# People, Images

12 Dos and Don'ts of Family Portrait Photography

Tags: Shutterbug Photography, Rookie Photographer

By Sarah Rodriguez-Martinez

 

A family photo shoot is a big responsibility for a photographer and can lead to some stressful situations.

However, when you know certain tricks, taking family portraits becomes fun and enjoyable.

They are a great opportunity to take photos that convey lots of love and joy.

I have put together 12 Dos and Don’ts that will help you successfully start with family portrait photography.

 

1. Tell Them What to Do to Make Posing Easier

If your clients are enjoying themselves, you’ll have a higher chance of beautiful family photos.

You might find a family that is experienced in photo shoots and who like posing in front of the camera. But it is not common.

Posing is not a natural thing for most people. Some of the family members (if not all of them) might feel a bit uncomfortable. This discomfort will appear in the photo and make it look fake.

Instead of directing and ordering them to pose, organise the session and plan things for them to do.

Ask them to walk, run, dance, play, lean on a wall, or hide behind a tree and peek from the sides. You could make them hug each other, make shapes, play games etc.

Take candid photos while the family is having fun. Your images will look beautiful and will also remind them of the great time they spent together.

2. Do Not Pose Your Clients Facing the Sun to Avoid Unwanted Shadows

If you can, avoid having the family looking towards the sun or strong light sources. A lot of people still believe that taking photos with the sun at the back of the subject is not right.

You might think that posing with the sun in front of them offers more light, but the end results can be extremely unflattering. Ugly shadows will appear under their eyebrows, nose and neck.

Direct sunlight is also not ideal because it’s a hard light. It makes the skin look older and less smooth as it enhances small flaws.

On top of that, the family will be annoyed by the light shining into their eyes. They will either close their eyes or squint until the torture is over. To avoid all this, just have them turn around.

Another way to avoid direct sunlight is to shoot family portraits in soft lighting conditions.

You can get great images if you choose a time of the day which is not too close to midday. Capture the family during a nice sunset and see how much it softens the light.

Or simply have the photo shoot in a shadier environment or during a bit cloudy day.

If you choose the first option, when it comes to settings, pay attention to exposure. Take into account the backlight entering into your sensor.

If you are shooting in semi-automatic mode, one trick is to meter the image using Matrix Metering (in the case of Nikon. Evaluative Metering for Canon cameras). Then overexpose 0.3 steps.

For Manual shooting, you can meter the light using the spot metering on the family. In both cases, the family will be well exposed and the background overexposed.

But as the important thing here is the family, a slightly burnt background is a fair price to pay for avoiding photos with closed eyes.

3. Communicate and Engage With Your Clients to Make Them Enjoy the Session

Most families don’t pose for professional photos often. They are not used to it and might feel a bit awkward.

You usually want natural-looking family photos. Besides the technical aspects of photography, you should also take special care to make the family feel comfortable with you.

I play and talk with the kids as much as I can. With the adults, I start a conversation about random subjects until I find something they like and we go from there.

I ask questions like how they met each other and encourage them to tell their story. This is a great step towards building rapport. Ask them personal but discreet questions.

I avoid potentially stressful subjects such as politics or job situation. I prefer talking about travelling, holidays or hobbies.

I also make it clear that if they don’t like a pose or feel strange doing something, they don’t have to do it. All they need to do is say the word and we’ll do something else.

Knowing that they are in control and won’t be forced to pose one way or another builds trust and makes them more comfortable.

Establishing a good relationship is important because you are a stranger to them. And they need to show intimate and personal moments and feelings in front of you.

4. Pay Attention to the Surroundings to Keep the Shooting Comfortable

Before pressing the shutter release of your camera, you need to take care of a lot of things. For example, composition, camera settings for the right exposure, and checking that your models are feeling fine.

It’s easy to forget that there are other things you also need to be aware of.

For example, if you are at the beach, you don’t want them to get their shoes wet by a surprise wave. Or you can’t tell them to move backwards without checking first if they are going to collide with something.

It is good to get used to always paying attention to the environment. Then it gets natural to do it.

5. Tell the Family How to Pose to Get the Look You Want

There’s always a chance that a family of three will interpret your posing directions in different ways.

If this happens, the situation can turn into a mess. Each person would be doing a different thing.

To avoid this, simplify your instructions and try to make them as precise and clear as you can.

Use your body to show how to pose, where to stand and so on. You can even go ahead and demonstrate poses yourself first if you can.

For example, I always show my clients how to lean against the wall by doing it myself first.

If you need to add instructions, use short sentences and reference objects instead of direction.

Avoid “to the right” or “to the left”. Your clients won’t know if you are talking about your right or their right.

Instead, you can refer to objects that you have around: “Turn towards the tree”, “Look at the sea”.

6. Do Not Go Overboard With Editing to Create Timeless Images

Family photos are meant to last for a long time. They are the type of images that we want to keep and check years later or show to the grandkids.

