Location photography is a very broad subject. It entails almost everything. It can be divided into interior and exterior locations.
For this part of my research, I will be focusing on commercial photography. Some types of commercial photography are:
- fashion
- buildings/architecture
- food
- portrait
- still life
- people
- consumables
PORTRAIT
Portrait photography would be used for commercial use.
The basic forms of equipment you will need is a digital SLR camera, prime or zoom lens, a tripod, and a "fill light" with an umbrella attachment OR a reflector if it's a very sunny day.
LOCATION AND LIGHTING
Portrait photography on location can take place in any location. One of the most important aspects of portrait photography is picking a suitable location. It's easy to choose a portrait location based on convenience. For example, if you live near a leafy park, it's tempting to use that as your default shooting location. But while this may look attractive, it's not always the best option. You should take time to get to know your subject. Find out about their hobbies and favorite places and incorporate them into your photographs. If they enjoy horseriding, shoot them at their stables. By using a location that means something to your subject, you'll get much more personal, meaningful images. As an added bonus, they're likely to feel more relaxed, helping you to capture more natural-looking shots.
If possible, choose a brightly lit location which offers plenty of diffused, natural light. When shooting outdoors it's important to avoid the direct midday sun as this produces very harsh shadows. Look for some light shade such as an overhanging tree or covered seating area, where the sunlight is softer and more flattering. Alternatively, shoot in the morning or early evening when the sun isn't as strong.
DIFFICULTIES
Photographing on location can be an extremely valuable exercise. It poses a large variety of challenges - working with both landscapes, portraits, large scale and small scale consisting of subject matter that you may have never seen before in weather conditions that you can't adjust.
When working on location, always try to have a backup incase the weather turns bad. Look for a location with some sort of shelter nearby (like a bridge for example). Doing this can save yourself, your model and your equipment from getting wet.
Lighting can also be an obstacle to tackle. Not everyone has access to certain bits of lighting equipment - this means that you would be forced to improvise using natural lighting but this can be a problem too. There may not be enough light to expose your model and the surroundings correctly.
