Finding and Pre-Planning Photoshoot Locations | South Florida

Finding the ideal location for your photo session can really be as hard or easy as you make it. Googling images based on the desires of the client (or yourself if you are the client) for example, "Beach Photo Shoot" or "(Your County) Park Photo Shoot" are good places to start. Often you will be able to see where others have gone before with examples of photos that were taken there. If you are looking for something specific based on a theme, you might want to search for something like "Lighthouses in (blah blah city)".
One of the reasons I like discovering new locations this way is because you also gain a better idea of the settings that are available in any given location. For example, I needed to find a natural, serene environment for a maternity session this past weekend. I simply searched Broward County Parks in the images area of google and then narrowed it down to Tree Tops Park in Davie. Perfect. Then I searched again for "Tree Tops Park Photo Shoot" and was able to see that there were many different opportunities for uniques backgrounds with stairs, benches, fallen trees,  a large tree stump along a path and even a boardwalk.
A second way I like to explore potential locations is to use Google Street View. This method gives you the ability to virtually walk down just about any location (that has a street) and see what it has to offer. I find this is a great way to search urban locations and even plan the flow of your shoot. I might determine that for an engagement session it would be nice to start at an ice cream shop and then move along the street, tuck into side alleys and then end up at the beach for some sunset shots. As a photographer it also helps to loosely layout your plan for the client so they can plan their outfit changes accordingly.
Here are a few photos from the aforementioned maternity session at Tree Tops Park in Davie.

Senior Photoshoot Season | What to Wear & Whatnot

The Class of 2014 Senior Season is fast approaching and I am super excited to provide my clients with an experience they will remember for a lifetime. To me, seniors are one of the most fun subjects to shoot with their carefree, world-is-at-my-feet attitude.

When clients (or their parents) book a session, one of the most common questions is "What should I wear?". This is a simple question to answer but also complicated at the same time. Most importantly, I tell my clients to bring outfits that express their style and personality. I don't want a casual blue jeans and t-shirt type of gal showing up in a cocktail dress that will make her feel uncomfortable and stuffy. If the client is not comfortable in the outfit she is wearing, it will certainly show through in her photos. On the same note, I don't necessarily want her showing up TOO casual in raggedy jeans and plain t-shirt that shows no personality at all. Typically, I would tell the client to bring the outfits that make her feel pretty, confident and then crank it up a notch with accessories or props by adding one or two special touches like funky shoes, a hat or an instrument.

For instance, a cheerleader in dressy jeans, a cute top, high heels (yes, heels) holding her pom poms would create an image that exemplified the girly part of her personality yet still reflecting her interest in her sport. Combining the contrasting parts of the clients personality tells the story of that person - exactly what photos are supposed to do.

Another example would be if a client loves country music and is the super studious type. Maybe she wears a cute dress with boots and we go to a library or even take books to a country setting. Perhaps the senior is planning on being an elementary school teacher....she could also wear a cute dress but we change the location to a playground.

The point is the possibilities are endless. And if you stuck and need a little visual inspirations a great place to start with outfit ideas is by searching Google and Pinterest. I also pin outfit ideas on my own Pinterest page.

Good luck and have a great senior session!!