Location plays a key role in many photographs, often inspiring the colors, poses, and composition. This week, we are featuring five images that seamlessly tie the location to the subject from photographers John Makris, Aimée Flynn, Analise Mongan, Kendra Rose, and Ronni Evans. 

John Makris 

Location isn’t just about the background of a photograph — it often plays a role in how a photograph is lit. When wedding photographer John Makris saw this staircase, he was inspired by the lines and shapes in the shadows. Preventing the groom’s shadow from becoming distorted was a challenge that Makris solved by asking the groom to lean to the right. 

“I love when light and shadows create shapes and lines during a sunny day,” he said. “When I saw the shadow of the stairs on the wall, I thought that I have to create two parallel stories in my composition.”  

Makris captured the photograph using a Sony a7 IV and a Sony 14mm f1.8 lens. 

Aimée Flynn 

Incredible locations offer epic views everywhere you look — but also a lot of tourists taking in the view. “With views like this, it’s easy to feel inspired,” said elopement and adventure wedding photographer Aimée Flynn. “But for this photo, I liked how the prominent rock features really created a natural frame around the couple, almost like the vast landscape itself was cradling them. It made the wide, almost overwhelming environment feel so much more intimate.” 

Flynn says the most challenging part of capturing this shot at Yosemite is the number of other visitors taking in the view. “Yosemite is incredible and every person out taking in that view deserves to be there,” she said. “I always try to ramp up the camaraderie — ‘Everyone is out here because everyone feels inspired by this beauty. How cool is that’ — while sharing iconic and crowded spots with couples.” 

Analise Mongan, For Love and Light 

Replicating elements from the location into the props and wardrobe can help give an image a cohesive feel. In this shot from Analise Mongan of For Love and Light, the expectant mother’s lace gown ties in with the colors and movement of the water. “I am forever in awe of and inspired by of the magic of women and pregnancy,” Mongan said. “As my client made her way down to the water towards the end of our session, I was inspired by the beauty of mother nature with the sun setting on a stunning autumn evening, the beauty of my client and the movement of the gown.” 

While beach shoots can often present a challenge, this particular night brought ideal weather conditions for the shoot. Mongan captured the image using a Fujifilm X-T3 and 23mm f1.4 lens. 

Kendra Rose, Kendra Rose Photography 

In this image by Kendra Rose Photography, a wide angle 35mm lens shows off this location while also illustrating the connection between the family. “I’m inspired by telling the stories of the families I work with,” Rose said. “After getting to know this family, I envisioned something cinematic and timeless with a touch of whimsy. During sessions, I like to pull back for a wide shot to give the viewer a sense of place, while also showing the family’s connection with each other.” 

Rose says that she likes to let the family naturally interact with each other and the environment. When one of the daughters wanted to climb a rock and jump off, Rose encouraged it and asked her to jump into her dad’s arms. 

Ronni Evans 

Some locations come with a long history, which is what inspired photographer and history graduate Ronni Evans to take this photograph in the Great Hall in Winchester, UK. As her son put on a dress-up knight costume and began playing with a toy sword, she noticed the beam of light coming through the windows and grabbed her Nikon Z6 ii and Nikon Z 85mm f1.8 S. 

“There was some waiting around for the sun to emerge from behind the clouds to produce the pockets of hard light that added the depth, drama and contrast I wanted for the image. The changing light meant I had to keep adjusting my settings so as not to blow the highlights,” Evans said. “Because the focus of my image was the story of my son bringing the history of the building to life through play, I knew I wouldn’t be able to capture much of the Great Hall in the frame, but I still wanted the building and its scale to be part of the story. I tried a few different compositions and settled on a fairly close crop of my young son set against the huge, imposing columns. The compression of the 85mm helped to enhance the sense of scale and depth.”