of this is that it gives you a certain amount of tunnel vision, which in this case is a good thing and your final images will benefit this control.
Inside Knowledge
Remember that you can’t always obtain all the inside information about a location using the internet etc. So use other people who may know the location better than you. This may include phoning a garden to check on the in-season plants being at their best, or contacting a fellow photographer from the area for advice. It could also include contacting the Tourist Board for snippets of information about the location or checking online forums and websites where other photographers list places they have been before and checking the advice they give.
Use social networking sites for live updates too
Do you use Facebook or Twitter? Then ask around to see if anyone is nearby your chosen location to see how the weather is holding up to the forecast predicted. (Ideal if heading for an afternoon shoot somewhere)
Pre-Visualise your perfect shot
Although your final image will be determined by the situation and prevailing conditions of the day, it’s worth going over the perfect scenario in you’re mind in the days leading up to your shoot. Just like an Olympic Bobsleigher can be seen before a run, running the course in his mind with his eyes closed, imagining every twist and turn for the perfect run, so you should visualise the days shoot over and over, so that you have a preset plan of how you want the shoot to go. That way you will settle for no less than the perfect shot.
Maps
Another way of checking out locations is simply by studying a map. Even if you don’t know a certain area, by studying a map and checking out the contours, river lines and natural beauty colourings you can build up a mental picture of the lie of the land in the location and almost visualise its potential. Try Ordnance Survey 1/25000 Explorer maps as a starting point, as these have the right mix of detail and coverage. You could also go online and check your findings on Google Earth, where you actually see the location in real pictures. I find Google Earth ideal for planning a shoot of a building or location that I have identified the layout of. You can then use Google Earth to determine the best time of day to capture it, and determine whether it is a morning or an afternoon shoot.
Remember also to use your maps to find access routes to get to your location as well as nearest parking spaces, so that you are not hunting around for these when you arrive, thus wasting valuable time.
Tides
Tide times play an important role in timing your recce of a location, and obviously apply to shooting at the coast. If you are shooting a sunrise on the east coast you probably want to time it with a low or receding tide to make use of the rippled sand or underlying rocks to use in the foreground of your picture. Therefore, you need to know what time low tide is at the moment the sunset is at that particular time of the year. You can find this information out from various sources, with the internet being the obvious one, where you'll find several websites offering tide time for a given location for the week ahead, For a more further based reading then you can buy time tables that cover a whole two years in advance and are well worth purchasing if you regularly shoot by the coast.
Weather Forecast
Light is one of the key ingredients to a successful landscape image and so listening to the weather forecast will also be detrimental to being at the right location at the right time. Keep an eye on the forecast for a period of good weather although it should be noted that a ridge of high pressure is not always the best time to go shoot a location. It may guarantee good, sunny weather, but a stunning landscape under a clear blue sky is not always the best combination. Changeable weather is going to offer a more dramatic weather pattern suitable to you, although it will increase the likely hood of rain.
Weather approaching from the north is also a good sign for photographers, as a chance of some good light. A high pressure weather system does have one distinct advantage though, in that there is the chance of some mist in a valley or over water as the temperature rises and is an added bonus to any scene.
Webcams
Often if I am travelling to a location in the day and want a live update on the weather, webcams can give a good idea of the prevailing condition. These can even be roadside traffic cams that are near to a location, just to give you an idea if it is as sunny as predicted or not.
Got an i-phone? Get an App
There are dozens of Apps or Applications to help the photographer plan their trips. These include tide timetable, depth-of-field scales, Google Earth maps, NT property guides, sunset/sunrise times etc.
Time of day/week/year
Once you have chosen your ideal spot, now comes the decision to consider the ideal time to shoot it. Unless you are very lucky and have arrived at exactly the right moment when the light is perfect, you will have to return after considering several factors. First its time of day, Where should the sun be to light the scene perfectly? Is it a morning shot or a location that looks its best in the afternoon? Are you going to shoot it with sidelight or is this an ideal place to capture at sunrise? To determine these factors you are going to need to know which direction your chosen subject is facing and therefore you will need a good compass. An essential accessory for any landscape photographer this will tell you exactly what time of the day (or year) you need to be in your chosen spot to get it at its best. Use on-line charts to determine where and when the sun will rise or set as well as what time. You want to be in position well in advance to set up your camera, so knowing these exact times is essential in your planning.
