Where Do You Shoot?

With fashion shoots of any kind, there are 3 types of location that I can think of:

1. Studio
2. Closed Location
3. Open Location

Let's discuss (so to speak, since I'm the only one talking, I mean writing, here) all of them.

Studio
This is the "classic" location for fashion work. It is favoured for beauty and product photography, the types of shoots where the background does not really matter. It is also often favoured for lookbooks, since again the background does not matter. But really you can do any type of fashion photography in a studio.
If you shoot in a studio, you usually enjoy the following perks:

• You have a convenient base of operation
• You can use sophisticated lightning setups including ways of breaking the monotony of plain backgrounds
• There are spaces for make-up / hair and dressing with electricity and water
• You are not affected by the weather outside, meaning you don't care about natural light (or lack of) and also you can control the temperature so you can shoot (say) swimsuit in January while outside is snowing like there is no tomorrow)
• There are no passerbys distracting the model / entering your frame / making comments and catcalls
• No one should come and stop the shoot

Are there any disadvantages? Yes....

• Usually there is a cost to rent the studio (unless it's your own)
• You may be constrained by space limitations
• There are only so many things you can do before you get a bit bored of plain backgrounds
• For a studio shoot to stand out, you need great styling and / or props: it's more difficult to be original

Some studio work

Juste is framed by a big hat, 2 lights (octabox and strip)

Carmen the fashion witch strides in front of a fresnel with a window-shaped gobo. One additional light (octabox)

Carmen touting 3-D printed jewels, 2 lights in front (octabox and strip), 2 behind the translucent wall (snoot)

Kae Kae sports a funky hairdo. 3 lights (octabox, beauty dish, snoot)

Closed Location
You are shooting in a closed space that is not a studio, such as inside a house or other building. Often done for editorial, glamour and commercial fashion photography, but again there is no rule that says you cannot do different genres.
The pros, assuming that you're legimately using the premises (i.e. you've rented the place or you've got permission), are:

• You have an interesting background with a lot of possibilities to play
• The weather outside matters up to a point and in any case not enough to block a shoot
• You have a convenient base of operation
• You can use sophisticated lightning setups if you bring all the equipment
• There may be spaces for make-up / hair and dressing with electricity and water
• There should be no passerbys distracting the model / entering your frame / making comments and catcalls

The cons...

• There may be a potentially high costs / cumbersome permission processes
• You should have insurance
• You may be constrained by space limitations
• Higher potential to damage equipment due to the temporary nature of support equipment
• You risk being stopped / thrown out in the middle of the shoot if you "chance it" and do not go through the proper process to secure the place
• Logistics: you need to get to the place and carry all the equipment that is needed

Tatiana dances on the floor - shot in an old palace, one light from the room below (octabox), rest is natural light

Kianna strides across - shot in a Manhattan flat, 2 lights (beauty dish and octabox)

Thais strides in - shot in a Manhattan flat, 2 lights (beauty dish and octabox)

Open Location
I am talking about shooting in an open space, with a roof or not on top. I mean streets, squares, rooftops, gardens, beaches, pools, parks, but also derelict, abandoned buildings, ruins, under bridges, tunnels, etc. etc.
Open locations are usually favoured for editorial and commercial fashion photography, with the usual caveat about doing what you want :)
The pros, assuming that you're legimately using the space (i.e. you've rented it or you've got permission), are:

• You have an interesting background with infinite possibilities to play
  Yes, pretty much only one, but it is an important one! :)

The cons...

• There may be a potentially high costs / cumbersome permission processes
• You may depend on the weather - certainly the quality of natural light is key and things like rain may really ruin your day (flashes and rains are a big no-no, been there, done that :/ )
• You really really should have insurance
• Higher potential to damage equipment due to the temporary nature of support equipment (wind knocking down flashes with umbrellas, anyone?)
• You risk being stopped / thrown out in the middle of the shoot if you "chance it" and do not go through the proper process to secure the place
• You may put yourself and / or the model in danger
• You may not have closed spaces for make-up / hair / dressing --> not for the squeamish
• Logistics are even more complex - complex lightning may be limited by lack of electricity, travel may be non-trivial
• You may have to deal with nosy passerbys (especially bad if your model if self-conscious)

Ekaterina in an abandoned factory, 3 strobes with soft boxes

Lena on a bridge, 1 light with beauty dish

Matilda on the balcony, 1 ring light

Luna in the woods, 1 light with beauty dish

So do you notice a pattern? :) Things get progressively more complicate as the number of walls around you decreases.
What do I prefer? I prefer location! The wilder the better. I adore decrepit abandoned places, especially if they have an industrial feeling (real or perceived). I love the creative possibilities that locations give you. I work in studio nowadays only if I know that styling will be top notch and / or that there will be interesting props / sophisticated lightning to play with.