You may not know this, but location scouting is one of my favorite parts of my job. Even if I know the area, before each session I come up with a plan so that I am familiar with which spots have the best lighting at that time of day. The season, the time of day, the weather- each can affect how a particular spot can look. It also helps to make sure there an no surprises- there is nothing worse than arriving a few minutes early the day of a shoot only to find that an area is blocked off or already in use (hello summer festivals in the parks!)
I also love to use these scouting trips as a chance to hang out with my daughters. I often have my daughter stand in to see how an area will photograph. We love these outings and consider it an adventure! Yesterday we wandered around downtown picking a few perfect spots for an upcoming session before heading into the museum. (My model required lunch and the museum:)
Speaking of museums, we also recently took a trip to the NCMA, to see the Energy of Youth photography exhibit. Very inspiring. 
Same kid, same painting- five years later. Time flies, but I’ve enjoyed each day and getting to know this cool little person. 🙂
