Summer is approaching and with it the location scouting season for your next photo shoots. As usual, it’s stressful, you haven’t seen any location that you truly like and yet you still have to find “the one” for your next brand campaign. If you’re struggling to find the perfect photoshoot location, don’t panic, our experts are here to help! We’ve put together some useful tips to make your life easier.

Organising a photo shoot: a strategic challenge for brands and productions

Many of you have already started working on the famous summer communication campaigns: the collections are ready and you’re going to have to use your imagination to stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

To do this, the first step will be to come up with an idea, an original and differentiating concept that the competition has not yet exploited. This is usually done by the art director and the teams at the communications agency, around a brand platform. Then comes the writing of the script, the choice of a photographer or director in the case of an advertising shoot, and the long-awaited moment of production.

Finding the ideal location for your photoshoot

Once you’ve come up with a concept, there’s one thing no production can do without, and that’s the search for the ideal location, commonly referred to in the world of film or advertising as “the set”. To do this, you need to take several factors into account if you want to achieve a qualitative result that meets your expectations.

Our 10 tips for finding your ideal shooting location

Before embarking on the search for the ideal setting for your next advertising campaign, it’s important to determine the type of location you’re looking for. Do you need a place steeped in history, a particular landscape, a view, an environment… all parameters that you will need to analyse down to the last millimetre to target your needs as effectively as possible and avoid wasting time.

Then you’ll need to set your budget. There’s no point in choosing a shooting location on the other side of the world if your finances won’t allow it.

Then choose a specialist partner to accompany you. This will help you avoid wasting unnecessary time and the pitfalls of an often complicated process.

Select your locations based on your specifications, to make sure that they correspond to your project.

Take the weather into account: for example, avoid regions where it rains more than 200 days a year for a swimwear shoot on a beach by the sea.

Also take into account the seasonality, which will inevitably have an impact on an outdoor shoot.

Then do a location scout to finalise the last details. Don’t forget anything that could be detrimental to your shoot or advertising shoot.

And don’t forget to take into account the accessibility of the site: you’ll need to get your trucks there, park your cars and set up catering for the production. Take technical constraints into account: electrical power, water supply, etc.

Preferably recruit part of your team locally. Nothing beats a stage manager who knows the region well and will be able to get you out of complicated situations.

Finally, remember to apply to the local authorities for the necessary permits.

Our most beautiful locations for filming and photo shoots

At Baily Pearl, some of our team comes from the world of advertising and fashion,  and that’s why we’re so demanding when it comes to finding advertising locations.

Whether you’re looking for a historic location, a villa on Lake Como for an advert, a vineyard in Provence for a fashion show, an industrial site, a swimming pool by the sea, a château, a palace in Marrakech, or a tent in the desert, we have the location of your dreams.

Incredible sea views, grandiose backdrops, majestic shooting locations, sleek design or Belle Epoque style, anything is possible.

With over 15 years of experience, we’ve hand-picked some of the best shooting locations to ensure the success of your future campaigns. Browse our selection of photoshoot locations and contact us today to find your dream location!

Cover photo © Raffaele Marone for Missoni