As a photographer, I love to be inspired by looking around to see what the industry is doing. I also look through local photographer’s blogs to see what they are working on, and I often find myself thinking, “I know where that is – I did a photo shoot there just a month ago.” There are so many great spots that are obvious because of the ease of getting there, the beautiful backdrop that area provides, and the popularity of the spot based on what clients have seen. I get it – we all go to popular spots, but what about finding new places to shoot?

I talk to my clients about where they’d like to have their photoshoot, and alongside that, what they want to accomplish and what ‘feel’ they want to have. This often leads to not just choosing a generic tried and true spot, but going out of the norm and having courage to drive down a new road and maybe even knock on a door to ask to use someone’s property – it never hurts to ask, and more often than not people are flattered that you found something valuable in what they own. Or, take the tried and true areas and photograph it in a different way! The photograph below is at a location I have seen photographed many times, but never in this spot before. I love this photo also for the incredible color and emotion it displays.

Don’t be afraid to stand out! Find your golden location that makes your photos unique to you, that spot that others will flock to, that you found first.