It's easy to assume that the best portrait locations are tricky to find and awkward to get to, but this short video shows you that some of the best spots might be just around the corner.
Photographers Tajreen and Chloe give you a quick tour of their neighborhood and identify four features that consistently offer good results. Complementary colors, subject/background separation, and accessibility are all factors, but when it comes to learning photography, this short video demonstrates another important element: sharing this learning with a good friend and being excited to appear in each other's images.
When I acquired my first camera more than 15 years ago, I had no idea what to shoot, finding myself wandering quiet streets at night and feeling really awkward about what I was doing. After a few years, I became immersed in parkour, and suddenly, I had something to shoot in order to learn my craft. However, as much as it was having an exciting sport to try to document, it was very much about being surrounded by people who wanted to be photographed and were appreciative of my random efforts with unfamiliar technology.
In short, if you're learning photography, you can download tutorials, buy presets, and watch a million YouTube videos, but more valuable than any of this is having a willing subject. In the case of Tajreen and Chloe, it's of even greater value if that subject is a good friend who's also along for the ride.
Advising on using doors, walls, fields, etc. is not something I would recommend to those who start in portrait photography, as it may help in creating a bad habit. Many photographers make a mistake thinking “I have a beautiful model, I have a nice door. If I put the model against the door, I will create a beautiful portrait”. The mistake is - there is no connection between the model and the door. It is just a model agains just a door. Or it is just a model in the middle of a field / forest / beach. It would be much more beneficial to try and create an idea behind your portrait, and then find a location matching the idea. In this case, there will be a connection between your model and the background. Otherwise, it will just be another (one of a millions other) typical and boring portraits. And …”putting your subject against green bushes is almost always a good adea”? Sorry, have to disagree, as in most cases (if not using the lighting properly) green bushes create nothing but boring and distracting background.