Location Reference Photos for Film, Previs and VFX

What a pack can and can't replace

A scout brings back wide views, details, access routes and the light at different times of day. A good pack covers much of the same ground. It can't replace a recce if you plan to shoot at that location. It helps earlier: when you choose a look, pitch a world, plan previs or build a digital set extension. Each product page lists the photographer, the location, the camera and the number of photos, so you know what you are working from.

Previs and blocking in real geography

City packs give you real streets to block a scene in. San Francisco Streets and Cityscape (751 photos) covers the CBD, Chinatown, North Beach, Lombard Street, the Embarcadero, Fisherman's Wharf and more. London Cityscape (574 photos) covers the Thames waterfront, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, markets, buses and taxis, and both old and modern buildings. See more in cityscape photos.

Production design: walls, gates and details

Art departments need the details that a wide shot hides.

• Spanish Colonial Fortress (543 photos, Manila): a fortress first built in 1571, with thick walls, moats and old prison cells, plus drone views for an overview.
• Istanbul Bosphorus Straight Fortress (182 photos): an Ottoman fortress above the Bosphorus, with towers, gates, staircases, courtyards and close-ups of old stonework.
• Medieval City - Game of Thrones (363 photos, Girona, Spain): medieval streets shot early in the morning, with no tourists in the frame.

For more, see castle reference photos.

VFX: plates, extensions and digital environments

Deserts are a common VFX build, and a common place to get scale wrong.

• Iconic Jordan Desert Valley (275 photos at 6240 × 4160): Wadi Rum in southern Jordan, a desert valley that many feature films have used as a location.
• Tunisian Desert Oasis (190 photos): rocks, water and sand, plus panoramas 20,000 pixels wide.
• Salt Desert (77 photos, Tunisia): a salt flat, with panoramas 17,000 pixels wide.
• Aerial Sand Dunes with Tracks (455 photos, Australia): vehicle tracks on dunes, from the air and up close, at dawn, during the day and at dusk.

From the air, Nepalese Town Helicopter Views (155 photos) shows Pokhara in its valley, shot from a helicopter with a full-frame camera. See also aerial reference photos.

Licensing for a production

Choose the license by the size of the art team, counting employees and contractors:

• Small Studio: 10 people or fewer.
• Large Studio: more than 10 people.

Both cover unlimited projects, never expire and include free updates. Some photos are Editorial, for example those with identifiable people, vehicles or buildings. In Mixed packs they sit in a separate Editorial folder. Editorial photos can be used for concept art, 3D work, texturing, matte painting and photobashing. They can't be reproduced in advertising, promotion or products for resale.

Frequently asked questions

Can the whole art department work from one pack?

Yes, with a studio license. Count everyone on the art team, employees and contractors. Up to 10 people need Small Studio. More than 10 need Large Studio.

Can the photos appear on screen?

Commercial photos can be used for nearly any purpose, including on screen. Editorial photos can be used in matte paintings and photobashing, but not in trailers, posters or other promotion. Check which folder a photo is in before it goes into a promotional image.

Do packs include drone or aerial views?

Many do. The camera list on each product page shows when a drone was used, as in the Spanish Colonial Fortress pack. Some aerial packs, like the Pokhara pack, were shot from a helicopter.

Can we use a pack to build a 3D set?

Yes. The license lets you build your own 3D models, photogrammetry meshes and textures from the photos for your projects. For finished city and landscape plates, see matte painting stock photos.