How to find a good location in film making and photography

Location in England used as location in Africa for short film

This article explains how to find a good location for a scene in film making or  photography that looks as if it is in a foreign country.

For example, the photo. represents a scene from the African semi-desert in a short film that I’m shooting but it was actually shot on a beach in England which at least to me looks like the African semi desert.
The reason for this is, this particular area of the beach has quite a few sand dunes  but more importantly there are white stunted trees which don’t have any bark on them.
This might be due to the poor or non existent soil conditions and because they are constantly exposed to the salt air and strong winds.
Photographers could shoot some great creative photographs in a place like this, because it looks like something that it isn’t.

How to find a good location in film making and photography by being observant and imaginative

It seems to me that finding a good location is just a matter of being observant – observing your surroundings, and being imaginative – imagining what these surroundings might be transformed into.
The only way to be observant is to get out there and observe things! For example, I like to explore the beach – sometimes for miles.
But if I didn’t do this I wouldn’t have noticed this area of the beach and been able to use it as a location.