SCOUT AHEAD
Dedicate a day to driving around finding unique shops, walls, fields of flowers, free parks, restaurants, plant shops etc. that fit your particular brand. There are also plenty of blog posts about the cutest walls in Austin!
PARKING GARAGES
I absolutely love shooting at open-roof parking garages where you can see downtown Austin. I always head to the top floor, preferably on weekdays, when people are typically not parked on the last floor. Garages offer privacy, great lighting, multiple textures especially for streetwear looks.
SIDEWALKS
Yes, you heard me! Focusing on general locations like sidewalks with gorgeous city scape backgrounds or sidewalks near your favorite restaurants make it easier to find a location with the best lighting in that moment. Unfortunately, you can’t plan for most lighting situations so being flexible with plenty of options near by during that short golden hour window is your best bet.
RESTAURANTS AND COFFEE SHOPS
Restaurants and coffee shops: If you’re looking for a cute portrait shot, I love shooting in these settings. You can check out my photography instagram to see where I have recently shot here in Austin. Make sure your subject is facing a window for even lighting on their face. Always buy something from the shop first and settle in to a comfortable location inside or outside. Wait to scope out the restaurant for the best shot, stage your model (or yourself) and quickly grab your shot before sitting back down to finish up your drinks/food. After scoping out the restaurant from your seat, you should be prepared enough to get the shot in under ten minutes to not distract or interrupt the other guests visiting that particular shop.
When I worked in hospitality PR, I heard horror stories of influencers coming in with full up box-lights, multiple tripods and entire teams to shoot their models without permission for over an hour. Don’t do this. Don’t be that person unless you’re willing to pay to rent out the space entirely. You can check out my other photography tips here!
HOTEL POOLS
This can be tricky because hotels are becoming particularly more strict with the professional camera equipment allowed on property without prior approval. Yet, there are a lot of international brands of hotels who don’t mind the occasional quick shoot especially if these shoots are not for sponsored material. When shooting on private property remember to keep it short and stay out of the guests’ way. Try to find a corner no one is using or head to the pools on cloudy days/sunset when guests are not laying out.
