Deciding to have an outdoor photoshoot doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With my expertise in this field as a San Francisco Brand Photographer, I’ll share with you my favorite locations and why!
Outdoor Photoshoot: Open Space
This is one of my top favorites, especially for brands that are part of the health and wellness space. The greenery, open space and neutral backdrop work so well in photographs. If you choose the best option for an open space, your entire shoot could be held here.
I highly recommend that if you’re doing two locations, that you leave this spot for the end of your shoot. The golden hour in open spaces gives off the best soft light and vibe for your brand shoot. Marin County has plenty of open spaces to choose from. My client Marisa chose to have the ending of her session be in this beautiful green open space, as you see below.
Iconic, Unique Outdoor Building
Beautiful architecture and neutral walls are great staples to utilize during your branding session. Especially when it comes with a wonderful atrium that enhances the best lighting. One point to keep in mind is busy hours when it comes to public spaces. I recommend picking a time when there’s less traffic in these locations. It can become overwhelming when you’re taking photos.
My Client Ciela chose this style of location for her outdoor photoshoot. Her branding photos, turned out perfect!
Downtown or Town Center Outdoor Photoshoot
Downtown or Town Centers are a really fun places to take photos. With the variety that every corner and street provide, it turns out great for your final gallery. A few of the shots we can take at this type of outdoor location are: walking lifestyle shots, utilizing stairs for dimension, and finding fun nooks to use as a backdrop.
There are a few key points to remember when choosing this location for an outdoor photoshoot. You’ll have to change in your car if you’re trying to have a full outfit change, as there aren’t a lot of options for public bathrooms in these areas. Choosing to bring a simple top to just switch from would be a better option for this choice.
Remember, you’re in a public setting, so we’ll be pausing a few times to let people pass by to avoid getting them in your photos. This is when we have to be mindful of those busy hours. Avoiding heavy-populated times would make your shoot go more smoothly.
Local Park Photoshoot
Don’t undermine the gorgeous shots we can capture at your local park. Sometimes the most simple backgrounds make the best location.
I try my best to suggest parks that are less populated, this helps so much during any outdoor photoshoot. When looking for parks I make sure it offers plenty of shade and variety with buildings or items within the park. This allows us to capture variety in your branding session without moving to multiple locations.
The park shown below was perfect for my client Marika. We were able to grab so many amazing shots here. From frolicking through the park to sitting on steps, it gave us so much variety!
Outdoor Photoshoot: The Beach
When choosing multiple locations for your branding shoot, I also suggest leaving the beach for last. Usually, when you’re near water, catching the sunset here provides the absolute best lighting. It really brings out a cozy vibe for your session. Plus, this way, you avoid messing up your hair with the wind the beach tends to have.
The great thing about being at the beach is the different details we can find here. For example, below, you can see how we captured her personality by having her walking along the shore. Then we moved closer to the trees that were just on the other side of us to capture the sun setting in the back.
Check out an outdoor photoshoot gallery here!