For that reason, I recommend avoiding trendy editing styles and effects. These will probably look weird or unappealing twenty years down the line.

Your aim is to create timeless images. So stick to classic editing styles and simplicity.

This doesn’t mean you can’t add a personal touch. But before finishing the editing ask yourself if you will like this photo 20 years from now. If the answer is yes, perfect! If not, try to simplify the editing.

7. Keep an Open Mind About the Results to Be Prepared for Changes

This is especially true if you are working with kids in the family photo session.

You might have a list of photos to take that, in your brain, work really well. But if the family doesn’t like them much or the kids feel like doing something else, you should adjust to the situation.

It is always better to take a beautiful unplanned photo showing a happy family than a forced one where you can see they are feeling uncomfortable.

8. Use Burst Mode to Make Sure You’ll Capture the Best Moments

Every photographer knows the terrible feeling of taking a group photo just to later realise there’s something wrong with it.

Someone had their eyes closed or otherwise wasn’t ready for the picture to be taken.

For that reason, with family photography, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Taking several photos increases your chances that at least one will have everyone coordinated.

You can set the camera to shoot in burst mode to take a sequence of images, just like in a sporting event.

Remember to adjust the shutter speed to avoid unwanted blurriness due to movements. Something around 1/250 s is a good starting point for this type of action.

9. Use the Environment to Add a Little Extra to Your Photos

It is not unusual to feel a bit weird posing in front of a camera in the middle of a park or a street. When it comes to outdoor family photos, you can use anything around to help them get over any initial awkwardness.

You can tell them to lean on a tree or a wall, sit on a bench or even on the floor (first make sure that it is clean enough). Keep an eye out for any natural frames, which will add a bit more to the composition of the image.

Location scouting that involves the family is a great idea. You can choose a location together that they like based on their memories.

It can be where the couple got engaged, where they first met, or where their children took their first steps. If they are connected to the place, your family portraits are going to be more joyful.

10. Do Not Set Your Aperture Value too Low to Avoid Blurring a Family Member

Portraits have a special vibe when you manage to get your models sharp and the background blurry.

You can create this effect by setting a low aperture value (a small f-number). Using an aperture around f/2.8 will give you a beautiful blur.

However, there’s a risk to it. If your models move, they might be partially or completely out of focus. This is true also for specific body parts of the same person. If your model looks to the side, one eye could be in focus while the other is blurry.

If you want the whole family to appear sharp in the photo, you might need to increase the aperture number. Choose a value around f/8.

You might not get the background blur effect as strongly as you wanted, but everybody in the family will come out sharp.

11. Offer Family Photo Outfit Advice to Bring Harmony to your Pictures

One of the most common questions before the photo sessions is: “What should we wear?”

The idea is that all the family members should look coordinated to convey a feeling of togetherness.

This doesn’t mean they have to be dressed in identical clothes. It means wearing the same style of clothes. All of them can look casual, or wear elegant clothes and with similar colours or shades.

I always recommend they wear natural shades and avoid bright colours that stand out. The person wearing it will catch all the attention in the photo (unless this is what you want).

The same can happen with big illustrations or signs on T-shirts which are quite eye-catching. Unless it adds to the photo, avoid them.

12. Meet at a Convenient Time for the Kids to Avoid Hard Times With Them

This might complicate the organisation process, but respecting the natural rhythm of the kids makes it totally worth it.

Tired, sleepy or hungry kids are difficult to handle. It is almost impossible to have them cooperate or even make them look happy for the photo.

I usually try to combine a good time for the kids and a frame of time with beautiful light.

This means that sometimes I arrange the photo sessions early in the morning. Kids are awake, just had breakfast, and I can use the morning golden hour.

But each family is different and their schedules will be different, so I adjust the photo session to each one.

With family photo shoots, you need to show both your best technical and social skills.

You have to adjust camera settings to get a good exposure. Learn how to use back light and natural light, adjust the depth of field to get the desired effects and so on.

You also need to have the right equipment for family photography.

However, above all, you need to make the family feel comfortable to show their love for each other.

If you keep all these points in mind your family photos will surely become wonderful memories. Kids grow up so fast. Besides being fun, your portraits will freeze a little part of the family’s life! 

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How to Take Fun and Natural Family Portraits

Tag: Shutterbug Photography

By Anabel Dflux 

Nothing holds a deeper place in one’s heart than beautiful family portraits with loved ones. This can be anything from photos of the entire family or just portraits of a couple.
The photographer’s goal is to ensure that the bond and connection between each member of the family shines through every image.
Often times, posed shots can appear static and stiff. Natural family portraits are the ones that capture true personality. As a photographer, this is what you should be aiming for.
Here is how to make sure you get those fun, spontaneous moments at your next family shoot!

