Choosing a location for your branding shoot is one of the first decisions that you should make when planning for your clients next session.
And there a few things to consider when deciding on the best location for your clients brand, so I want to break down the pros and cons of the different types of locations to make the choice easier.
What is the look and feel of the images that they want to create?
It’s really important to choose a location that you think best reflects their unique brand.
As every person has their own unique brand personality, this will vary depending on what type of business they have. And the 'vibe' of their business will determine the best location for the shoot.
Do they have a more lifestyle vibe and being outdoors in the garden/beach or even a local cafe might suit them more? What reflects best with the message they are trying create for their clients?
Or sometimes a studio setting against a white background can be the shot you want? This lets you add a lot of text and create some white space in their images if they wanted to add more graphics
Is their brand more polished and professional? Then maybe a more corporate setting might be appropriate for their location.
It’s also a good idea to choose an area that has a variety of shooting spots within the same location to increase the variety of images you can create.
When you can help them get clear on their brand personality, then choosing the shoot location will be a lot easier to decide.
I use my Branding Shoot Guide that I send to my clients so they can start to think about these things early on in the shoot planning process.
Outdoor locations
If an outdoor shoot suits the atheistic they are wanting to create then there are a few things to take into account. Of course all of these recommendations need to be considered with your home city seasons in mind.
If shooting outdoors you also need to consider the lighting situation which is influenced by the season that you are shooting in.
In summer the sun can be really bright and contrasty outside, so you should opt for earlier morning shoot or later in the afternoon. Summer shoots can be great if they have a light, fun, outdoor, beachy brand.
Winter sun offers a softer gorgeous light which is more conducive to shooting in full sun conditions.
Some ideas for outdoor shoot locations are:
- Streetscape/urban areas with colourful walls and doors, or interesting textures.
- Gardens or parks
- The beac
- Cafes and surrounds.
One of the best things about an outdoor shoot is that it is free! Parks, beach and coffee shops are all great back drops that will cost you nothing (except the price of a coffee) and will let you get a lot of variation in your images.
The downside of being outdoors is that you are at whim of the weather gods sometimes, although this can also be managed.
Another thing to keep in mind is how comfortable you are being photographed in public. If the idea of being photographed in front of other people then a better option might be choosing an indoor location.
Indoor Locations
The other alternative is an indoor shoot. This could be at your own premises (if appropriate), or at a hired location.
Generally, depending on the situation, if your clients have their own location, either studio, workshop or consulting rooms, this is usually my recommendation. That way your can share where all the major happens.
You do need to consider though, if their space has nice natural light, and space to move around and use different angles and areas to get a good variety of images.
Another indoor alternative is to book a photoshoot location. This could be either a white walled studio or one of the many photos shoot locations that are started to become available (like Space Agency, Perth). Airbnb’s are another option. There is awide range of indoor locations available so it all depends on the look you are going for.
Some ideas for good indoor shoot locations are:
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Were your clients work now - maybe they have a home office or st
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Airbnb
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Co-working space
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Studio space
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Specific photo shoot location
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Hotel lobby
If you are shooting indoors, you are not restricted by the weather, and what time of day you can shoot. And if you hire a photoshoot location like and Airbnb, then you have access to a lot of different areas eg kitchen, lounge, dining table, and can capture a good variety of images.
If your client don’t have their own space the biggest downside of this option is obviously the cost involved. Where I live you can hire a studio from as little as $40/hr. But the more high end photo shoot locations can start in the hundreds per hour, and can sometimes have a minimum hire charge.
Once again to all depends on what type of location best reflects the clients brand personality, and also their budget for the shoot.
Use Your Imagination
Shoots can take place just about anywhere. Anywhere that’s accessible without being considered trespassing, of course! I’ve shot in coffee shops, cafes, parks, beach, high end hotels, urban streetscapes, even a theatre!
Bear in mind, some locations can take a little more planning and, occasionally, permission will need to be sought.
The location of the photos shoot plays a big part on the the images that you will create so it's really important you can choose a location that best reflects your clients brand voice and messaging that they want to share with their audience.
Lanie xx
PS If you are looking for some support with educating them around some photo imps ideas, then grab my Shootlist Inspo Guide that outlines a suggestion of shots they might need for their branding images.