And speaking of time of year, this can also play a major role in when is the best time to shoot a location. If a location is worth taking then it’s worth taking at the ideal time and that may mean coming back not tomorrow, but in four months time.
The day of the week can even play an important part in the planning. This will mainly be how the role of other people in your shot affects your planning. Urban shoots I find are best taken on a Sunday morning whilst most folk are still in bed, whereas landscape images are best timed for a weekday shoot when those same folk are busy at work rather than wondering around the countryside on a weekend stroll.
Book ahead
If you are planning a morning shoot or sunrise, then it may be better to stay overnight on location to be ready for the morning, especially if you want to avoid morning rush hour traffic. So book yourself into a campsite of B&B, or at the very least take a list of the nearest accommodation, just in case you decide to stay an extra day on location for the ideal light.
Get permission
Depending on your chosen location, you may need to obtain permission to shoot from a certain spot that may be on private land. This may be a case of phoning a garden to be allowed in early, writing to the owner of some private property several weeks in advance or just checking online to see what the what the access rights are. This of course, all needs to be finalised in time for the shoot and not left until you arrive on location and then chance your luck. Plan early to avoid unnecessary disappointment.
Set a schedule
Using your pre-planned information, you can then set yourself a loose schedule to make the most of the day. Give yourself two morning locations and two afternoon locations and make sure that you don’t have to travel to far between each location. If things go well you may also be able to return to one for a sunset shot or even go on to shoot a night picture if the location suits.
Soak up the atmosphere upon arrival
Once you arrive at your chosen location, before you even take the camera out the bag, take a moment to savour the sights and sounds that weren’t available to you in the planning stage. Breath in the air, feel the wind on your face and savour the smells and sounds that help create the location. Combine this with your pre-visualised set up and you will be able to get a real sense of the place in your images.
Reserve plan
As part of your schedule, always be prepared for the worst and have some reserve locations in mind if rain or cloud stops play. Waterfalls are always a good choice and this often works best on an overcast day, when there is less contrast and can benefit low light levels to obtain long shutter speeds. Even having locations in mind to shoot in black and white can work on overcast days and I take along some toy cameras (like the Holga) and a pinhole camera, which seems to produce the best results on overcast days too. In town, you may be able to find places where you can shoot inside instead and will add to your range of shots of a particular town.
If the sun isn't shining as planned, then you could try some abstract shots and the coast is ideal for this to do abstracts on the beach. Also, long exposure shots (i.e 1min or longer) with an ND filter also benefit from overcast days, again especially at the coast, where you will get movement from the tide and heavy clouds overhead that make great shots. Both make ideal back up plans rather than coming home with nothing.
Prepare yourself
Don’t forget to think about your own personal preparations when considering going out on a shoot. This means making sure you are prepared for all weathers, so adequate clothing and waterproofs need to be considered. Shooting at the coast? Then remember to take a pair of wellies that may get you that illusive angle without getting your feet wet for the rest of the day. Take some food with you rather than buying some on location, as the last thing you want to do is stop your shoot, because you are feeling ill, because you haven’t eaten properly. Then lastly, make sure your camera gear is fully prepared. Make sure you have all your memory cards or rolls of film and that your battery and spare batteries are fully charged. If you need to clean your sensor or lenses, then best to do this at home rather than in the field.
Preparation is the key to a successful shoot. Make sure you have ticked off your check list before you go as, once you are in the field, you will be kicking yourself if you forget something trivial but important to the shoot. Pre-planning also saves you time and allows you to make the most of a location by scheduling your arrival at the peak time for shooting.
© Craig Roberts
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