The Experience Makes the Difference

Family photography is possibly the most widespread and well-known photographic niche. Making your work stand out is just as important as producing beautiful, captivating photography.
The experience you offer your clients goes hand-in-hand with what kind of portraits you will produce – and how much fun you can bring out of your subjects!
The vibe sets the tone.
Through my own experience, I’ve noticed many of my first-time clients approach a photo shoot as a very stressful ordeal. It certainly doesn’t have to be like that.
A great way to change up that experience is to welcome your clients with a warm, optimistic, energetic, and friendly personality.
Don’t jump right into photographing. Ask your clients how they’re doing, maybe offer them a beverage. Reassure them that the photo shoot will be easygoing. And don’t forget about the kids! Ask them what they’re most excited about to ease their nerves.
Try to amp up the excitement about how much fun they’re about to have in front of your lens.
All of this helps ease any tension the family in front of your lens may be feeling and leads to more relaxed and spontaneous photographs.

Get to Know the People You’re Photographing

A big part of photography is psychology.
The best way to figure out how to bring out your clients’ character is to know their personality in the first place. Whether during the consultation for the photo shoot or the session itself, you absolutely need to get to know your clients on a very personal level.
Ask them questions about what they do, what they like, and what really brings that spark out of them. Even when you’re working with a group of people, ask everyone what relation they have to one another or what their favorite memory is.
From there, you can gauge how to bring the spontaneity out of them.
Some people are easily amused and very happy, telling a silly joke can get the natural laughter to come through in the shot. Others are a bit shyer, and some words of encouragement and comfort can aid in pulling a smile out of the subjects.
You can figure all of this out if you take the time to get to know your clients.

Lens Choice Is Important

The lens you choose will affect how adventurous your fun and natural photographs become. It will dictate how out-of-the-blue some of the photographs can be.
If you are photographing with a 50mm, you’ll have to be fairly close to your subjects. This means it may take a little bit of coaxing to get those natural moments out of them.
On the other hand, if you’re photographing with a telephoto or zoom lens, you can position yourself farther away. This might allow you to capture very spontaneous moments more easily.
Your clients won’t feel like you’re there, which might make them more comfortable.

Be Ready to Adapt

As photographers, we really are constantly changing and adapting to the situations at hand. Your family portrait shoot is no different.
Adapt yourself to what your clients feel most comfortable and confident with, whether it be how you speak to them or your demeanor.
With children, see what the child likes and adjust yourself to better match with what makes the kid excited to be photographed.
If your clients bring a dog, acclimate to the situation and adjust your surroundings to bring the best out of the family’s beloved pooch.

Make Them Laugh

Tell some jokes, play some music – allow your clients to forget the formalities of a photo shoot.
Your aim is to disassociate your clients from any preconceived notions of what a photo shoot should be like. This is possibly one of the best methods of pulling character out of a subject.
Try creating a fun distraction. This will let them escape the “I have to be posing right now because my picture is being taken” mindset.
Playing music helps subjects relax, especially adults who have favourite songs that bring an emotion out of them.
Make silly faces for kids to get them to laugh, or tell a wild joke for their parents.
Create an environment fit for conversation and friendship, rather than a stale client and photographer situation. This way, the facial expressions of your clients will show that they trust you, they’re enjoying themselves, and are feeling completely at ease.

Posing Children – Make It a Game

What kid doesn’t love games? The key to photographing children is to make the photo shoot more like a game. Often parents can stress out their kid by telling them to behave during a photo session. That can make some of the images look uncomfortable.
Children do not hide their emotions like an adult can, it’s written right on their faces. As such, turning posing into a game or something fun is a great way to turn the mood around.
Kids love showing off to someone new. Next time you pose a little boy or girl, ask them to show you how good they can stand on one foot. Or ask them to act out their favourite television character.
The more you engage and the more you make posing something fun, the better the shots.
Great pose ideas include playing with flowers, spinning in a circle, or show off their teeth! Take advantage of what children do naturally when posing them.

Posing Couples – Capture the Love

Couples come to a photographer to have their romance commemorated for a reason. Bring out the love by asking the couple how they met, their favourite things about each other, or beautiful memories that they both share.
When posing a couple, the more romantic, the better. Ask them to kiss one another, pick each other up, smile and laugh, pretend that the photo shoot is an epic date.
The key here is to capture the electrifying bond between the two!
Great pose ideas include kissing, hugging, and cuddling.

Posing Pets – Get Them to Play

When posing owners with pets, have the owner play and kiss their furry family member like they would at home.
Posing owners with their pets for family portraits can be challenging. You cannot direct a dog or cat like you can another person.
This hindrance can actually work brilliantly to your advantage. All the photographs will be naturally fun and spontaneous. Instead of trying to control the uncontrollable, let go of your expectations entirely.
Have the owners of the pets play, kiss, and talk to their furry companions as they would at home, and capture the love that ensues as a result!
Much like kids, take advantage of natural behaviors that pets exhibit.
Great pose ideas include belly rubs, hugs, and kisses. A good trick to encouraging a kiss is to hide a dog treat in the owner’s mouth and the dog will lick their lips.

