How To Digitally Scout Photography Locations

Have you ever tried to plan an outdoor field trip to a location you’ve never visited? In this premium video, Outdoor Photography Guide’s David Johnston shows you how to prepare through digital scouting.

David decides to visit Banff National Park, which he brings up on Google, then clicks on Images, and 100s of outdoor photos of Banff appear. Scrolling through, he finds an image captioned, A Tourist’s Guide to Staying Safe in Banff. Another click, and he finds articles relating to this subject. Time for a bookmark.

Another way to scout is to open Google Street Maps and click on Banff National Park. Now you can locate roads, trails, lakes, high points, and campgrounds. Choose a location such as a lake or a mountain, and you can zoom in on a photograph captured from any point you choose, even a narrow path.