How I Scout (and Vet) My Session Locations

Picking a location is half the session.

Get it right and everything flows. Get it wrong and you are chasing a toddler across a parking lot at golden hour. I have done both.

So here is exactly how I vet a spot before it ever makes my booking list. If you are trying to scout photography locations Wisconsin clients will actually drive for, this is my whole process.

Start With the Light

I pull up SunSeeker and check where the sun lands at session time, and the exact minute it dips behind the treeline. Glowy, backlit, golden. That part is non-negotiable for me, so I only shoot golden hour (or sunrise, for the brave families).

Then I Go Walk It

Usually with my own kids. Because if a four-year-old loves a place, I know it will photograph like magic.

I make notes on everything. The flowers, the pathways, the little pockets of beach. I pay attention to how long the walk is and how accessible it is, because hauling gear and a newborn across a field is nobody’s idea of fun.

Then I plan the flow. Where I will stand at 7:15. Where we will end. How the whole evening moves.

The Lesson That Took Me a Few Seasons

Parks with playgrounds are a trap for kids under five. They spot the slide and the session is basically over. Now I warn parents when a location has one, so they can decide before we ever book.

You probably have a spot like that too. The one that looks perfect on Instagram and falls apart the second real kids show up.

A couple of places I always keep in my back pocket? One tried-and-true beach, and one good forest. If you are not near water, do not worry. A flower field, or even a pretty downtown block, works beautifully for the client who wants something a little different.

How I Scout Photography Locations Wisconsin Families Remember

Here is the catch.

The more spots you scout, the harder they are to keep straight. Which one has the best light in October. Which one is stroller-friendly. Which one floods after a big rain.

That is exactly why I built my Location Guide Template. It holds every spot I have vetted, with photos, notes, and a simple grading system, so I can hand a client a curated list and never second-guess which location fits which family. If you want to steal my system, you can grab it right there.

This is the same build-it-once habit I leaned on when I set up my newborn studio from scratch. Systems now, sanity later.

Because when you scout photography locations Wisconsin clients trust, the session runs itself.

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I share new spots as I find them over on Instagram. Come hunt with me.

P.S. The app I keep mentioning is SunSeeker. Worth every penny for seeing where the light will land before you ever show up.