Expect the Unexpected

Photographing families with children and pets will never go as planned.
No matter how much you try to plan the shots, the likelihood of the shoot not going as planned is great. Children and pets are unpredictable, and as such, your predictions will probably be proven wrong.
Don’t be discouraged! Take this as an excellent opportunity to flex your photographic muscles and creativity.
Expect that you’ll attend the photo shoot and have to change your entire plan. With this in mind, you can focus on simply bringing the personalities out of your clients by engaging with them.

Keep Their Heads Together

When aligning families, keeping their heads as close together as possible looks best.
A compositional trick that you can incorporate into your family sessions is keeping their heads as close together as possible. This is because that intimate proximity portraits affection the best in a static image.
You have to remember that photographs do not move. As such, you have to tell the story through one frozen instance.
If you focus on human body language and psychology, the closer you are to someone, the more feelings you have towards them. If everyone is close together, the photograph oozes with feeling.
Keeping everyone together is also good for composition. This way, you can have some control over spontaneity with a big group.
Depending on what lens you use, you can make sure that there is little chance for any of your subjects to move past your lens and cause you to miss a key moment.

Be More Spontaneous Yourself

How a photo shoot flows starts with you – if you become more spontaneous and less stringent, so will your clients. Be imaginative and fun yourself, come up with silly poses and ideas on the spot and act them out!
Professional photographers do this all the time, contrary to popular belief. This is your time to shine too.
If you see the family you’re photographing not really digging the poses or ideas you have planned, mix it up completely and try something new and fresh. They will appreciate the difference and you’ll love the new photographs you’re capturing.
As a photographer, you’re always learning something new. You can absolutely get a brand new inspiration bug during a fun and natural family portrait session!

Bonus Tip: Don’t Just Focus on the Faces

It’s natural to focus on the face and expression and miss the details. But these are important too!
Photographers have to break out of the habit of focusing only on faces. Some of the details can create an equally powerful and sentimental photograph.
If you see a couple holding hands, zoom in on those hands and capture that connection. If you see a child find a lady bug, use the lady bug in the photographs.
The small stuff can have a big impact. 

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Location Scouting for Landscapes: 10 Lesser-Known Locations

By Gil Gildner 

Are you drawn towards travelling, remote areas, and landscape photographs but are struggling to find great locations to shoot? Well, you may need some help with location scouting.
Not to worry. Below, I’ve curated for you a list of ten gorgeous landscape photography locations that most don’t know about, to help satisfy your wanderlust and give you an amazing shooting environment.
Everyone wants to shoot famous natural landmarks like the Grand Canyon, the Alps, or the Amalfi Coast, but there are other destinations worth going out of your way for that you don’t hear about every day.
Bring a wide-angle lens and a knowledge of panoramic stitching, and you’ll be prepared for all of these landscape photography locations and all the other ones your travels throw at you! 

10 Awesome Landscape Photography Locations

Wanaka, New Zealand

I’m definitely biased towards New Zealand, and it shows in this list. But there’s simply nowhere else I’ve found which offers the sheer diversity of climates and geography that New Zealand does.
Wanaka is a little lake town in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. In the winter it serves as a ski base, and in the summer it serves as everything else. It’s one of the more quaint and relaxing areas I’ve ever been to, and there are photos everywhere you turn.

Monteverde, Costa Rica

After an assignment for a nonprofit in Guanacaste, a province on the Pacific Coast, I spent a week riding the bus through rural Costa Rica.
While the beaches and coast are beautiful, you can find a lot of off-the-beaten-path areas like the Cloud Forest area near Monteverde, a town high up in the mountains.
It takes hours of winding up steep, gravely roads that snake up the side of the mountain, but it’s worth it once you’re at the top. It’s cooler than most of the area, due to altitude, and though it’s almost perpetually foggy, this can make for some beautiful photography.
Be sure to catch the Arenal volcano just a few hours away.

Cape Town, South Africa

South Africa is beautiful, but Cape Town transcends beautiful. Imagine craggy mountains on the edge of a tropical sea, with vineyards in between: that’s what Cape Town is.
As landscape photography locations go, it may not be as obscure as some of the other locations mentioned here, but the fact that the city is still not yet well known for the diverse landscapes in its surrounding terrain that has earned it a spot on this list.
For example, the famous Table Rock towers over the city, and is perfect for early morning fog shots.
And if urban/humanitarian photography is one of your interests, Khayelitsha Township is one of the largest slums in Africa: it spreads for miles, just outside of Cape Town.
Go a few miles east, and you’ll be in the Stellenbosch winemaking region, which runs along the coast. Strand, about an hour east, is a popular beach destination.

Thermopolis, Wyoming

It’s not your typical Western American destination, and due to the active thermal springs it smells like sulphur. Just east of the Grand Tetons is a little area called the Gateway to Yellowstone.
Thermopolis is an old hot spring resort town with a population of 3,000 and is nestled in between massive canyons and rolling plains.
Driving through the town recalls a heyday of long ago, but it’s still worth visiting. Directly west are the Tetons, and directly south is Colorado and the Rockies.

