Unusual Portrait Locations – Why the Best Spots Aren’t Always in the Studio

There’s something grounding about choosing a location that actually means something to you. Not a paper backdrop. Not a white wall. A real place. One with light, texture, history, or just a feeling that clicks.

When people enquire about portrait sessions, one of the first questions is almost always, “Where should we shoot?” Studios come up a lot, and they absolutely have their place. Clean, controlled, efficient. Great for certain jobs.

But honestly? Some of the strongest portraits I’ve photographed have happened nowhere near a studio.

They’ve happened in backyards that are a bit overgrown. On beaches with wind whipping through hair. Inside bookshops, artist studios, cafés before opening hours, quiet streets, and places most people would walk straight past.

These locations do more than fill the frame. They add context. They tell you something about the person before they even look at the camera.

A family photographed at home feels different to one photographed against a seamless backdrop. Branding portraits taken in your actual workspace show how you operate, not just how you look. Headshots made at a place you return to again and again carry a sense of familiarity that no studio can fake.

This is why environmental portraits matter more than ever. With stock imagery and AI visuals everywhere, people are craving photographs that feel specific and real. Images that couldn’t belong to anyone else.

Working outside a studio lets us lean into natural light, weather, texture, and imperfection. It creates portraits that feel lived-in rather than staged. Editorial rather than polished for the sake of it.

Of course, not every location works. Light matters. Space matters. Distractions matter. That’s where my job comes in. I’ll help you think through timing, angles, quieter corners, and how to use the space well. Sometimes it’s as simple as shifting a metre to the left or waiting ten minutes for the light to change.

If you’re based in Whangārei or anywhere across Northland and want portraits that feel natural, grounded, and genuinely you, I’m always keen to explore options beyond the obvious.

Because the best location isn’t always the prettiest.

It’s usually the one where you feel most like yourself.