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How-To

There And Back Again

Returning to your favorite places gives you the chance to push the boundaries of your own photographic exploration

This Article Features Photo Zoom

Paraglider at Curtis Canyon, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Jackson, Wyoming.

The question I’m asked most frequently at workshops and when talking with other photographers: Where is my favorite place to shoot photos? The intent of a question like this is to discover what’s at the core of what I like best when I look for a photo location. When I answer with a string of places, including mountains, deserts and locations around the world, this doesn’t address the question with a tidy answer.

Looking closely at the question, I suspect that I have hundreds of favorite places to shoot, and I’m adding new locations every month. Later this month I’ll be shooting in Scotland, a place I’ve never visited. You can bet that I’ll add the Scottish regions of the Outer Hebrides and Ben Nevis to my list of favorite locations.

What qualifies as a favorite place to me is the potential a location has for light, scenery and subjects for photography, and it helps if that potential is nearly bottomless. That quality and quantity will entice me to return again and again. A recent photography trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, was just that—an opportunity to review previous locations I’ve photographed and could improve on and to try some new things in new locations.

When I return to a location I’ve shot before, my intent is either to explore new locations or refine photos I’ve already made, perhaps in a different season or of a different activity, or incorporating new lighting or camera gear. Every year I set aside a few shoots that are short, two- to four-day-long trips specifically for shooting photography in one of my favorite locations. These photo trips might be regional, or I might tap into frequent-flyer miles and book a trip to the Canadian Rockies, Iceland or farther afield. The season in which I choose to travel varies as well, depending on the type of new ground I intend to push photographically.

This past month, I shot for three days in one of America’s premier adventure capitals, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which is at the heart of the spectacular Grand Teton National Park and borders Yellowstone National Park. The location abounds in mountains, lakes, rivers and wildlife of every description. With nearly unlimited challenges for skiers, climbers, kayakers, hikers and other activities, the towns of Jackson and Wilson and, on the other side of the Teton Mountains in Idaho, the towns of Victor and Driggs, have no shortage of adrenaline junkies. I’ve enjoyed shooting around Jackson for many years. Each visit I make offers an array of new locations and new subjects to shoot.

On my recent visit, I traveled to Jackson with my office manager Stephanie Ogburn, who always enjoys a road trip. Although not my regular photo assistant, Stephanie quickly learned some of the nuances of using reflectors and setting up my portable battery-powered lights. In a location like Jackson, having a friend who’s willing to lend a hand to help with your shoot is indispensable. Stephanie filled that role, plus she had a chance to be on location to watch the process of me making the photos that she’d later edit and send to clients. We worked with athletes Jeff Annetts, Charlotte Moats and others in a busy three days, shooting a wide variety of sports, including mountain biking, paragliding, camping, trail running, fly-fishing and kayaking. Jackson Hole is one of only a handful of places in the world where you can shoot all of these activities in a world-class arena.

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