On-Location Photography Logistics: Permits, Travel, and Stress-Free Shoots

Planning a Q1 feature or campaign on location comes with a lot of moving parts—but it doesn’t have to be chaotic. With clear pre-production, smart travel planning, and a calm run of show, you can protect both your story and your schedule.

Brian Lahiere brings fifteen years of global, multilingual experience to on-location assignments, keeping coverage candid and unobtrusive so subjects stay present and images feel true.

What On-Location Photography Really Means

On-location photography means photographing people, places, and stories in real environments rather than a studio. You work within natural light, existing architecture, and the lived context of your subject.

Being on location prioritizes authenticity and narrative detail—it places the viewer where the story happens. The setting shapes mood, light, scale, and behavior. A strong location adds context and texture that can’t easily be replicated on a controlled set.

Day to day, on-location work typically involves:

• A mobile footprint

• Flexible timing around light and access

• Collaboration with site managers, publicists, or fixers

The goal is to remain responsive and as invisible as possible while the story unfolds.

Location Selection and Scouting

Strong images start with the right place. Here’s how Brian helps clients find and secure it:

Define Intent

Clarify the story, audience, and deliverables. Editorial spreads, brand case studies, and production stills all have different practical needs.

Build a Location Shortlist

Consider editorial references, sun paths, proximity to subjects, and contingency options within a short travel radius.

Scout In Person or Virtually

Assess access points, power, ambient noise, safety considerations, holding areas, and camera sightlines. For international shoots, local fixers or producers may assist.

Match Location to Light

Note sun angles, window orientation, practical fixtures, and shade options. Draft a timeline that follows the light rather than forcing it.

How do photographers find locations?
Through research, archives of past assignments, editor and producer referrals, public location libraries, and on-the-ground scouting. Brian often blends desk research with quick walkthroughs to confirm light and logistics.

Permits, Insurance, and Access Letters

Do photographers handle permits?
Yes—when contracted to do so. Brian works with clients to determine whether permits are required, who issues them, and what insurance or indemnification is needed.

Permits

City film offices, park services, private property managers, and transit authorities all have different rules. Lead times can range from same-day to several weeks, especially for international locations.

Insurance

Many venues require Certificates of Insurance (COIs) with specific language and limits. Brian can provide COIs naming both venue and client as additional insured, aligned with permit requirements.

Access Letters

Corporate campuses, hospitals, schools, and government facilities often require official access letters. These should include names, dates, equipment summaries, and contact information.

Releases

For identifiable people or sensitive locations, plan model or property releases in the appropriate language and in line with local norms.

Timing the Day Around Natural Light

Natural light drives the schedule. Plan key moments when light supports the story, then layer in secondary coverage.

• Golden Hours: Ideal for hero portraits and openers, offering softer contrast and depth

• Midday Strategy: Use open shade, window light, or practical fixtures; subtle bounce or negative fill can add shape

• Night Coverage: Scout safe, well-lit backdrops and use a minimal light kit that respects the environment

Domestic and International Travel Logistics

For travel photography assignments, predictability is key.

• Travel Holds: Block travel and shoot days together, with an overflow day for weather or access changes

• Visas and Carnets: Some countries require work visas or ATA carnets for equipment; Brian has extensive experience clearing customs with detailed manifests

• Multilingual Collaboration: Brian speaks French, Italian, and Spanish, streamlining communication with local crews and talent

• Health and Safety: Confirm local restrictions, PPE requirements if applicable, and site-specific orientations

As a global assignment photographer, Brian maintains ready-to-ship kits and documented equipment lists to speed airport and venue clearances.

Gear Manifests, Backups, and Data Security

• Manifests: Serial-numbered gear lists aligned with carnets and airline declarations

• Redundancy: Two camera bodies, overlapping focal lengths, and multiple batteries and cards; critical items travel carry-on

• Power & Communications: Universal adapters, power strips, surge protection, and local SIMs or eSIMs

• Data Workflow: Dual-slot in-camera backups, daily offloads to two drives, and cloud delivery when bandwidth allows

One drive stays with the photographer; the other with production.

Simple Run of Show Template

Use this as a starting point and adapt based on location and light:

• 06:30 – Call time, coffee, quick brief, gear check

• 07:00 – Scout refresh and safety review

• 07:15 – First-light portraits and openers

• 08:30 – Documentary coverage of primary activity

• 10:30 – Travel or Location B setup, release check

• 11:00 – Interior window-light portraits and details

• 12:30 – Break, selects review, adjust plan

• 14:00 – Secondary coverage and interviews

• 16:30 – Golden hour walkabout and environmental portraits

• 18:00 – Night exteriors or wrap scene

• 19:30 – Data transfer, backup, preliminary edit

• 20:00 – Wrap and confirm next-day access notes

How Many Photos for a One-Hour Session?

It depends on the assignment. For a straightforward one-hour editorial portrait session, expect 40–80 curated images delivered after editing, excluding technical outtakes. Documentary days yield more frames, which are distilled into a tight, story-driven edit.

Client Packing Checklist

Share this with your team for stress-free shoot days:

• Access: IDs, badges, parking passes, access letter

• Wardrobe: Solid tones, lint roller, weather-appropriate layers

• Approvals: Shot priorities, brand guidelines, embargo notes

• Releases: Printed or digital, in the correct language

• Comfort: Water, snacks, sunscreen, hand warmers or fans

• Logistics: Address, contact list, Wi-Fi details, petty cash or card

Candid, Unobtrusive Coverage

Candid coverage preserves real interactions and gives stories their emotional weight. Brian works quietly, times movement between moments, and uses existing light whenever possible. The result is imagery that feels lived-in, editorially honest, and well suited for magazines and brand storytelling.

Integrating brief environmental portraits within reportage strengthens narrative flow without disrupting the scene.

Do Photographers Handle Everything?

Photographers often manage permits, scouting, and logistics in partnership with producers or editors. Brian offers full on-location photography services, including pre-production planning, multilingual coordination, and on-site discretion. For complex productions, he collaborates with unit publicists, assistant directors, and local crews to keep schedules intact.

Reserve Your Q1 and Early 2026 Dates

If you’re planning editorial photo shoots or brand stories for Q1, now is the time to hold dates. Brian Lahiere is a seasoned on-location photographer with worldwide experience, fluent in French, Italian, and Spanish, and ready to travel.

To align calendars for early 2026 assignments, reach out to discuss scope and availability.