Buller Gorge, New Zealand

This mountainous area is one of the lesser-known areas of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s a long, remote road through the mountains, in between the Marlborough wine country and the rocky upper west coast.
Take the drive during a time in which you can catch either the foggy dawn or the sunset, and fill up with gas before you start driving. There’s only a couple of gas stations along the way.

Fish Hoek, South Africa

Just south of Cape Town, there’s a small fishing village called Fish Hoek on False Bay, with a picturesque harbour well-shielded from the elements.
Keep on travelling down the highway for a few hours and you’ll eventually come to the Cape of Good Hope, the traditional southernmost point of the African continent, where the Atlantic Ocean becomes the Indian Ocean.

Rajasthan, India

India provides plenty of options for exotic photography, the most interesting of which can be found by heading north, past the typical Taj Mahal shots.
I hired a driver for three days for 10,000 rupees (around $150). He drove me from New Delhi up to the Pakistani border, to the province of Rajasthan. It’s straight Middle East: camels, sand, elephants, street markets, and rolling red mountains.

Ireland-to-France Ferry

There’s a $60 overnight ferry that runs from Ireland to France. It begins in a tiny fishing village in the south of Ireland called Rosslare, and ends in a small city in the north of France called Cherbourg.
It takes a little less than a day, but it’s worth the experience and view. If you take it outside of vacation season, you might be one of the only passengers on board. It’s the cheapest way to get a legitimate ship ride experience that I’ve ever found.

Nile River, Uganda

The Nile River starts at Jinja, Uganda, where Lake Victoria becomes the source of the Nile. It’s quite rapid and swift throughout Uganda, and makes for some great photography as it winds through the bush.
An hour or two north of Jinja, a few locals have created an overlook in the corner of a horseshoe bend where people come to look at the rapids. In between it all, there are a thousand villages perfect for exploration and photography.

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Blessed as it is with its abundance of landscape photography locations, New Zealand might deserve to be in this list ten times, but that’s hardly fair, so we’ll have to settle for three.
If you’ve always wanted to shoot in Iceland, but haven’t yet had the chance to pop over to Reykjavik, then an alternative might be the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
It’s remarkably Nordic: it’s almost the southern hemisphere’s mirror reflection of the North Sea.
Franz Josef is a massive glacier tumbling from the Southern Alps down into the Tasman Sea. It’s huge, the water is icy and blue, and at the base of the glacier is a rainforest: one of only two places on earth where a glacier is within walking distance of a jungle.
You can hike the glacier with a strenuous all-day trek, or take a helicopter ride up to the top.

Discovering breathtaking landscape photography locations is one of the most exhilarating things in the world for travel and photo junkies. And the world is a big place — there are plenty more photo-worthy places to find almost everywhere. The key is to keep an eye open for the unusual and rarely seen.

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The Blue Hour occurs twice a day, just after sunset and just before sunrise. The light progression of the evening is the inverse of dawn.

The light during the Blue Hour provides a sense of tranquility that resonates with us as silhouettes and shapes drift from light to dark, or vice versa. A beginning and an end.

There is something extraordinary about experiencing the light during the Blue Hour.

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How to Prepare For Your First Client Photo Shoot

Tags: Landscape Photography, Photographers near me, Lightroom

By Darina Kopcok 

The key to a successful first client photoshoot is preparation.

Whether you’re shooting on location or in the studio, pulling off a photoshoot involves a lot more than bringing a big camera.

Here are my essential tips to help your first shoot with a client go as smoothly as possible.

 

Create a Mood Board to Share Ideas With Your Client

This is to make sure that you and your client are speaking the same language. It’s crucial to have visual information that communicates the required end result.

A mood board is one of the best ways to do so. You can ask your client for one or come up with one yourself.

Simply put, a mood board is a collection of images gathered together in collage form. They are used extensively in design and photography to communicate the direction of a project.

Asking your clients for a mood board or images that represent the desired aesthetic will ensure that everyone involved in the photoshoot is on the same page.

Miscommunication occurs when people have different ideas about what different terms mean. You may have one idea about what constitutes a “dark and moody” shot while your client may have another. Your perception of the color teal maybe someone else’s green.

Having a mood board can help you and your client define the lighting style, color treatment, composition, or any other important elements that are desired for the final images.

Note that 4-6 images are all that you really need. Too many images may dilute what is meant to be conveyed.

Ultimately, a mood board can go a long way in preventing any client dissatisfaction and the need for a costly re-shoot. 

Do a Tech Scout of the Location

A tech scout (or technical scout) is when you visit your shooting location ahead of time to get “the lay of the land”. It’s a term used widely in the film industry but it’s important to photography as well.

Location can make or break a photograph. It’s important to know exactly what you’ll be dealing with before you do a professional shoot.

