Tips on Finding the Best Photo Locations

Tips on Finding the Best Photo Locations

In this current climate of sameness of social media, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find new and creative ways to reinvent the wheel. The wheel, of course being an interesting feed with backdrops that haven’t been shot to death by everyone and their influencer dog. This is an issue for people in both small and large cities. Often I am asked “Where did you shoot that?” And while I am hesitant to giveaway specific locations as I spend a great deal of time differentiating my feed and finding unique spots no one has used; I am more than happy to give people the tools to discover their own hidden gems to shoot. Here are my Tips on Finding the Best Photo Locations.

Go Exploring

This is by far my most valuable way to spend time and it’s such an obvious way to find rad spots. Go for a drive with a friend, get some pizza, and cruise! You never know what you can discover in your own city. Also going for walks is the best way to see the city from multiple angles. Just because you’ve walked down a street a million times, doesn’t mean you’ve seen it. Have you actually walked it with the intention of seeing it with new eyes? Sometimes even walking down a street in a different direction will illuminate a different and flattering angle.

Google Maps / My Maps

If you don’t want to spend the time driving around, fair enough. There’s always Google Street View which is basically the same thing. Sometimes when I’m flying to a new place, I will do a quick Google Street View virtual walk around the area we’re staying to get a sense of my surroundings. In addition to that, I have started different maps for cities of cool spots with the My Maps function on Google.

Peep Those Geotags

One of the best features on Instagram, in my humble opinion, is the Geotagging service. There are so many amazing creators out there who are making the world a smaller place for us all. While I don’t take inspiration from popular oversaturated places that have been done to death (Tulum and Positano anyone?)

Historical Societies Are Key

One of the best resources out there are historical societies. I find these to be extremely helpful when going places that are rich with architectural gems. Cities like Phoenix and Palm Springs have been opened up to me all thanks to information I have gathered from both their websites and Instagram accounts. I’m a midcentury modern hound so this is the quickest way for me to discover the plethora of buildings that suit my taste.

Tips on Finding the Best Photo Locations

Sometimes finding a real gem requires a shift in perception. I truly encourage everyone to look at spaces they see every day to the point where they are unnoticeable and challenge yourself to work with those. To see the mundane in a new light. I think we often ignore great beauty because it’s so familiar. Chances are that view, that corner, or that building will be interesting to someone who has never seen it before. And capturing it in photos before it gets levelled by progress. Nothing is forever, just saying! Those are all the things that have helped me have different backdrops for shoots during my 10 years of blogging. Yes, ten whole years and I haven’t repeated too many places in that time. I must be doing something right? Am I? Let me know in the comments below!