How to choose a photography location based on your editing style

Over time, it’s common for photographers to develop their own editing styles. It might take some time and experimentation, but once you find a style you like, it’s best to stick with it (at least for a while) to keep your work consistent. Of course, there’s always room to spice things up based on client needs. Once you’ve found your editing style, though, you can start to consider some photography locations that will complement it. Let’s take a look at four styles and some of the locations that work best with them.

Dark and moody

If you like to give your photos a darker, muted, and moody feel, then you might consider some locations that don’t have bright lighting. Anything heavily wooded and shady can be perfect. As you can see above, there’s just a hint of sunlight coming through the trees surrounding a grassy field.

Alternatively, a city during the sunset or blue hour will work. You can also easily create a dark and moody setting in a photo studio with dim spotlights and dark backdrops.

Light and airy

Then, we have the opposite of dark and moody — light and airy! Minimalist photos are perfect for this editing style. The best locations would be an open field without too much going on, or an empty beach. It’s just the sand, the water, and your beautiful subjects! Again, a photo studio also works with a white backdrop. Even on an overcast day, the right location will still give you light and airy vibes.

Vibrant or bright

Any artsy or youthful locations are perfect for vibrant and bright photos. For Elise’s photoshoot, seen above, we visited an area of the city filled with murals on the sides of buildings. Just look at those pops of color! Artsy locations are great if you want your setting to stand out just as much as the client. Even just a bright solid-colored building would do the trick.

You can also usually find colorful vibes in a field with bright flowers, like sunflowers, or in a candy shop! That one might not be the easiest to pull off, but nothing says “bright” like candy.

Vintage

Finally, there’s a more vintage editing style. For this one, the best locations will have some pink and brown tones in the setting. Try to plan the shoot for earlier or later in the day, when the sun isn’t as bright. A desert background will have the right colors, or somewhere with shadows and shade. Plus, if you’re going for vintage vibes, you can always look for old-timey things in your area like older trains. If you’re in a historic town, that’s even better!

Contact October Dreams Photography to schedule a session or hear more tips!