How do I plan photography day trips?

Exploring new areas and potential sites for wildlife is one of my favourite parts of the process of wildlife/nature photography. However, I put a lot more effort into planning trips then just rocking up at a new location because unfortunately photography is not my full time job (yet, anyway) and so I am limited to the number of days I can go out as well as other factors such as the weather, needing to walk my dog etc. etc. I also very much like to know what I am doing and where I am going, this is important to me from a personal perspective (having previously suffered from an anxiety disorder, I like to know what I am doing in advance), as well as a more general perspective of safety (so I can inform others of my location) and so I know what I’m actually looking for!  So, what are my go to steps in planning a day trip? This article will take you through all the various processes I go through to plan a photography day trip!

-For the purpose of this article I will go through the steps as though I already have a location in mind, I will write another post in a few weeks about how I actually find locations/wildlife to photograph!

Step 1: Research!

My first step is always research. I google the location on google maps, I look at street view, previous photos taken at the location and note down any coordinates etc. that I think may be worth visiting within my chosen location.  I also like to do a google image, and Instagram hashtag search of the place to see what others have taken there/wildlife that has been seen at that location and if possible, I also look on the location’s website for information.

Step 2: Travel, Car parks and Cost!

After I have found where I want to visit on google maps, I always check to get an exact address/coordinates, so I know exactly where I want to go. I also take this opportunity to search for the closest carparks/stopping areas in order to park my car as I like to know where I can park, so I am not panicking when I get there. Google maps is again very good for this and can sometimes even have a street view of the carpark and tell you whether it is free or paid.

Step 3: Time of day, tide times, light etc!

I always plan for a particular time of arrival and leaving time, I find this just helps me plan my trip better and distribute my time on where I want to go and what I hope to capture. Obviously, wildlife, has no schedule and it isn’t uncommon for these timings to change once I get to a location, but it does give me a bit of piece of mind. I also think this is important as a safety consideration- as an often lone female photographer I am very wary of safety and like to stay in contact with people to check in at particular times and know when they can expect to see/hear from me again. Timing is also important for coastal locations, where the tide obviously plays a big role, it’s pretty pointless driving all the way to a location only to discover you can’t photograph what you wanted because the tide is in/out. 

Step 4: Gear and Lunch!

Finally, maybe my favourite step I always make sure to pack my bag and get any snacks/lunch ready to go the night before/a few hours before I go on a trip! This is mainly because I usually end up leaving at ridiculously early hours and I don’t want to have to think about camera lenses at 4am. This can also be the difference between a few extra minutes in bed and having to get up even earlier!

How do you plan your day trips? Let me know in the comments below, or over on social media!