Here in the midwest, the weather is [finally] warming up, opening up a whole range of seasonal, outdoor settings for your next portrait, family, newborn, or even boudoir photo session. Shooting outside is a great option to have when choosing a location for your next photoshoot.
Outdoor shooting creates:
- more natural light,
- endless background opportunities for your clients’ photos,
- a personality, mood, or theme to enhance your photos;
And best of all, outdoor spaces typically do not have time or space limits.
Not to mention, you can shoot in plenty of parks or even your own backyard for free!
Things to Consider for Your Next Outdoor Shoot
The weather is definitely a factor when planning an outdoor shoot. While sunny and beautiful weather is ideal for outdoor photo sessions, we cannot control mother nature. Checking the forecast before scheduling an outdoor shoot if you are able, can aid in your planning. But always have your umbrella and waterproof camera gear, just in case, to protect your equipment. If you come prepared, you can seize the moment and capture some creative, fun shots in the rain!
Waterproof Camera Favorites
Another thing to consider when planning an outdoor shoot is packing. You will not have access to special lighting or other photo accessories you might normally use when shooting in the studio. When packing your camera bag, try to minimize your gear to make it more convenient for transporting to and moving around throughout your shoot. Pack the essentials and leave the rest at home. These are a few things I pack in my camera bag for an outdoor shoot: extra lenses, filters, batteries or memory cards, flash, light meter, extra lighting, and a tripod.
Other Considerations for your Outdoor Shoot:
- Consider your client’s wants, needs, personalities, and potential physical handicaps as well.
- Consider accessibility, lighting, cover, and shade opportunities at your potential location.
- Familiarize yourself with your location. Scout the desired location before your photo session to find the best spots to shoot. Look for unique features of the location, leading lines, hidden nooks, sitting spaces, shaded areas, and opportunities to capture reflections.
- Consider using props for your shoot. If you are unable to think of props you would like to use, flowers or mirrors are always a good choice! You could even ask your client to bring a few of their favorite things to use to help add more of their personality to their photos.
- Have some ideas for poses in mind before your photo session. Create a quick access folder on your phone or cloud drive for quick viewing during your shoot if you need to refer back.
More Outdoor Photo Tips
Besides obviously the weather, there are a number of other things you should consider when planning a photoshoot outdoors.
- No flash needed. Shooting outside typically does not require a flash, but you may want one on hand for shooting in shady or covered areas.
- Avoid power lines, signs and billboards, trash cans, and litter in your background when shooting.
- Consider time of day when planning your photo session appointment. Shooting during the golden hours, the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, are ideal for rich colors and softer light.
- Try using a polarizing filter to remove unwanted glare when shooting.
- Use the Sunny 16 Rule to determine aperture without having to use a light meter.
- Always shoot RAW images (or RAW +JPEG) for the best quality images This is your digital negative so files will be larger than your typical JPEG photo. You may lose tones and other photo details when you shoot in only JPEG format.
- Consider taking a small waterproof seat cushion and an old towel for drying seating while posing the subject.
- Shoot from a lower, upward point of view to get more of a background scenery if you don’t have a wide-angle lens.
- Invest in a cart to help transport your gear during your outdoor shoots or while traveling.
When planning an outdoor photo session, there are quite a few things to take into consideration in addition to the weather, but the benefits far outweigh the extra preparation.
If you haven’t done an outdoor photoshoot with a client, I encourage you to add this to your photography shooting bucket list.
I hope you found these outdoor shooting tips and tricks helpful for planning your next outdoor photoshoot! Got another outdoor shooting tip you’d like to share? Leave it in the comments!
Read on to find local outdoor Fort Wayne photoshoot location ideas, as well as my listings for both nearby Indiana and Ohio Festivals, Fairs, Events, and Parks.
Location Ideas for Outdoor Shoots
Parks, fields, playgrounds, fairs, festivals, gardens, ballparks, and other outdoor venues are ideal for shooting photos outside. You can create so many creative photo opportunities in any of these outdoor settings to elevate your client’s outdoor photo session to the next level.
Looking to check out a new outdoor space locally?
Check out my Outdoor Photography Event and Location Reference Guide below to find a unique outdoor spot for your next photoshoot!
Outdoor Photography Event and Location Reference Guide
Fort Wayne Parks & Trails
https://www.visitfortwayne.com/things-to-do/parks-outdoors/
https://www.visitfortwayne.com/things-to-do/parks-outdoors/park-listings/
https://www.visitfortwayne.com/things-to-do/parks-outdoors/trail-itineraries/
Fort Wayne Public Art Murals & Art Walk
Link to the Art Walk and Mural Map from
Visit Fort Wayne
Other Fort Wayne Photo Opps
The Best Places to Take Photos in Fort Wayne
https://www.visitfortwayne.com/blog/post/best-places-to-take-photos-in-fort-wayne/
My Top 3 Favorite Fort Wayne Attractions for Photos
Other Outdoor Location Ideas in Indiana
Indiana Festivals and Events
Festival Country Indiana
Visit Indiana
https://visitindiana.com/events
Indiana Festivals
Indiana.gov -Events
Indiana State Parks
Indiana DNR
https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/
Other Indiana Parks (Listing by County)
Allen http://allencountyparks.org/
Adams https://daparks.com/
Dekalb https://www.countyoffice.org/in-dekalb-county-park/
Huntington https://www.huntington.in.us/county/department/division.php?fDD=11-16
Noble https://www.topozone.com/indiana/noble-in/park/
Wells https://blufftonindiana.net/parks-department/
Whitley https://www.anyplaceamerica.com/directory/in/whitley-county-18183/parks/
Outdoor Location Ideas in Ohio
Fort Wayne stretches over more than 110 square miles of the northeastern part of our state, putting us in close proximity to Ohio. If you are looking for a new outdoor space to shoot, check out some of the festivals, fairs, and parks in nearby Ohio counties for some additional photoshoot location opportunities.
Ohio Festivals and Fairs
Northern Ohio Tourism – Festivals
https://www.northernohiotourism.com/ohio_festivals.htm
Ohio State Parks
Ohio DNR
Ohio State Parks
https://www.stateparks.com/ohio_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html
Other Ohio Parks (Listed by County)
Defiance https://trekohio.com/defiance/
Paulding https://trekohio.com/paulding/
Van Wert https://trekohio.com/vanwert/
Want a copy of this Outdoor Photography Event and Location Reference Guide?
You can download it for FREE here.
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Comments
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[…] venues for different types of shoots (e.g., outdoor, indoor, urban, rustic). Try to avoid booking outdoor shoots for the middle of the day when the sun is the harshest unless there are areas of shade. Recommend […]
[…] some photography props like plants or a book. You can even have your client bring some of their favorite personal items with them to use during the shoot to bring out their personality and add more interest and meaning […]