How do I deal with location, location, location?

How do I deal with location, location, location?

Fortunately, there are options regardless of where you live, :) 

One consideration for your branded lifestyle portrait session that often creates uncertainty and anxiety is figuring out where to shoot.

It’s right up there with, “can you make me look 20 pounds thinner and 10 years younger?”

While I steamroll right past that one with some “encouraging” words of wisdom, the location question undoubtedly begs to be answered since figuring it out as you go is simply not an option.

The good news is that during your strategy call, the answers you provide will help define the types of locations that you need - office, nature, modern architecture, modern look and feel, homey and quaint, as a few blanket examples.

But you can’t exactly put that in a Google Map search and find it - you need to do some more digging. 

So, what do you do?

When I strategize with my clients, I have a list of options to help narrow down the search and identify the choice targets for where we can conduct their branded lifestyle portrait sessions.

Here are a couple quick ideas:

Your home/home office 

Easily the first place to start as it’s much easier to navigate when you’re on home turf. You know where everything is, can easily prep all of your outfits, accessories and props in your bedroom, and switch out as we work through the list of photos to capture. 

The downside is that your space might be on the smallish side which limits creative flexibility. Also, you might not want to shoot at home and have your stuff on display for public consumption.

Something certainly to consider before you invest in your next lifestyle portrait session.

A friend/colleagues' home/home office 

That’s what friends are for, right? 

On several occasions, I’ve conducted sessions in homes and apartment complexes of my clients’ friends and colleagues. It’s not only a free option, but depending on the space, could be an excellent alternative to shooting in your own space. 

The key to this option working? The aesthetic of the space matches your own, otherwise it’s not going to work. 

During the strategy call with your photographer, mention the space and before the session, get some photos of the space and share with him or her to get the green light on it being a viable option based on the aesthetics. 

Coworking Space

This is one of the most popular options for my clients - and for good reason.

First, they’re everywhere in many different shapes and forms. And second, I haven’t been to a coworking space that didn’t have interesting decor, which works well for a wide variety of experts looking to be photographed in a visually interesting space.

Many of my clients are already members of one of these spaces, such as Luminary and WeWork, and part of their membership offers them the chance to book rooms in the space in order to have their photography sessions. 

If not, you can rent a “hot desk” for the day and gain access to other areas of the space.

There is a downside to this option, however. In addition to your photographer being forced to shoot around other coworkers in the rooms,  not all coworking spots treat photographic services in the same way and may restrict your access to other, non-booked areas. 

So before you plan a session in one of these spaces, be sure to get WRITTEN PERMISSION to do so and inquire about any added fees for photography services conducted in that space.

Air BNB

This is certainly a great place to turn when looking for just the right type of space. And, unlike coworking spaces, there’s no one there to get in the way!

Need a homey feel? There’s plenty of spaces for that. Need something more industrial? Keep digging and you’ll find those. Lots and lots of opportunities exist through this option.

The downsides to Air BNB’s is that some spaces have a multi-day minimum rental and prices fluctuate wildly and cost could become an issue, so be mindful of that in your search.

Breather.com spaces

These are varied-sized spaces made available through a website. I’ve spent quite a considerable amount of time shooting in a variety of these rooms. 

Depending on which one you select, some of these rooms are set up as workshop spaces, complete with tables, chairs, monitors and whiteboards - ideal for lifestyle photos of you facilitating in-person. 

In addition to the workshop-ey component, they also has a living room-esque section, as well, with coffee tables and couches. Also, there’s plenty of window light in most of these spaces, too.

This option is great if you’re looking for an hourly solution in a space that is corded off from other people.

Much like the Air BNB’s and cowork spaces that charge additional fees for photographic services, this could also become a costly expense based on the space you choose to book.

Also, breather spaces are not available in every part of the country - I know about it because it’s in NYC and other major US cities. Check the website to see if this service is offered in your city or town.

Outside

Nothing says magical like opening the door, walking outside and snapping away!

Depending on where you go, you can basically find decor that will compliment your personality and brand, which is a huge benefit.

But shooting outside to shoot outside is not the way to approach it. 

Figure out why you need to shoot outside - do you work outside? Love the outdoors? Or, being outside in some way accentuates your personality and brand - and then identify locations outside that make sense for you. 

If you do, then the photos will not only resonate more with you, but also those who come across those pictures.

The downside to outside shots? Well, weather. 

I live in a state that has 4 well-defined seasons, and trying to shoot outside in January or February is not exactly a walk in the park for anyone involved. And rain is never an ideal shooting scenario, so there’s that, too.

It’s important to plan around weather, and determine if it’s that essential to the success of your session, wait until the weather plays nice outside to conduct your session. 

Or, split up your shoot into an indoor day and an outdoor day when it’s nice outside to get the best of both worlds represented in your image content portfolio. 

But don’t try to brave the elements or it will show up all over your face and make those photos unusable. 

Review this list when it’s time to set up your next branded lifestyle portrait session so as to minimize the stress of trying to figure out the best places to shoot. 

Having one less thing to worry about in your session prep will go a long way to maximizing the value of the photos you create.

PS - If you found this article value, I ask that you please share it on your social channels to spread the word. I thank you in advance for the added legwork, :)