Chapter 5

On Location

S

hooting portraiture on location can be thoroughly
rewarding and challenging in equal measure.
Creatively,thescopeandopportunitytoshootportraitsin
manydiffering locations and lighting conditionsis vast.
The photographer, however, is no longer in as much
controlasinthestudioenvironment,andwillhavetothink
aboutlightinamoreorganicandprogressiveway.Again,
as within the studio scenario, the success of a location
shootforboththeclientandphotographerisdowntothe
quality of communicationand collaboration between the
two.

Thekeytosuccessfullocationportraitureisthoroughand
detailedplanning.Ifthephotographercanbepreparedfor
alloutcomestheshootismorelikelytobeasuccess.Prior
discussionastolocationandconceptisanimportantstepin
the client–photographer relationship, and should be
explored fully before the shoot takes place. The
photographershouldrememberthattheinitialmeetingina
studiocanbefarmorecontrolledandstructuredcompared
to that of the meeting on location, and as such more
information should be discussed prior to meeting.

Thephotographershouldstillasksimilarquestions,suchas
thepreferenceforB&Worcolourimages,full-lengthor