As a commercial photographer, I try to do a tech scout for every shoot I do for a client.

If I’m shooting in a new studio, I make sure I have enough space to work in and that the studio has a kitchen. This is necessary for me as a food photographer working with stylists.
If I’m shooting at a restaurant, I visit beforehand to see if there are enough windows for me to shoot in natural light. Or if I will need to bring in lighting equipment.

When shooting outdoors, there can be a variety of factors that can influence your shoot. These include the light you’ll be photographing in, how public the space is, and what the actual terrain looks like.

There is always some thinking on your feet involved in photography. But anticipating any problems before the actual shoot will ease your stress and help you make sure that you have everything you need to be successful.

Are there enough large trees in that park that you can move your subjects too if the sun is too harsh? Is the area where you want to take family portraits actually too crowded?

Or maybe the tide will not be out far enough at the time you intend to take engagement photographs at the beach.

Timing your shoot with the position of the sun can be crucial for most outdoor shoots.  You can use an app like Sun Seeker to help you determine where the sun will be for your shoot.

Make sure that you bring your camera to the tech scout and the lenses that you plan on using. Not only can some test shots be used to determine possible camera settings for your shoot day, you may need to send them to a client.

Professional photographers often scout 2-3 locations for a potential shoot. Then they let the client choose where the shoot will ultimately take place.

Keep in mind that putting a tripod down in some public places can require a permit.

If you’re shooting a portrait, you might be able to move along if you encounter this scenario. But with a commercial production, it can potentially be disastrous.

Rent or Borrow Extra Gear You Might Need

A big part of photography is problem-solving. Unfortunately, this often means gear issues or technical difficulties.

First of all, make sure that you have all the gear you need to pull off the photo shoot.

This may mean renting items that are not part of your regular setup or purchasing extra SD cards, etc.

You should also bring at least two of everything.

This doesn’t mean just two batteries and SD cards. It also means two cameras, a variety of lenses, and extra extension or tethering cables.

A backup camera may be the last thing you can afford financially. But you also cannot afford to have your equipment die on you on an important photo shoot.

Digital cameras get error messages and stop functioning for a host of seemingly inexplicable reasons. You need to be prepared for this.

It might mean borrowing a camera from a photographer friend. Or buying a used one that might not be top-level but will help you get the job done in the event your camera craps out.

The same goes for lighting equipment if you use it. Not only do I bring an extra strobe light to my commercial shoots, I also bring a couple of extra speedlights and remote triggers in case something goes wrong with my strobes.

Make a list of every single item you will need to complete the shoot. Then make sure that you have it or can buy it or rent it.

Hire an Assistant to Speed Up Your Workflow

There are certain types of shoots that require assistance. Wedding shooters often have backup photographers that shoot alongside them. This ensure they get images that they may have missed.

Other photographers have assistants to hold reflectors, help with small things like changing batteries and lenses as well as transporting gear.

The role your assistant should take is up to you, as is figuring out when you actually need one.

I have an assistant on almost every shoot that I do, even if the job is seemingly small.

In fact, I worked with an assistant on my very first food photography job. That was a two-day restaurant shoot where I was required to photograph fifty dishes!

My assistant helped me swap out background, change my lenses and adjust my tripod. He also acted as the liaison between me and the kitchen.

His assistance helped my workflow go much faster and ensured that I would be done on time.

On shoots where I have needed to use artificial lighting in studio, my assistant has managed my lighting and gear in addition to making sure everything I need is at my fingertips.

There is only so much you can do with one pair of hands. Having an assistant is not necessarily expensive and the cost is worth tacking onto a quote or even paying out of pocket for if need be.

What to Do the Day Before the Shoot

Here are the things you need to do the day before your photo shoot.

• Finalize what equipment you’ll need to bring. My suggestion is to have a checklist of the gear and accessories you need to bring to shoots and refer to it whenever you are packing your photo shoots. If you are working on a commercial shoot, you will need to determine any gear rentals ahead of time. Pack any reflectors, extension cords and your laptop if you use it for tethering.
• Clean your equipment. Wipe your camera and lenses and laptop keyboard and screen.
• Charge your batteries. Have several on hand to change out before you run out.
• Look up directions to the venue. Don’t rely on your GPS on the day of. I have been taken to the wrong address by relying on apps more than once.
• Check your camera settings. Make sure they are at a neutral starting point or that any settings that you don’t want are switched off and vice versa, such as back button focusing or exposure compensation.

What to Do the Day of the Shoot

Always be early for your shoots. How early you need to be will be determined by the type of shoot you are doing.

If you are shooting in a studio, you may need at least an hour to set up and test your lighting.

On the other hand, if you’re doing family portraits, fifteen minutes should be sufficient to set up your gear depending on the light source at the location.

Hopefully, you have done a tech scout and are familiar with the location. But give yourself extra time if you need to find parking or if you need to walk a stretch.

