How to find the best locations for car photography
Finding locations to do automotive photoshoots can be a fun, but sometimes difficult task. Choosing the right time and location for your shoot are equally as important in getting the best photos possible. Today I’m going to share with you my proven methods to finding new locations to take photos in my city. While my subjects are mainly cars, this same concept can be applied to other types of photography as well!
The best ways to find locations for car photography are:
Google Maps - satellite view
Social media
Networking
Finding local landmarks
Taking a scenic drive around town
Browse local car photography groups
Google Maps - Satellite View
Google Maps satellite view allows you to roam around your city from the comfort of your own home. Using the 3D roam tool you can also get a sense of the various buildings if that will make a difference in your photoshoot.
My favourite use for this tool was using it to find roof top parking lots that I could take my photos to a higher level - literally!
Social Media
Sometimes I stumble upon great locations on social media just by browsing through Instagram. A great tool to use on Instagram is the “places” tab, where I can search up a specific part of my city and see the top photos posted from that tagged place. This gives me an idea of the busyness of the area and what angles I might like to try.
Networking
Connecting with other photographers is a great way to learn more about photography. In my first days starting out as a car photographer I would even book photoshoots with other freelance photographers to enjoy the shoot with. Community over competition!
Finding Local Landmarks
Toronto’s most iconic landmark will always be the CN Tower. So without a doubt, any location that can show it in the background tends to be a popular spot. If you’re in New York City - this may be Times Square. In LA - it might be on a street filled with palm trees. Shooting around landmarks is a great way to showcase your subject and the city you’re capturing the photos in!
Take a scenic drive
Get out there and drive! Doing this is great to check the feasibility of getting a car into a location you intended to shoot at. Before a photoshoot, if I can easily test it out I will usually do this. This ensures everything goes smoothly when the time comes.
Browse local car groups
Facebook and Reddit have a few groups with thousands of active members posting each day. These groups are helpful for inspiring new ideas on locations to shoot, whether or not they happen to be in your city. Going back to my previous point, this is also a place where local photographers can network.
Did you find these tips helpful? Have a suggestion for finding locations? Leave a comment down below!