The best location for your brand photoshoot depends on one thing: what you do. A realtor and a health coach need completely different backdrops, and a location that flatters one brand works against the other. I’ve photographed personal brand sessions across the South Bay since 2009. Here are the locations I actually use, and how I decide which one fits which client.
Location is a brand decision, so start there
Don’t pick a place because it’s pretty. Pick it because it matches what you sell, who you are, and what you do. That’s why location planning happens in the in-person strategy consultation [LINK 1]: once we know the full arc of your business and what we need to show, the right locations almost choose themselves.
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
For quaint, small-town charm: downtown Los Gatos and Saratoga Village
If your brand is warm, personal, and boutique, the tree-lined streets and storefronts of downtown Los Gatos and Saratoga Village photograph beautifully. This is my home turf; my studio is right on Broadway in Los Gatos, so we can do headshots in the studio and walk to the location.
For big-city energy: Santana Row
When the brand calls for a lively, modern, upscale-city feel, Santana Row in San Jose is my go-to. It has architecture, color, movement, and, rare for a photogenic spot, easy parking.
The coffee shop scene, a short walk from my studio
My studio is walking distance from downtown Los Gatos coffee shops and restaurants. With the owner’s OK, during quieter hours, we can photograph you in a real cafe: the meeting-a-client shots, the laptop-and-coffee content, the warm conversational scenes every service brand needs. It pairs perfectly with studio headshots in the same session.
For nature and greenery: Vasona Lake County Park
Health coaches, wellness practitioners, and anyone whose brand lives outdoors: Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos gives you lush greenery, open fields, and water views minutes from my studio.
For gardens in bloom: Gamble Garden and the Municipal Rose Garden
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden in Palo Alto is a favorite for a reason. It’s free (donations encouraged), and they ask you to arrange photo sessions in advance, at least a couple of weeks.
The San Jose Municipal Rose Garden is spectacular from mid-April through early June, with peak bloom in May. If your brand refresh lands in spring, it’s worth timing your session around it.
For realtors and interior designers: rent the house
Here’s a trick most people don’t know. If you’re a realtor working toward the high-end market and your current listings aren’t there yet, you can rent a luxury home by the hour for your shoot. I use Home Studio List to find photo-ready houses across California. Your images show the market you’re moving into, so your brand arrives before your listings do.
For speakers and consultants: rent the room
One of my clients was building a speaking career, so we booked a space through Peerspace with offices and a big conference room that matched her brand, and photographed her presenting. Co-working spaces can work too, but many only rent by the day rather than by the hour, so a rental space is often the smarter buy.
The location most people overlook: your own workspace
Here’s the thing. The best location is often the one you already have, because it shows clients exactly what working with you looks like. If you’re a therapist, we photograph the room where you hold sessions. If you’re an ironworker, we shoot you in your workshop, creating your work. That’s the arc of your business, and no rented backdrop tells it better.
Work from home? I rebuild your office in my studio
Many of my clients work from home and don’t love how their home office photographs. So I recreate it. You bring items that are meaningful to you and your brand, and we stage the studio to look like your space, with better light and none of the laundry basket in the corner. You get “my office” photos without opening your front door.
A word about permits
County and city parks, including Vasona and the Rose Garden, require a commercial photography permit. Depending on where you’re based, we can often use a small neighborhood park instead, which usually doesn’t. Handling this is part of my location planning, so you never think about it.
How the session day actually flows
We normally start with headshots at my Los Gatos studio, where the light is controlled and you warm up in front of the camera. Then we head to your locations. By the time we’re shooting on the street or in the park, you’re relaxed, and it shows.
And if you’d rather not travel at all, the studio holds more looks than people expect: headshot setups, a staged office scene, and an outdoor area for open-air shots. A full session without leaving Broadway.
One thing to avoid: the backdrop everyone already used
Every town has that one mural or picture-perfect corner where everyone takes photos. Skip it. When a spot is famous for photoshoots, the photo stops being about you. Your location should say something about your brand that nobody else’s photos are already saying.
Common questions
Do I need a permit for a brand photoshoot in a South Bay park?
County and city parks like Vasona Lake County Park and the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden require a commercial photography permit, and Gamble Garden asks you to arrange sessions at least a couple of weeks in advance. Small neighborhood parks usually don’t require one. I handle location logistics as part of your session planning.
Can we shoot at my office or workspace?
Yes, and it’s often the best choice. Photos in your real workspace show clients exactly what working with you looks like, whether that’s a therapy office, a workshop, or a storefront. We plan those shots in your strategy consultation so every image has a job.
What if I work from home and don’t want to shoot there?
I recreate your home office in my Los Gatos studio. You bring items that are meaningful to you and your brand, and we stage the space to look like yours, with professional lighting. It photographs like your office on its best day.
How many locations fit in one session?
Every session covers at least two different looks. Even a full studio day gives us multiple environments: headshot setups, a staged office scene, and the studio’s outdoor area. When we head out, sessions can cover 2, 3, sometimes 4 locations. What decides it is what your brand needs to showcase, and we map that in your strategy consultation.
About the Author: Gaby Clark