Any model releases and contracts should be signed up front. Bring a copy of these with you in case you need to refer to them.

There is that old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That is definitely true when it comes to pulling off your first professional photo shoot.

The last thing you want is to discover a dead battery with no backups, or that you have forgotten to pack your favorite lens.

Knowing you have everything under control will help you focus on your photo shoot and allow your creativity to flow.

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8 Tips for Planning Better Landscape Photo Shoots

By Anton Gorlin 

Some people think that landscape photography is about luck but in reality, it’s about planning. Good landscape pictures come out of many factors, and planning the photo shoot is one of the most important. The luck part takes no more than 5-10%.
The recipe is being in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, it doesn’t make any sense to go out at all.
In this article, I’ll cover the most efficient planning tips and tricks to get the best landscape images. 

Planning a Landscape Photo Shoot

The planning stage includes several aspects, and each of them should align perfectly to make the whole structure work. There are basically two approaches – happy snapping and proper planning.
The former is good when you want to have fun and unwind with no serious expectations. Sometimes the stars align and you get a great shot, but chances are slim.
The latter approach is about planning, improving chances and using your mind and skills efficiently. I strongly recommend planning every single shoot to get the best possible landscape pictures.

1. Weather in Landscape Photography

The weather has the most significant impact on the final landscape pictures. The cloud cover, the wind, tide, humidity – everything plays a role. There are no set rules because it differs for each scenery type.

Cloud Cover

I use http://accuweather.com/ to fetch this info as it provides hourly data. The other site to check for detailed cloud cover is Skippy Sky, which looks confusing but the data is unique.
High clouds typically produce better colours and start to lighten up much earlier than the low clouds.

For the general landscape photo shoot, I wouldn’t go out if the cloud cover is less than 30%. For a morning forest walk, I could easily go out when the sky is clear. The same clear sky works fine to shoot some of the seaside lifestyle photography.
The general idea is to think in advance what kind of cloud cover works for your area and go from there.

Wind

The force and direction of the wind can also play a role in the decision making. For instance, a strong wind blowing from the sea will surely cover your lenses with a salty spray so it could be wise to go to the cliffs, for instance.
On the other hand, the same strong wind blowing towards the sea is dangerous when you climb those cliffs, so it’s better to stay at ground level.
If the plan is to shoot reflections in a calm lake, look for weak winds up to 10 km/h. The same thing applies to fog; strong winds won’t let it form.
Also, wind is very important for long exposures. The faster the clouds move, the more prominent cloud trails they produce. So, if the plan is to create some movement in the sky, strong winds work better.

Humidity

Photographers adore fog and haze. Weather websites have general predictions and sometimes we could miss perfect fog if we skipped physics in school. For fog to form, we need a temperature lower than the Dew Point (shown on Accuweather).
The dew point calculation includes humidity, of course. But the weather sites don’t take into account that certain areas have higher humidity than average. Like, near the lake or the river.
So, if the forecast isn’t showing fog, but the temperature is just 1-2C higher than the Dew Point, and the general humidity is high enough (>85%), there’s a good chance of witnessing morning fog.

2. Pick the Right Time of Day and Year

Some areas work best during the sunrise, some work only for sunsets. It’s up to the photographer to figure out when to arrive. Have a look at the objects you want to photograph and envision the light coming from the East or the West and see which highlights the features better.
Walk around, try several frames and then you’ll know which side you need the light coming from.
The hard part here is that the Sun position changes throughout the year and you need to include it in planning. The easy way to determine the exact Sun position is to use SunCalc right in your browser. The other way is to use apps like “PlanIt! For Photographers”, TPE or PhotoPills.
They also show this data for any day/time/year and also have a virtual reality mode where the app shows Sun position overlaid on the camera picture of your phone.
Make notes, don’t rely fully on your memory. Too many places and conditions to remember.

3. Research on the Spot

The best way to prepare is to research on the spot. Come over well before the best light, walk around, take notes of the best spots and points of view. Envision where the Sun is going to be at certain times and see what’s the best position to stand.
This research is also good for safety – you get familiar with the area. This is when you determine if the area works for sunsets or sunrises, how a long exposure shapes the terrain, etc.

Another aspect of this research is to discard certain locations. You could see some fantastic photo on the internet, and in reality, it is completely different.
It could work only for a certain season or tide level or only in a certain light. Or some landmark has been destroyed. Or it’s so full of photographers that it is no longer possible to do any serious photography.

