Often, I'm asked, "How do you come up with your locations?"
My answer is always the same. I get in my car, drive around town and pull out my iPhone when I see a place or space that looks interesting. I am under the mindset that you can shoot anywhere and make it look great with a little improvisation and creativity. My goal for this post was to push and challenge any of my readers who find it hard to find exciting and different space to shoot their subjects.
My client, Le’Annka, wanted to do something different. She didn't wish to studio portraits. She wanted to be creative and diverse, and so she was adamant that we shoot outdoors. When she and I met for a consultation, I showed her my plans for a shoot to take place in tall blades of grass one would find in nature.
Now, living on a small island presents its issue with always having somewhere new to photograph. New Providence, the island that I live on, is only 21 miles long by 7 miles wide, and there are few public spaces one can gain access to. Some areas are overused repeatedly because of convenience, flexibility and can we say lackadaisicalness?
I knew I wanted to shoot Le’Annka in the "bush" on the side of the road, reminiscent of my earlier days of being a photographer. I had no studio, so I used the beaches, bushes and nature as my set. I thought to use a stunning hand-painted canvas backdrop I'd ordered from Portrait Drops on location, sort of a makeshift studio, and I knew I’d mix ambient lighting with my strobe.
Le’Annka was a great subject to photograph. She was easy to direct and her innocence complimented the images that I tried to capture. The natural and ambient light, grass and overall styling created this ambience that I only could find on Pinterest. Still, here I was, capturing these beautiful images in a location that many of us would simply drive past.
Check the images and my first YOUTUBE video for the year. I knew this topic would be relatable to many photographers as its something I'm challenged with. Let me know what you think in the comments, and I'd love to find out other topics you find interest in.
SEE THE GALLERY
Leannka Rigby 📸 by Scharad Lightbourne
Makeup by @ravensimone_mua
Florals: @kvrh1984
Styling: @hannahnsimone⠀⠀
Grip: @tpetithomme
Dress: @rackconsignmentboutique
Backdrop: @portraitdrops
Video: @truevisionFSC
