Finding new photo locations is often the last thing a photographer has time to do. Most photographers (particularly those in their first couple years of business) are so busy trying to figure out how to run a successful business that spending time with chores that don’t directly impact sales is often overlooked. For example, a young photographer’s day might look something like this:
6am get up and check morning emails
7-10am edit photos
10-noon work on website/blog
noon-1:30 lunch with a wedding vendor
1:30-2:30 check afternoon emails
2:30-5 create social media content
5-7 photoshoot
7-8pm download cards and back up
8-9 check evening emails
10pm bed

That’s a pretty stacked day, and merely a single shoot day. You’ll see how easy it can be to neglect tasks that check something off a list or earn you extra money.

Two Reasons Why Finding New Photo Locations is Important

But let me tell you why finding new photo locations is important. There are two main reasons:
1) it forces you out of your comfort zone. As photographers, we are artists. It’s important for us to grow and evolve constantly so our art can grow and evolve. The stagnant photographer gets burned out, shoots uninspired images, and thus delivers an uninspired experience.
2) it keeps you ahead of the game. Photographers are notorious for locating your secret spots and using them for their own photos. Do you wanna know what I say? Bring it on! I was done with that spot anyway! I don’t want my images to look like any other photographs because I am constantly setting myself apart from other local photographers.

It takes some extra work. Today, for example, I drove around new areas for the better part of two hours looking at lighting and backgrounds I think would make beautiful images. We’ll see this week for my senior and bridal sessions!

Talk to you soon,
Dale