4. Research Online

Online research is my favourite way to find locations. The number of approaches you can take is unlimited. This is what I do to find the best spots:

1. Images on Google maps. People upload tons of photos right to the maps. Of course, they are mainly touristy, not artsy. But that’s good for us as we could find some not-so-famous spots.
2. Google maps. This approach is different. You turn on satellite view and scan the area to find something interesting just by looking from the top. Once you have several candidates, you’ll need to research them further using other methods.
3. 500px search. Photographers often set a location on their photos. They could also include it in tags or description, and the search reveals all of it. I guess you could do the same on Flickr, but you’ll have way more data to dig through. I have found a good number of nice undiscovered spots using this method.
4. Local photo tour guides. Some tour guides publish their tour itineraries, and you could stalk best locations if you are planning a trip. Once you have a list of locations, you’ll need to research them individually to find exact spots. Google something like “Photography workshop Sydney” or “Photography tour Australia” and then go through the sites. Not all of them will have a list of locations but some will.
5. TripAdvisor. Not so much photographer-oriented but it could also provide valuable textual data when you already have a list of locations. People here also upload photos, and it’s easy to understand if the place holds any photographic potential.
6. Use apps. I have already mentioned a few Android/IOS apps and SunCalc website. You don’t need to be there physically to determine if the Sun/Moon/Milky Way is in the right spot.

5.Look Out For Special Conditions

It not wise to visit a location just once. Many areas look ordinary but have a huge potential during certain weather conditions. You need to take notes and envision what the area could turn into when something special happens.
A great example is a Centennial Park here in Sydney. On a regular day, it looks nice but ordinary. But I figured it used to be a swamp. It means it holds water for a long time.
I went there right after the rain, and I was rewarded with the completely new landscape. Could you guess I made this shot right in the middle of the city?

Other special conditions include – Sun position, Milky Way position, tide, rain, fog, storm, tornado, etc.. Use your imagination.
Pro tip: Do not run away immediately if the weathers bad. Remember an old saying about the rainbow after the rain? Give nature a chance; maybe it shows some magic.
Patience leads to some unbelievable results.

6. Plan Enough Time

We all know (I suppose) that the best time to shoot landscape images is approximately 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunrise and 1 hour before sunset to 1 hour after sunset. But it doesn’t mean we have to arrive exactly 1 minute before the best light.
These timeframes can be easily extended depending on weather conditions. For instance, the sun can produce crepuscular rays 2 hours before sunset. Or the clouds can lighten up 75 minutes before the sunrise in extreme cases.

Also, for me, I need some extra time to get myself to the right mood. I can’t jump out of the car and start shooting right away. I suppose it could be the same for others – walk around, breath in the air, have a look at various elements, calm down, clear your mind, etc.
And when the light comes in, you’ll be ready.

7. Research Less Famous Places

Some places have been photographed for decades. It’s a little presumptuous to believe that you can shoot this particular landmark better than thousands of photographers before by visiting it only once. Or at least that you can make a unique shot.
I mean, you surely can, but what are the odds? You get yourself stuck in an unnecessary competition and comparison. And finally, you’ll be biased with the composition choice because you’ve seen it all.
Wrapping up, shoot famous places but focus on less crowded and photographed areas. Find new gems, discover places, build your own secret spots.
One day you could blast off a photography tour, and you need those unique places. No one will attend a tour based on a spot they can Google in 2 minutes.
I have described some ways to discover new places earlier in this article. But nothing beats you with a backpack roaming around, taking notes and looking for wonders. It doesn’t have to be a place in the absolute wilderness where no one has ever been before. It could easily be a good underrated location.
A good example is Wanaka Tree. I went there and was baffled by the number of photographers standing in the same spot doing the same shot. So I walked around and found this frame just 200 meters away.

8. Pack the Right Gear: From Clothes to Tripods

Packing right is often overlooked. But I must assure you, it is very important. Proper equipment in your bag could save a trip. It’s also nice to have a checklist to go through before going out. Create one for yourself using some of the tips below.

Warm clothes

If the days are hot, it is easy to forget that the nights can be much colder, especially if it isn’t summer. Staying in a spot with minimal movement is not the same as trudging through the forest with a backpack.
Take warm clothes. I also have spare socks for the way back in case my feet get wet during the shoot.

Rain/Wind Protection

If there is a chance for the rain, take an umbrella. An umbrella is too old-school you say? Well, it’s not for yourself, it’s for the camera!
An umbrella is very useful to protect your camera from the rain, obviously, but also it can resist wind, which could easily ruin your long exposure shot. Get a raincoat for yourself.

Tripod

Believe me, it’s very sad to forget a tripod or a tripod plate. Just check them before going out to avoid the disappointment.

Battery

Check the battery before going out. Take a spare one if you have it.

Memory cards

The same applies to memory cards. Verify that one is inside you camera and bring another one just in case.

Extra Lenses

This advice is my favorite one. Do not set limits for yourself! If the plan is to shoot wide-angle seascapes, take a telephoto too. There could be a dolphin or a shark in the distance.
Do not take everything you have because you still need to move somehow but guess the possibilities and cover as much focal range as you can.

There is a place for luck in the photographer’s life but it plays a much smaller role than some would think. The most significant role is reserved for proper planning. Of course, you can’t plan everything and weather forecasts fail too.
It’s more about being prepared for several scenarios. We need to be in the right place at the right spot and that’s exactly what planning is all about. 

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