Where do you find your locations?

[KUlmer]

I know I am not alone. Everywhere, with camera or without, my brain is constant looking for possible shots or locations. My question is how does everyone get those lovely field shots of flower or grain, etc. I've found some places like that, but they are someone else's private property always. That is what you get when you live in a desert. If it is green somebody had to have been watering it. So, if you see a giant open field do you just walk in and start shooting with clients or do you have to track down landowners and contact them for permission?

[SusanH1970]

I just googled public parks in my area and found a ton of places.

[candleman]

Originally Posted by KUlmer

I know I am not alone. Everywhere, with camera or without, my brain is constant looking for possible shots or locations. My question is how does everyone get those lovely field shots of flower or grain, etc. I've found some places like that, but they are someone else's private property always. That is what you get when you live in a desert. If it is green somebody had to have been watering it. So, if you see a giant open field do you just walk in and start shooting with clients or do you have to track down landowners and contact them for permission?

yeah.. this is a big problem over here anyways.

you are more than likely going to get away with shooting in a public park without being questioned.
I dont know about in the States, but in NZ you need a permit for any filming/commercial work on public land.. and that land is controlled by the City Council. ($300 filming permit)

SO! to avoid this, i go to a park that is in a Trust... No permit required becuse its privatley owned land that has been opened to the public.
Lucky for me its probably the largest and best kept chunk of land in the city.

for portraits you should be fine prettymuch anywhere.. if its a Wedding, suddenly it becomes a problem. People will gouge you at every corner.

make darn sure you have a back-up location too.
the last thing you need is to arrive and find a fun-run throuhg your shoot location.

SO... in short.. use google maps, look for parks and go for a drive.

[jdgonzalez]

I try not to think about it too much. If I find a spot that would make for a good image I jot it down in my phone with some notes as to my reason for picking it. I do this while driving, running, or out with friends. When I have a block I just refer to my list.

[Ms Byron Bay Photography]

I am like you too. I'll be driving down a country road when suddenly this glorious light shines through the trees and I have to stop and have a good scout around. I also find it hard to locate those beautiful flower filled fields...sigh.

[Swisstony10]

I always have the sat-nav software that I use on my phone running when I drive anywhere (CoPilot Live on Android), because if I spot somewhere that would be good but I'm not able to stop and take a picture or make some notes, I can press a button and the software will save the current location. That means that not only can I check it out on Google (in conjunction with TPE) to see how suitable it'd be, I can easily find it again by calling it back up on the sat-nav as a destination.

I used to hate gadgetry, but it's getting more and more useful...

Russ.

[SaraSue]

I've moved three times in the last two years so I was having that same problem of not knowing where to do photography. I also googled parks in the area and it worked ok, but I just started asking families if they had any ideas. I would get two or three ideas from them and go check them out before settling on a location. Thanks to them I have a few new locations I had no clue about! Good luck on your search!

[BigFuzzy]

Don't discount your urban setting. I almost exclusively do urban portrait work exactly because so many people do the other.