Finals are finally over, school is out, you have some free time, and you’re just itching to break out your phone/camera and show everyone how much fun you’re having. Unfortunately, you don’t live near a beach or can’t afford to go near one this summer. There are no parks near you to picnic with your friends, and there’s no way you can rent a boat for that dinky lake close by. If this is you, don’t stress – here are a few location ideas for a summer photoshoot that can be both accessible and unique:
Graffiti walls
You know those walls that are just covered with graffiti that you walk past every day? The ones that older people scoff at and skateboarders gawk at? Well, those walls are prime spots for cool-looking pictures! Graffiti is edgy art that’s not accepted by everyone, which makes it much more interesting than that picture of the beach you’ve scrolled past what seems like five times. Urban art such as graffiti is fresh, complex, and always different. You could even go on a graffiti tour if you live somewhere with enough graffiti around – you might even find the same artist’s mark in multiple places.
Fields
This is for all those small-town Midwesterners out there. Those cornfields and sunflower fields that surround your residence are awesome locations for photoshoots. Golden hour with the tall plants swaying lazily in the breeze, or a huge thunderstorm that seem to rip the plants out of the ground are equally great to shoot in. The plains can create a fairly serene, timeless effect, that you can easily use to make some great photos!
The desert
So you don’t live anywhere near a huge city and most plants from the rest of the country straight-up cannot survive in your desolate landscape. Never fear, your environment is just as valid. The desert is an incredible place to have a photoshoot; its plants are unique and its colors are wonderfully vibrant, especially at sunrise and sunset. Forget the lush green grasses; golden sand is in!
Abandoned places
No matter where you live, there’s always at least one building/place that has been abandoned. It could be that sketchy house in the woods your mother told you never to poke around in as a kid, or that high-rise at the edge of town that no corporation in their right mind would purchase. If you’re looking for an interesting, dramatic tone for some artistic photographs, an abandoned building is a good place to check out.
The forest
So many places in the U.S. have a forest/wood nearby, but perhaps some people don’t take advantage of it enough. If you’re like me and live in a city, but really want to tackle a hike/explore, take a quick trip outside of the city (for me, about 20 minutes) and see what you can find. The woods can be a really amazing place and can produce many different effects for photos depending on the time of day, type of weather, etc. Exploring the beauty of the forest with your friends can be just as fun as taking selfies at a lake house.
Hope you enjoyed the list! And remember kids, don’t do anything that puts your safety or the safety of others at risk during your photoshoots such as: venturing into unknown parts of the desert at midday, sneaking into an abandoned building that has clear danger signs posted, standing in a cornfield in the middle of a thunderstorm, etc. Be smart about your adventuring, and have fun!