Scouting New Locations
Planning vs Scouting
Scouting new locations is a relatively new thing for me but it is now an important part of my routine. Before I get too far along, let me say that I differentiate "planning" from "scouting" - I have been planning my outings for quite some time. Planning takes place, most often, at home sitting at my computer. I may have an idea of where I would like to go and then use Google Maps/Google Earth to do some preliminary searches for compositions. If I am lucky, I can get a decent angle using "street view" and have a good idea as to whether I should go to the area for further investigation. I will also use Instagram, and other social media, to do some planning.
Scouting, on the other hand, involves actually going somewhere and looking around. These trips are most often the result of planning but there are times when I just see something interesting when I am out and make a slight detour. That is one reason why I normally leave the house well before I need to - detours are likely to happen at any time. When I am scouting a location I sometimes leave the camera in the car and use my phone to identify potential compositions. The nice thing about scouting is that I can do it regardless of the time of year, weather, crowds, etc.... I am not there to produce images for my portfolio, just to get ideas. If I find a great image under the right conditions, I will break out the DSLR. When I get back to the car I will make some preliminary notes and then move on to the next place. It is not unusual to visit three (3) to six (6) - maybe more! - places in a single trip.
Why Location Scout?
So, why scout a location? I could just say, "Because it works for me" and leave it at that but there is more to it. My "formal" scouting trips actually started out as simply an excuse to get out of the house and into nature. Since the pandemic hit in March 2020 I have spent almost all of my time at home; I needed an excuse to just "get out." The weather conditions weren't suited for grand landscapes and I was beginning to find myself shooting the same thing over and over again; time to find new places to re-fuel my passion.
When I am on a scouting trip, or "rekky" as some call it, there is no pressure to come away with a portfolio shot or even a "shareable" image. I am like a painter with a sketchpad, roughing out compositions to come back to when I have more time or favorable conditions. A good example of this can be seen here - the first image was made on a four (4) park trip I took in April of this year. It's been years since I have been out to Burlington County and the Pinelands so I researched some lakes in the area, put them in my car's navigation system and took off.
I made a note about Pakim Pond being a place to re-visit for foliage; I was right. I set out one afternoon to scout a new location, Etra Park, shoot foliage at a second, Pemberton Lake, and end the day with a sunset at Horicon Lake in Lakehurst. I got a late start, about 1:00 PM, so I wasn't able to spend much time at my first two (2) stops if I was going to make sunset. This wasn't a problem because the Etra Park stop was just to get an idea of what was there and I had already scouted Pemberton Lake so I had a good idea of my compositions. There are two areas at Pemberton Lake and I stopped at both, coming away with a few decent images. As I was getting ready to head out to Lakehurst I debated a stop at Pakim Pond; I had an extra thirty or so minutes so I took the detour.
This is where my April scouting trip really paid off. I knew about the benches at the edge of the pond so I headed straight to them. I was going to re-create the phone image but shift my perspective a bit so as to include one of the park benches. When I arrived I changed my mind and walked over to the other bench because the sun was lighting up the trees on the opposite side of the pond. The light didn't last long, clouds were rolling in as the sun was beginning to slip below the treetops. I noticed the small, red tree standing out against the dark green backdrop of the pines. I got in tighter, making certain to include the beautiful reflection, and waited for the sun to come out to illuminate the scene. I waited, and waited, and waited a little more - even turning around, looking up and imploring, "Hurry up! I don't have much time!" Of course, I was talking to the sun but unbeknownst to me there was a woman near the other bench who overheard me. She looked, I apologized and explained I wasn't talking to her. Did she believe me? I can only hope.... Anyway, the sun never came back out and I ran out of time. Would the light have made this a better image? Worse? I don't know but I was happy with what I got. What do you think?
Do You Scout Locations?
So, tell me, do you go out on scouting trips? Do you plan your excursions at all? I would love to hear how you plan and any apps or websites you might use. Leave me a comment below with any of your experiences.
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Technical information:
Smartphone: Motorola One 5G UW Ace (I use the built-in camera and the camera in Lightroom for Mobile)
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i (crop sensor - 1.6 factor)
Lenses: Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Tripod: MeFOTO Roadtrip Classic
ISO 100
All focal lengths are as-recorded - the full-frame equivalent in parenthesis.
Shutter tripped with wired shutter release.
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