The Ugly Location Challenge: Christmas 2018

We took these photos at Lowe’s just for fun. Because of the kiddos moving a lot and how these photos were taken, my husband enhanced the lighting a lot. Play around with photos and the effect you’re looking for whether you can get that straight out of camera or your photos need a little face lift. One of the most fun aspects of photography is how each person has his own unique style.

A special thank you to Lowe’s in Winchester, VA for not blinking an eye when we whipped out the camera.

Last year, when I found the ugly location photo challenge, my photographer (aka the hubby) and I found a new hobby. Ever since, the photographer has been wanting to take all the photos in all the ugly spaces. It’s only something I’m interested in at Christmas. The nice thing about Christmas is that anywhere looks pretty with twinkle lights. Yes, even Walmart.

This year we packed up the kiddos and took them along for the ride. I’m not sure if that was a mistake or not but this blog is back to the basics. I don’t have one gifted item to show for it, just fun. Or, it was supposed to be fun- I’m not sure the two year old got the memo. Here are the results and some info on how you too can drag your children to Lowe’s and take lots of photos.

Straight out of camera:

Final edit:

Straight out of camera:

Final Edit:

Straight out of camera:

Final Edit:

Straight out of camera:

Final Edit:

How to Choose an Ugly Location:

1. Lighting. Like I said, twinkle lights and faux fur makes any space pretty. So, Christmas is an easy place to start. Other pretty places? The lighting section in most home improvement/home goods stores. Some stores have really yellow lights, be aware of that and adjust settings if you choose this spot.

2. The space. You need space to take the shots. If it’s really cramped, it’s more difficult to get it all in the frame.

3. The crowd. If you go somewhere ugly that has a crowd, you’re going to have a hard time manipulating the space without bothering other people. I like to go at off times or to out of the way locations. Unless you actually want random people in your picture (which honestly could be a thing depending where you are), make sure you consider this when choosing the location.

4. Framing. Tighter detail shots are easier to get in “ugly” spaces. Try different poses and captures to make the most use of the location without capturing the ugly!

5. Editing. It’s really hard to shoot an ugly space without some adjustment. Budding photographers shooting in jpeg, this means you might have to work harder for the shot (but don’t despair my husband says your iPhone might be better for the job anyway especially in airy well-lit wharehouses- give it a try). Not that I really know how to do any real editing (or photography for that matter). But, I do know that when you shoot in RAW you can adjust the exposure and overall colors of the picture more easily.

Photography is an art. Learning to see spaces through the lens is something that takes practice (you need to see things on a macro level- like I said in this post– the trees for the forest). Do you think you’ll give the ugly location challenge a try? Where would you shoot it?