Whether for a high-end editorial or a lifestyle catalog shoot, your photoshoot site can elevate your swimwear photos. Over my several years of experience as a swimwear photographer, I've developed a guide on how to pick a location for swimwear photography.

How to Pick a Location for Swimwear Photography

When choosing a location for swimsuit photography, you must consider the brand narrative and target audience to develop a theme. From there, you can look for places with various elements to maximize your compositions and angles. You must also consider the location's weather, lighting, and accessibility.

Woman wearing a gray ribbon styled bikini top and bikini bottoms with dangling silver hip accessories

Swimwear photography is one of my strongest suits because I balance sensuality and empowerment through my photos. I've worked with several swimsuit designers worldwide, from Miami to Brazil. My ability to find the perfect fashion shoot location in Dallas contributes to the success of each shoot.

Determine the Theme and Narrative of the Project

When selecting a photoshoot location for swimwear, you must first determine the story your images need to tell. My team focuses on the message or mood the designer wants to convey whenever we handle a swim photography production.

It's important to ask clients these questions.

What is the purpose of the project?
Who is the target audience of your brand?
Is there a theme your marketing team wants to apply?
How do they visualize their swimsuits in different model bodies?
What types of places should I avoid?
Do you have pegs or sample images you want to take inspiration from?
Are there certain things or materials you want to see in the setup?

Look for Variety

Variety is a key component when finding the perfect place for swimwear photography. I like to combine environmental, architectural, and artistic elements in my images.

It's common for photographers to focus on the scene's background or use a range of backdrops. However, my style also involves angling myself with foreground interests to add context to the images. This ensures the audience's point of view focuses on the swimwear while adding a bit of depth to the story.

Woman wearing a white two piece bikini with white longsleeved cover up while posing beside a beach rock

Weigh in the feel you need for the pictures when scouting locations, whether it's for an indoor or outdoor shoot.

Studio: Shooting in a studio gives more control over lighting, especially if the client wants more flat-lay photos.
Beachside or pool: Beaches and pools are great options because they can explicitly show the context of the swimsuits.
High fashion or urban: Add some edginess to the styling by selecting a city or downtown area with metal accents and modern lines.
Homestyle: Create a cozy atmosphere in a modest flat or beachside residence.
Nature: Give a natural feel to the shoot using lots of greens in parks, trails, fields, or gardens.
Ethereal: Go to an open field or nature park for a dainty background.
Vintage: Look for sites with big wooden doors and old arches, such as architectural buildings, barns, or historic hotels, to get vintage accents.
Meaningful location to the client: A client may suggest a place that's special to them, especially if the site is valuable to the business or the creation of the swimsuits.

Prioritize Lighting

The glaring sun can cause harsh shadows on the model and swimsuits. Instead, consider if your target location offers diffused, natural light. While photographers have external lighting setups, working with poor lighting conditions on site is challenging.

Look for open shades that can highlight your model's skin without putting too much contrast between shadows and sun-kissed areas.
Opt for morning or late afternoon for outdoor shoots to achieve the softest and warmest lighting. The golden hour casts a flattering glow on the body and face.
Midday is the worst time to shoot outdoors because the sun is overhead, making it harder to control shadows.
There should be enough space for indoor shoots to set up additional lighting.

Check the Weather Forecast

Check the weather pattern in the days and hours leading to your photoshoot.

An overcast sky can change your natural lighting's effect unless you want to achieve a drenched look.

It's understandable to cancel the shoot at the last minute. A downpour can cancel your outdoor shoot due to safety reasons. However, rescheduling can disappoint your clients and make rescheduling inconvenient.
Weather can affect your team's productivity. Sunshine can make your team and models look more alert, while cloudy or rainy weather can signal the brain to relax. However, extreme heat can bring discomfort, especially to the models wearing less clothing.

Woman wearing a black two piece bikini while laying on a pool chair with palm leaves

It's best to pick a location with a relatively warm and dry climate. You should also prepare a backup indoor place if you have no other dates for reschedules.

Ensure Accessibility

Accessibility is one of the most overlooked aspects of managing a photoshoot. It's crucial to determine how easy it will be for the production team and models to get to the site. Likewise, check how you can bring your gear, props, and other necessary equipment.

Traveling for hours can reduce your time for the actual shoot. It can also leave your team and models feeling tired before working. For such reasons, choose a location that everyone can reach quickly using various means.
Do you need to walk or hike a bit to go to the spot with an overlooking view? Will the trail leave mud or grass stains?
Are there nearby shelters in case of weather changes?
Is there an area where you can set up tents for wardrobe changes, makeup, and styling?

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Avoid Crowded Photoshoot Locations?

The best way to avoid crowded beaches is to book the whole place or a portion. If you need to shoot in a public area, consider getting a professional security team to help handle the crowd.

Do I Need a Creative Director When Choosing a Location?

You may collaborate with a creative director when choosing a photoshoot site to come up with ideas and how to execute them. However, they focus more on overseeing the project, and it's still up to the photographer to produce the final shots.

Conclusion

Learning how to pick a location for swimwear photography contributes to producing the finest swimwear photography and marketable images to make people purchase your creations. As an internationally renowned swimwear and lingerie photographer that offers studio and destination shoots, I will scout the best location to make your swimsuits shine in every photo.