Top Six Resources to Find the Perfect Photo Shoot or Video Shoot Location!
Are you ready to start searching for the perfect location for your next photo shoot or video shoot? If so, you’re in the right place!
We’ll focus on the top six resources you can use to find a great space: social media, event calendars, travel sites, search engines, friends & family and location databases.
But First a PSA
Before searching for a location, I would encourage you to plan strategically, which will save you a lot of time! Think about your goal, your audience and the message you want to communicate through your photos or videos. Then, choose a space that fits with your goals, that is attractive and interesting to your audience, and that emphasizes the message!
If you’re interested in learning more about planning strategically, check out my FREE “Top Tips for Location Scouting” course, where I walk you through the strategic planning process and share useful resources, including a Location Scouting Worksheet! Use the worksheet to compile necessary information about the spaces that interest you! Just want to use the worksheet? Scroll to the bottom of this post to access it!
Start The Search
But back to the search for the perfect location! You can either look for information on a specific location (e.g., your favorite coffee shop) or you can search for a location type (e.g., coffee shops in your neighborhood). Regardless of whether or not you have a specific location or a location type in mind, there are six important resources that will help you in your search!
Resource #1: Social Media
If you don’t yet have a location in mind, you can use use specific keywords or hashtags to search social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Yelp to find possible locations. For example, if you know that you want to book a video shoot at an old school video game arcade, use keywords like “retro” and “video game arcade” to find a specific option (true story). Once you have a venue in mind, you can turn to social media again for views and reviews!
Social media is great because it allows you to see what a space looks like before you even consider reaching out to a location manager. Instead of wasting time, you can view the space to see if it would be a good possibility. Social media sites are also great because they provide reviews! It’s important to choose a site that aligns with your values and beliefs; a place that treats their people (both employees and customers) well. Your reputation is one of your most valuable intangible assets and you would never want to damage your reputation, so check out the reviews as you are vetting a specific location. If the reviews are super low, you may want to consider another space.
Resources #2: Event Calendars
If you’ve searched social media, but still haven’t found the perfect place, consider looking at event calendars for interesting events where you could set up your photo shoot. You can find event calendars on Facebook, but you can also find useful info in your local newspaper, on your city’s website, on tourism association sites, in national and international magazines, etc. As you search the calendars, you can learn more about the events, the points of contact, possible setup information and much more!
Resource #3: Travel Sites
Whether you’re looking for venues in your area, in your country or overseas, I recommend checking out online travel sites! The sites send their employees around the world to find interesting places to visit, then they provide that information to you…for free! I’ve used sites like Atlas Obscura and Lonely Planet to find some really unique places.
Resource #4: Family & Friends
You can also ask your friends and family members for ideas. They go places and may have useful suggestions, especially if they are members of your target audience!
And don’t forget that if you’re a member of a Facebook group in a particular city or region, you can also search the group for great destinations or ask group members for suggestions.
Resource #5: Search Engines
I’m sure you’re already using your favorite search engines and keywords to find locations, but I want to emphasize that it can really save time and effort. Depending on what type of location you’re searching for, you may find articles listing the top 10, 15 or 20 options in your area. Instead of having to compile the list yourself, you may find that someone has already done all of the hard work.
Pro Tip: Use Google to see if a location is busy at a certain time. If you need quiet or calm during the photo or video shoot, then book the location during off-peak hours.
Resource #6: Location Databases
Location databases like Peerspace or AirBnb can be useful options. Peerspace is AirBnb for locations and AirBnb is…well, AirBnb. I stayed at an AirBnb while filming the holiday episode of Country Crush – my travel show – in 2018. The space was lovely, so I reached out to the owner to ask if I could capture footage and take pictures. They were happy to oblige and I was able to create fun behind-the-scenes content with my crew!
Next Steps – Preparing to Request Permission to Shoot on Location
You could spend days, Weeks and MONTHS searching for the perfect location, but I hope that you can use these resources to narrow down your search and quickly find the venue that works for you.
To help you with your search, remember to to check out my Location Research Worksheet, which you can access through my Skillshare course or by clicking the Download button below.
The worksheet includes a list of the information I like to capture before contacting any sites. I’m sure it seems like I’m asking you to record a lot of details, but keeping track of this info really saves time in the long run. You can use it when initially reaching out to a location’s point of contact. It’s also especially helpful when your preferred location is not available or they cancel at the last minute. If you’ve already done the research, it’s so much easier to look at your notes than it is to search through the website again.
Even better, as you research locations you may want to have a list of backup locations ready just in case a space cancels on you. Sometimes, I will reach out to the primary decision-makers in advance and communicate that I am interested in working with them at some point in the future. That way, when I contact them, I’m not cold calling a random stranger to ask if I can use the space. We have developed a relationship and they are generally more likely to approve the request!