Spring has finally arrived (for those of us in the cold northern climates, anyways), and it’s once again the perfect chance to take advantage of the great outdoors. If you’re a photographer or someone thinking about hiring a photographer for a portrait shoot, here are a few fun ideas for finding visually interesting locations around your city.

The splendor of urban decay: Artistic graffiti art and crumbling brick walls make great backdrops and textures. Antique painted signs on brick walls (often found on sides of buildings in a town’s historic districts) can provide a nice backdrop as well. Tip: Use a wide aperture to put the focus on your subject while including the background colors as a nice, soft bokeh (i.e. blur).

Industrial textures: Corrugated metal garage doors make an interesting and memorable background setting, especially if contrasting with a subject dressed in formal attire. In Milwaukee, the rust belt city that I call home, there is no shortage of great industrial textures!

Spots of color hiding in plain sight: Be on the lookout for brightly colored spots such as exterior doors and walls. These can make a great setting (not to mention create a nice nice frame for a subject).

Eyes to the sky: Rooftop locations offer a unique vantage point for a photo shoot with an urban feel. Maybe you know of a high up spot (a parking garage will sometimes make do nicely for this purpose) perched several stories above the air with a fantastic vantage point. Or maybe you have a friend with access to an apartment common space on top of his or her building. Combine this with some nice early morning or late evening “golden hour” lighting for best results.

For more ideas on locations, use the free Shoot Local app to find some great spots in your own city! And be sure to carry a notebook or write down the shot for future reference. Better yet, use your smart phone camera and an app like Evernote to capture a shot and tag information (added bonus: the device can also remember geographic information for future reference).

Great locations are often hiding in plain sight, waiting to be discovered. For you photographers out there: as always, be careful of your surroundings to avoid putting yourself and subjects in potentially dangerous surroundings, and ask permission and obtain any required permits before venturing onto any private property. If you’re a client considering a family or individual photo shoot, let your photographer know what you’re looking for and talk over the details to ensure the spot that works best for your needs. And as always, happy shooting!

1. Make sure to eat something before the ceremony to keep your energy up and feel your best all day long. In the rush on the morning of the event, it’s easy to forget to nourish yourself. A quick, healthy breakfast and possible lunch or snack later (depending on the time of the ceremony) goes a long way.

Also be sure to drink enough water to stay hydrated and cool, especially in the hot summer months when most weddings take place.

2. Get lots of sleep the night before the event! You’ll feel more rested and relaxed, not to mention ward off under eye dark circles and puffiness (not a good look in wedding photos).

3. If you don’t have a wedding planner, designate a reliable friend or family member to be in charge of the little details. This is an invaluable resource and will take a lot of worry off your mind from having to remember everything in an already hectic day. That’s what friends are for, after all!

The designated detail manager should have a few extra supplies on hand in case of emergency such as tissues, bobby pins, safety pins, etc. to have on hand just in case the need arises. You never know when something seemingly small will save the day!

4. Leave enough time during the day for the photos. Leaving between an hour to an hour and half is ideal, and possibly even more time if you’re transporting a large wedding party or going to multiple locations. A time crunch will leave you feeling rushed and stressed out, both of which will come through on the final photos.

It’s also a good idea to block out some time for photos of just you and your new spouse. If you can’t find the time on the day of the event, talk to your photographer about other options- maybe doing the session earlier in the morning or even before or after the wedding day if need be.

5. Keep it all in perspective. No mater how much planning you’ve done on the front end, there will inevitably be some small things that don’t go according to plan. Being flexible and keeping a clear head and a sense of humor can prevent the little blips from turning into a full blown disaster. Don’t sweat the small stuff; after all, you won’t remember mismatching napkin rings or a crooked centerpiece years later, just the fun you and your spouse had surrounded by your friends and family on one of the most important days of your life.

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime experience, so a little preparation goes a long way to make sure that you have a wonderful and memorable experience that lives up to your dreams!

Tips and Tutorials

Digital Photography Tips
Lots of tips and tutorials about all things photography
http://digital-photography-school.com

The Rules Of Good Portraiture
http://www.lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/rules.html

The Strobist
Learning to use flash to add dimension and depth to your images
http://strobist.blogspot.com

Improve Photography
Podcast and blog packed with tips and tutorials. These guys clearly love photography and helping others learn!
http://improvephotography.com

Basics of Photography Cheat Sheet
Visually attractive resource from Petapixel.com to help beginning photographers learn and remember the basics
http://petapixel.com/2011/07/05/basics-of-photography-cheat-sheet/

National Geographic: How To Take Pictures of People in Places Tips for better travel photography
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/people-places-photos/

Society for Photographic Education
https://www.spenational.org

Learning the Light
Tips for working with and understanding lighting in photography
http://www.learningthelight.com

Inspiration and Business Resources

Shoot the Blog by Photoshelter
Tips and resources for photographers
http://blog.photoshelter.com

