Tips from a pro: How to choose the right indoor location for your photoshoot

Todays Guest Blog comes from the lovely Elza, from Elza Photographie, a Toronto based natural light photographer who specializes in baby and maternity photography. She has been our go-to since our daughter was born for both family and product photography. Last month we were looking for the perfect location for a multi-brand shoot with five little ones and three lines. Elza helped us choose the Benson, a spectacular home with a very Scandinavian aesthetic. The photoshoot was a success, and the photography (as always) was beautiful. I asked Elza if she could share with us what she looks for when scouting an indoor location for a photoshoot.  Read on to hear her tips, and if you are interested in building the home of your dreams (seriously, this house is beyond stunning) connect with Kaav Living. 

As a professional photographer that works with families, I often shoot in people’s homes, or in outdoor locations. But on occasion, I get to seek out the perfect location for some candid, lifestyle photography. Need the perfect indoor location to shoot in? These are the five things I’m always looking for :

The light

As a natural light photographer, it is very important choose a bright room with lots of windows. The brighter the better! I will schedule the session according to the sun orientation. If it is brighter in the morning, then we’ll do it at this time of the day. Natural light is key!

White walls

I love to shoot in a white room. It looks bright and clean on the photos, and the white walls are the perfect reflectors during a session. They bounce the light and make everything look softer. White walls are also perfect to make your subjects stand out. For the most recent photo shoot with Hip Mommies, we wanted the bright colours of the mats and toys to catch the eye. By shooting in an all white room, the subjects really popped, and we easily got the result we wanted..

A meaningful location

It is important to think about how meaningful the location is, and how it relates or reflectos who or what you are photographing/ For ezpz, Kizingo and My Family Builders, we were taking pictures of the kids eating and playing. The approach was really candid and lifestyle. It was important to us to shoot in a real kitchen or in a family space! If I was photographing a clothing line,  I would have chosen a white bedroom for the session, and preferably a kids room. This is one of the reason’s I love photographing people in their homes, becasue there are so many memories attached to each space. The more meaningful, and natural the location, the better. 

Simple furnishings

When I am looking for a location for a photoshoot, I love finding a space with simple white, grey and wooden furniture. That is my favourite. Simple furniture in soft colours is not distracting, and it helps make your subject stand out too. It is also important to look for a space with furnishings that you can move around easily during the session if needed. This allows for more flexibility.

The size of the room

This is important to consider. Do you need a big or a small space? How many people will have to be present during the photoshoot? Do you have to move some furniture around and if so, is there enough room to do so with ease? For the most recent photoshoot with Hip Mommies, we had  5 adults, 4 toddlers and 1 baby present,  so it was very important to have lots of space to shoot in! We were so lucky to work in this beautiful kitchen that allowed us to move the tables and chairs easily to do different settings. It was simply perfect!

And if you want to shoot in a public indoor location…

Always ask permission first! And plan the session during the most quiet time of the day! Also a pretty good idea to work around nap time, if you want some happy little ones on location.