A place to stand (or sit, or lay down)

Last time, I spoke about the story telling element of plot, and how it related to photography.

There’s a lot of parallels between stories and photography. Another element that is found in any story and in any photograph is settling.

Setting is one of the key elements of any story. New York 1942. Middle earth on the cusp of the third age. A dingy apartment on a cold winter’s night. Setting helps define the image. The mood. The feeling.

A lot of photographers choose to shoot in the same place—their studio—with the same lighting, the same decorations, the same mood. Don’t get me wrong. There are benefits to this. But there are also drawbacks, and for me, I would rather shoot in a place of personal significance (or at least on mutually accorded neutral ground) than in a studio.

What setting do you want to shoot at to make the work completely personal? Do you have a barn with the coolest hay loft at home? Or a beautiful jacuzzi tub? Do you want to shoot at a high-end hotel? How about outdoors in the forest, at the base of a waterfall, on top of a mountain?

Maybe you want to shoot on a beach in Bali or down in Jasper. We can do that (as long as you’re willing to cover travel expenses). Maybe you want bright, fun images, or maybe you want it to be full of shadows. All these are elements of the setting.

For me, I love to shoot in places that are meaningful or comfortable or special to you. Shooting where you live might create meaningful images. Maybe you live on a farm, and want to shoot with your horse, or have this one room in your house that has really colourful walls. Or maybe you don’t want to shoot at home, but would rather rent a rustic Airbnb. Outdoors. Indoors. In the bedroom. In the living room. In the hot tub. In the kitchen. All these things set the stage for the photograph.

I also love shooting outdoors, in locations that are epic and unique and off the beaten track. Want to shoot at a secret waterfall that only a few people even know exists? I’ve got the place just for you. Want to climb to the top of a mountain, or just go shoot in the woods? Want to float down a stream, laying on a blanket in the bottom of a canoe, or enjoy the winter from the comfort of a hot spring? Want to go to the Dominican Republic for Boudoir on the beach? Locations are limitless when you go Beyond Boudoir.

I’ve started a Facebook group where we can talk about ideas for shoots, including possible locations. You can join it, or sign up for a free, no pressure consultation.