The Modern Tog
Education about the business side of photography, plus a healthy dose of positive re-enforcement!
http://www.themoderntog.com

Part Time Photographer
Another helpful resource for those starting out in the business of photography
http://parttimephoto.com

Portrait Inspiration
As the name suggests, lots of ideas and inspiration for portrait photographers
http://portraitinspiration.com

Stuck in Customs: HDR Photography
Interesting posts about the craft of high dynamic range photography
http://www.stuckincustoms.com

Wed Pix: From the Photojournalist Association
Resources and image inspiration for wedding photographers
http://www.wedpix.com

Photography for a Cause

Flashes of Hope
Organization photographing kids fighting cancer
http://www.flashesofhope.org

Shutter Mission
List of featured photographic charities for those interested in donating of getting involved
http://shuttermission.org

Help Portrait
Organization donating portrait services to families in need during the holidays
http://help-portrait.com

Operation Photo Rescue
Photo restoration for victims of natural disasters
http://www.operationphotorescue.org

Just for Fun

Photojojo
Site for DIY and experimental photographic techniques and quirky gadgets for your photography
http://photojojo.com

A Photo a Day
A different featured photo 365 days a year
http://www.aphotoaday.org

Alternative Photography
Analog and experimental photo processing techniques
http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/

5 Fun Weekend Photo Projects
http://digital-photography-school.com/weekend-photography-projects-part-1

Environment: First and foremost, a location should offer an attractive backdrop for you or your subject. The last thing you want are distracting elements that detract from the finished portrait. For starters, consider whether the background is busy and cluttered, or if there areas that offer an attractive backdrop away from cars, buildings, telephone poles, etc. Natural spots such as parks work especially well for this purpose. Are there times of day when the area you’re considering using is more crowded with people and traffic than other times? Clutter and crowds of people in the background can ruin an otherwise good photo, not to mention create a lot extra post-production headaches for the photographer tasked with removing undesirable visual distractions that compete with the portrait subject.

And while we’re on the topic, be sure to consider what story the location will help tell about the subject(s) of the photo. Is the spot romantic and natural? Urban and edgy? Moody and atmospheric? Eccentric and quirky? Try to find a location that matches the mood and personality that you wish to convey.

Light: As a friend and fellow photographer is fond of saying, there are no photos without light. But the type of available light can make a big difference in the outcome of your portrait. What does the spot look like in the morning versus late in the evening? Are there large areas of broad shade, or is the entire spot in the open sunlight? Does the area provide back lighting that can be used to your advantage during the evening “golden hour”?  Places with even, indirect light allow for the most flattering portraits, as opposed to spots in full sunlight, which often produce heavy shadows on faces along with lots of squinting; not elements that produce attractive results. When location scouting, visit any spot that you’re considering at different times of the day to avoid any nasty surprises on the day of the shoot.

Weather: For those of us in the northern latitudes, access to outdoor locations is dictated strongly by the seasons and weather. Late spring through fall usually yields great results for outdoor backdrops, while winter may mean sticking to shooting indoors. Don’t discount your own living room (or your client’s living room) for a unique and personalized family portrait! You may just want to brave the elements, though, for an unforgettable family portrait in the falling snow (as long as it’s not a blizzard and you make sure to bundle everyone up first).

Backup Location: Speaking of weather, be sure to have a plan in case the conditions are less than favorable on the day of your photo. If you’re a client, talk to your photographer about having a “plan B” in case of rain, sleet or other natural wrath. If the location is crucial to the shoot, ask your photographer about his or her policy for rescheduling in the event of inclement weather.

Legal Issues: An important but often overlooked factor to consider is whether there are any potential issues with shooting in your desired location. Does the spot require a permit or charge fees for shooting onsite? Is is especially important to consider if there are large groups of people in your photo or lots of lighting equipment being brought along. For some venues simply seeing a photographer with a tripod and professional-looking camera will trigger an issue with the management unless prior arrangements have already been made.

If you’re a client, be sure to let your photographer know possible locations you might have in mind so that he or she can make arrangements in advance for any permits or permission that be required and avoid any unpleasant surprises on the day of your shoot. If you’re a photographer, do your homework and get any necessary permission in writing well in advance of the shoot. Make sure that you bring a copy of any signed agreements, permits, licenses, etc. in order to prevent potential problems.

Simple but effective locations include local parks, beaches, or your own yard. If you live in a city, consider incorporating some of the urban building textures such as brick and steel. If you live in a rural spot, a field can offer a lovely backdrop (just be sure to ask permission before wandering into anyone’s private property).

As with anything, selecting the perfect portrait location requires a little bit of time and research, but the results are well worth the effort. A professional photographer helps clients select a great location and navigate any issues before they arise in order to make their vision of a beautiful individual or family photo become a reality.