Lesson 1: Choosing a Photo Shoot Location – Professional-Quality Family Portraits at Home

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to:

- - Identify the photo’s context and current weather conditions to decide if the photo shoot should take place indoors or outdoors.
  - Evaluate photoshoot location options based on weather conditions, time of day, space available, backdrop characteristics, and access to natural light to select the best location.

Taking professional-quality family portraits at home is mostly about deciding where and when the photo should be taken. There are many factors that should be considered when making this decision, and with good reason – a great location at the perfect time can mean the difference between a good family portrait and a great one.

The first step in determining the location is to consider the portrait’s context, and whether the photo should ideally be taken indoors or outdoors. A portrait of a teenager graduating from high school in mid-May would make an excellent choice for an outdoor photograph, for example, while a photo of a child’s second birthday in mid-February would not. Once you have determined in general whether the portrait should be taken indoors or outdoors, make a list of possible photo shoot locations. We will refine this list using important considerations for indoor and outdoor options.

For outdoor location options, a key consideration is the weather conditions at the time you wish to take the photo. If the weather is rainy and windy, for example, an outdoor location clearly won’t suffice and you will need to do an indoor photo shoot. Similarly, if it is dark outside you will want to rule out outdoor locations as well. When conducting a photo shoot outdoors, access to natural light is key to getting the best results. As a general rule, the best window of daylight for outdoor locations is any time between one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. Anything earlier or later could result in photos that are too dark to work with. Sunrise and sunset times vary based on your location and the time of year, so using a tool such as Google to search for sunrise and sunset times can ensure you have accurate information.

For indoor location options, the amount of space available for subject(s), photography equipment, and any props you may be using is a key consideration. To begin, measure the camera’s tripod radius with fully extended legs. Then measure the radius of any additional equipment props. Finally, combine these two values with the space required for subjects (Number of subjects x 2 feet). Compare this value with the square footage of the inside space being considered to determine if it is feasible for the photo shoot.

Working With the Light

What You Should Know

For either indoor or outdoor photo shoot locations, access to natural light is another key element that should be carefully considered. Natural light is preferred by photographers because of its warmer tones as compared to artificial light, but it is much harder to predict and control. When deciding on a location for your photo shoot is ideal to select areas that allow your subject(s) to be properly positioned relative to natural light sources. This requires that the sun is not within 90 degrees behind the subject or the camera.

Here is a video [for our testers, this is where we will have made and inserted a video-please simply note the photo still and the audio transcript] to help you understand light sources and how they will affect your photo:

Audio Transcript:

“Looking at this picture, please note the arrows. These show the source and angle of light sources, including reflective surfaces. As you first assess manually how much light is available at your locations, focus on where the light lands rather than looking directly at where the light itself is coming from. This way you can assess if there is enough available light to be able to handle only fine tuning the exposure in your camera when the time comes.

In this picture, we can see the light in the background, as well as the places the light touches the subjects. We know the sun cannot shine from two directions. However, what we see here is natural light showing from both the left and right side of the group-an effect achieved by using a reflective surface not captured in the photo.”

How to Spot Neutral and Consistent Color in Potential Indoor and Outdoor Locations

Know What to Look For

A big consideration for indoor and outdoor photo shoot locations is the color found in the photo’s background, often called the backdrop. To ensure that the backdrop doesn’t distract from the subject of the portrait, its colors should be neutral and consistent. Neutral colors, which are sometimes referred to as ‘earth tones,’ have hues that appear to be without color because their tones are more muted, and when used as a backdrop can be less distracting than other colors. Consistency in colors is also an important element because it helps the subject stand apart from the backdrop.

Take a look at the neutral colors in this room, which are also consistent. You can usually identify neutral colors by how easily they match, and by their brightness (neutral colors will not be bright). Consistent colors will be similar but not exact to the other colors. Here are some examples:

1. 1. The wall color in this room is an earthy, light color that blends in and will not distract from your subjects
  2. The stone is a light color, similar but not exact to the wall color
  3. The furniture is muted blue, gray, and green tones that blend easily
  4. The floor is also similar but not exact to the wall color

This scene has near-total neutral colors: the color of the stones, the sidewalk, the sand, and the sky. You will find that many natural scenes will be neutral and consistent in color.

However, take note of the bright blue guard rail (1) and bright red ladder (2): these break up the consistency and neutral tones (for good safety reasons, surely!) but may not be appropriate to feature in a photo.

Based on these considerations, your initial list of location options should have narrowed considerably, making the best option relatively obvious. Although other locations may be adequate, plan on only using the best option for the purposes of this lesson.

In Summary

The location of your photo shoot is the first of many important decisions when taking professional-quality family portraits at home. By having a firm understanding of where and when the photo should be taken in light of considerations such as context, weather, space, access to natural light, and backdrop color, you can be confident that you’ve already begun to think like a professional photographer without even picking up your camera! The next lesson will discuss an equally as important aspect of great photos – selecting clothing options for your subject(s).

Self Check
<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>

GIVE IT A TRY!

Based on what you’ve learned about selecting the best location for your photo shoot, try it yourself! Define the purpose of your photo if you don’t have one already (graduation, birthday, etc), determine whether the photo should be taken indoors or outdoors, and create a list of potential locations. Narrow your list based on factors such as weather conditions, time of day, space available, backdrop characteristics, and access to natural light. Have your subject(s) pose and take a photo! Don’t worry about getting everything technically just right at this point. We’ll cover that in future lessons.

YOU CAN DO THIS! Why take your own family portraits?

“I love taking candid shots of my family and more formal ones. It’s a great way to make memories. Time flies by so quickly so we love that we will be able to look back on the photos and all of the wonderful adventures that we will have had. Plus taking your own photos saves you so much time and money. Professional photographers could easily cost hundreds of dollars per photo shoot. By taking your own pictures you can cut out all that cost and take as much time as you need to make the pics look exactly the way that you want them to. Plus once you learn how to take your own portraits you can take gorgeous pictures wherever you are!”

Video Testimonial

ADVANCED TOPIC: The Golden Hour

The Golden Hour refers to a state of natural lighting that is most common around sunrise and sunset. It’s valued by photographers for producing exceptional soft colors and dimensions. The Golden Hour is not an actual time of day but occurs when the Sun is between 6 degrees below and 6 degrees above the horizon. Because the sun’s angle reduces the intensity of its light you can position portrait subjects with light in front, behind, or to either side.