Photo Shoot Spots vs Locations

Bunn Salarzon - family photographer

This family met me at Portland IKEA for their photo shoot…

I am looking for new spots for photo shoots within 30 minutes drive from the Portland International Airport, so I’d love any suggestions that you may have!?

Spots? Yes, because I don’t need an entire location; that one awesome spot you always pass by during a drive or walk is just perfect for me.

Sometimes the best place to do a photo shoot isn’t at the most obvious places. Well, at least not for my style of photography. The first thing I look for is light then background. I try to avoid other people and cars, and even buildings unless I’m doing a specific photo shoot in the city or something like that. 

What I crave for is those hidden gems; the kinds that you’d find while driving here and there and then you’d see it along the way, but didn’t really notice it before because it’s not an obvious place for photo shoots. But, the light. Ooh! And this angle, that angle— thinking to yourself, “Bunn would love this spot!” Yes, that’s what I want. :) 
 
I shot those photos at IKEA, could you tell?!

I would drive along I-205 from Vancouver, Washington and see this big field behind IKEA, but thought what a crazy spot to do a photo shoot. However, the more I saw it the more that I wanted to do it! So, this family met me at IKEA and this is what we created that day. I love how these photos turned out on film!

These hidden gems don’t have to look exactly like this field— and it doesn’t even have to be a field. It can be a driveway with a cool garage door, or a stunning lonesome tree nearby a schoolyard. Oh, what I would really love to find is a driveway with a beautiful tree line like from the scene in Rain Man with Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.

If you see anything that would make a lovely backdrop for my style of work, then please do not hesitate to let me know. Thank you in advance!