Location, location, location. Picking that perfect spot for your session!

You are over the moon- you just booked a photoshoot, you have wanted this for such a long time! The next big thing you need to ask yourself is… where on earth are we going to do the shoot? Before you get into a tizz frantically searching through Pinterest for a location to present itself, have a read of this…. 

What does the location mean to you?

When picking out locations for photo sessions, I always tell my clients, “You can never go wrong with home.” That being said, the photo-shoot location could be your actual home- or somewhere you feel at home, there are no hard and fast rules.  “Home” could be a place personally significant to you like a nearby beach where you got engaged or a bush reserve where your kids play. Again, think about something unique to your family. Wherever the shoot takes place, you want to feel really good there.

“Another great way to choose a location is to choose one based on who you are what you love doing most”

Are you all beach bunnies? the Central Coast has so many amazing beaches… seriously take your pick! Or are you complete homebodies and love nothing more then a Saturday arvo at home in your happy place?

You love the wildness and exploring? Our national parks are some of the most beautiful in the Country!

 Prefer something a little more chilled, and boho? There are lots of fields and rustic areas where we can layout a rug and watch the sunset.

You are only limited by your imagination! Have a really good think about what makes you and your family happy and base the session around that.

With all of that being said, there are a couple more logistical things to consider-

particularly when working with kids.

Lighting and Seasons

Picking the best time to shoot makes a massive difference to the end result of your images. Lighting is kinda everything, and I don’t just say that to sound like a pompous photographer!

The best time to shoot in open spaces such a beach or field is within an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset. If you are shooting in the bush or shade you can push it to within 2 hours after or before sunrise/sunset. If you can schedule your session in these times- you will have the most beautiful light (it it legitimately called the golden hour)- it counts for a lot! So when working with kids you need to consider if these times work with naps and their general mood.  If not, you might want to consider an indoor session at home.

Convenience

It may not sound like the most romantic notion, but when shooting with kids, or even grumpy husbands… it is worth considering if the location is convenient. For instance, the idea of a beach session may sound amazing until your 1 year old eats a mouth full of sand in the first 2 minutes. Or maybe a shoot at your favourite national park sounds like a good idea until you have dragged 3 kids and all their stuff up a hill and you are an exhausted sweaty mess before the session starts.

Consider if a long car trip is a good choice before the session, a closer location might just yield better results with their moods, rather then a slightly nicer beach with traffic and fighting kids in the back seat 20kms away. Im certainly not saying just pick anywhere easy, but happy kids are always a priority over grumpy ones- so picking a spot that is super age/child appropriate is important.

Hopefully this offers some insight and inspiration on how to pick the perfect photo shoot location. If all this information has left you completely lost, I have compiled a list of just some of my favourite spots around the Coast in the hopes you will feel inspired!! Most of my picks offer a little bit of variation in the landscape so its not just the one element we are working with, and I can always advise you if a particular spot is kid friendly!

Happy scouting!!