Not trying to toot my own horn here, but I’m going to be real. I, aka Lisa Staff Photography, work really hard when I’m on set filming and creating content, just like many others do. Because of that, I believe I deserve some downtime to bask, reflect and relax while reminiscing on all I’ve accomplished. That’s a form of self-care, right? Right! Personally, I think more people should do this. It serves as a reset button so you can get back in the ring and get down to business.

Recently, Deevo of Fusion Photography and I were in Southern California and Baja Mexico shooting content for a local distillery. Let me just say, what a great place to work. After a week of filming, we needed a bit of downtime before making that haul back across the country.

While in Rosarito Mexico, shooting at a local fish “mercado” along the shore, we inquired about some of the local hot spots and were turned on to Fauna [restaurant and winery in one]. Several of the locals re-enforced the suggestion and they made it sound so intriguing we could not resist the temptation to make the two-hour drive into the Baja desert to find it. 

So of course the next morning we rose early, grabbed some snacks, lots of water and headed straight into the baja desert to find Fauna. This place is literally in the middle of nowhere – and I think that adds to its allure. I didn’t even know you could grow wine in the desert. Who would have thought? This place sits literally in the middle of the Guadalupe Mountains and Baja desert so we truly had very few expectations as we navigated down the dusty one-lane road.

As we neared the winery, green slowly came out of nowhere, leading to smaller brush, larger shrubs, then suddenly row after row of vineyard. We had arrived. Deevo and I both separately and together have traveled all over the world. I’ve tasted wines in Italy, Greece, France and most of Europe, and without any hesitation, I can easily say that Fauna, ranks up there in aesthetics and decor with the best of them. That’s only the beginning though.. onto the best part. The food.

The kitchen is where the true magic happens. It was simply exquisite. Young Chef David Castro Hussong along with partner Maribel Aldaco Silva have crafted true culinary creativity with their pairing of local traditions and global pairings. Octopus with truffle sauce hemp. Pickled cucumber and smoked pork, ceviche and poached egg. Each day they present something unique to their traveled patrons from far and wide. Oh and the wine… did I mention that yet?

I’ve clearly been drooling over the wine and food while writing this. Let me get back to my main point. How to find unique places to create content… keep scrolling to learn how we stumbled on this spot, were able to create great content and how you can do the same!

How to Create Unique Content

Once you find the unique spot, the next task is to use that unique spot to your advantage by creating unique content. You can very easily make an outstanding spot come across as basic if you don’t know what you’re doing. Here are some tips to get you on the right path:

1 – Don’t be shy. Some of the best places or settings for photo or video may seem closed off to you, the public. They might be hiding behind a fence or in the back of a field that you don’t think you can wander through. This is when you need to not be afraid to ask to check out those spots. If you have a feeling a great piece of content is lying behind a door, speak up and ask the staff to get access. They won’t always say yes so you have to be ready for rejection, but they may be willing if you tell them you’re going to use the content for social media and that you’ll shout them out. Give and take.

2 – Keep adventuring and remain curious. Be willing to put in some physical exercise and take that hike. Keep an open mind to adventuring beyond your typical limits. Along with the tip above, you never know what may be just a few steps further. Dirt road that you don’t know where it leads? Figure out where it leads by driving down there! This doesn’t always turn out to reveal great locations, but hey, doesn’t hurt to try.

3 – Manipulate what you have in front of you. This tip is great when it comes to food and drinks. When professional photographers and content creators (aka Lisa Staff Photography) post pictures of a dish they’ve been served at a delicious restaurant, they don’t just snap a picture as is. Instead, you’ll find us staging the table or staging that particular dish. We’ll be thinking about lighting, what’s in the background, what we can add to the background, etc. Have fun “creating” with what is in front of you. This is the difference between a basic and an exceptional piece of content.

I hope these tips help you find the most beautiful places to create the most beautiful content. After years in the photography and content industry, my biggest piece of advice is to adventure. To have fun. The best photo and video is created when you let loose and are willing to explore to find the unique locations no one else will venture to. It’s truly an art, but art you can fun with.

Is your business or brand in need of content creation for social media or your website? Click below and we can adventure together to create a story that’s telling of you and your brand!