Our latest creative challenge with the theme LOCATION – takes us on a magic carpet ride around the globe, showing us a whole new world!
Photography has introduced me to some of the most beautiful locations around the world, so for this challenge I thought (since we can’t travel much right now) it would be fun to share and discover more beautiful and interesting locations together!
Forget your compass and get lost amongst the castles of Germany and Poland, forests of Belgium and Scotland, ancient churches and waterfalls of Italy, temples of Japan, and the eerie black sand beaches of Iceland…
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Fairytales and Fantasy & The Color Lab Collective.
An abandoned villa in Italy.
Model : Galadriel Modèle (IG : @galadrielmodele)
Photo + editing : Iloé (IG : @iloe_365)
Every time when I visit my parents in Corrèze (France) I take photos in this place.
Model and costume: L’Antre des brumes Création de costumes
Photographe: Lüne Photographie
In an urbex
There are extremely limited locations in Singapore when it comes to nature and the only season we have here is summer. Which is why being able to shoot in autumn was hands down one of the best things I’ve ever experienced. It was simply magical, being able to shoot in at a temple in autumn has always been a dream of mine. It just so happened that when I was in Kyoto back in December 2019, it was the peak of the red leaves season.
We shot this in Kiyomizu Dera, a popular temple in Kyoto that many tourists and locals visit. Its usually very crowded so we had to wake up really early and start the photoshoot at around 6.30am.
We were afraid that the rain might affect our photoshoot but it actually prevented the morning crowd from coming in too early and also helped add some mood to the photos! The model had to stand in the rain from start till end while I held an umbrella in my hand and the other for my camera.
I’m really happy with this set, it captures the beauty of Japan’s historical architecture 💖.
Photography : Emily Fliptography
Model + Styling : Skye
I was looking for a natural location for this elven series, something that could look their home in the forest, inspired by Rivendel. I have heard about this place with interesting waterfalls. It is more difficult to reach due to lots of mud uphill when it rains a lot, and of course more beautiful, but this was summer, and even if we went after some rain it was quite dry.
However, this allowed to get closer to the waterfalls and I found the place completely mesmerizing. The forest was quite dull but this place seemed to appear out of nowhere. Apart from some color, lighting and minor edits, everything is real in these ☺️
Model: Alba Perez
MUAH: Susana Gutierrez, Xpression
You may see my stuff at:
IG: maciaphoto
I usually don’t shoot far away from home, so traveling for shooting are always a treat!
The first 2 photos were taken at Kullen in Sweden almost 2 years ago! We drove there and took photos all day, did two different stylings and we had so much fun! I found the location so amazing and it had both bare cliffs, some rocky beach and some forrest and fields. Absolutely loved it there and I hope to go back soon! ❤️
The third image was taken at St. Dunstan in the East last October. St. Dunstan has always been special to me and the model. We visited it on our first trip to London and it has been our retreat whenever we visit. Two years ago I made it even more special when I popped the question to her right underneath this arch ❤️ So it was really special to go back and shoot there, something we have always talked about doing since the first time we saw it
Model in all three photos are Camilla Albert Hansen
Headpieces by IVY-Design
Corset by Laced Creations
I know this doesn’t really count as a fairytale or fantasy, but since this week’s theme was location and this project I worked on for Airbnb was just released, I had to share. This may not be a fantastical far off realm, but it sure was a magical place when I was growing up–and the place where my love of fantasy (in film, anyway) was born!
We wanted to create a magic scene.
The Photo was made in Stahnsdorf by Berlin. It is an old Church built 1909 with an norwegian stave church as Idol. The Netflix show Dark was filmed there.
It is a magical place, but the whole graveyard is really beautyful with old graves and stone building. we were there last fall when the whole avenue was covered in red and orange leafs.
Of course you are allowed to photograph there but we also have a look that no epitaph is visible and that you leave the location like you joined it.
Model: https://www.instagram.com/kirsi_paeonia/
Photo: https://www.instagram.com/phrenetica/
Costume: https://www.instagram.com/thetailorwitch/

I wanted to try a bit of a creative composite so my daughter and I worked together to create a set of images including this one. I’m hoping the viewer will be captivated and curious by the story and not distracted by my beginner composite work. I did use a tweak of The Color Lab’s Fairytale collection including “Garden of Paradise” and “Apparition”, turning off some color tones and brushing on some others. Thank you so much for this beautiful place where we can see so much beauty and learn to grow our own personal work!
IG: @kristenricephoto
Location: Lake Erie, NY (but dreaming of Scandinavia)
Photo 1: Here is a pic I took a while ago (at least 4 years) in a beautiful forest in Belgium!
We had to wake up at 5am that morning to avoid the crowd but it was worth it
Photo 2 + 3: We shot those photos in beautiful ruins in Belgium, such an inspiring place! I love to make the environment really part of a picture especially when being there is almost like time travelling
Model: Paloma Houze
Stylist: Negafa Lasbatte Hataty
MUA: Pamela Eliana
Hair: Shayalisherine Shainez
Assistant: Jason Dewaele
I am in love with Iceland, how could anyone visiting this country not fall in love with it’s beauty? So for the location #bellakotakchallenge, it had to be Iceland! Three self portraits taken two years ago when I travelled the entire country in a camper van by myself ❤️
http://www.instagram.com/liekeanna if you’re interested in more
The retouching process is always more interesting and creative… Toned with my favourite tools: “Regal” action from the Royal collection from The Color Lab Collective actions & Infinite Radiance & Infinite Looks by Infinite Tools. I’m always excited every time I start to work with them. — at Ninfeo Bramante Genazzano.
Photo 1: I shot this in Germany🏰✨
We went to the location very early to dodge most tourists and to shoot with beautiful light, but when we got there, there was an ice cream truck unloading in front of the castle.
We shot some photos anyway and I photoshopped it out. I’ll post the before and after in the comments! And for the ones who would like to see the photoshopping process step by step: Im showing all my steps in my insta story (@bymarije) ❤️
Photo 2: I went on a little photo road trip through Europe with friends and I shot this photo in Belgium 😍 The location is an abandoned abbey, It was truly magical!
Model is Elyse of Endrion
Headpiece: Hysteria Machine
I love this location – Castle in Poland
Model: Laila Petra Baccolo
Cascata del Lupo (Waterfall of the Wolf) – Italy
I spent a week travelling and shooting with model Rebecca Tun around some gorgeous Icelandic locations back in 2017. I would love to go back someday!
Here’s the full set including landscape shots: https://www.mollybaber.com/huldufolk
Model: www.instagram.com/rebeccatun
I loved this place very much: silence, mystery and the dream to be in another century…
Elisa’s victorian dream
Model Elisa Navacchi
As a photographer whom has never worked in a studio before, location is completely integral to my picture making.
I’ve included some of my favourite pieces where location was celebrated rather than being a blank-ish canvas.
Photo 1: Capillata, the yellow jellyfish. Taken in an abandoned oast in Kent, UK.
Photo 2: We grow from the cracks. Taken at an abandoned horse show building in Kent, UK.
Photo 3: Echo at the falls. Taken at the waterfall at Virginia Water.
I love my locations. I’ve not been anywhere exciting since February, but these are some faves.
A folly – with Nola Rose
The mouth of a cave – Dani Ella Wyn
An abandoned orangery – with Silk Younger
A stately home – Cat Mida Lee
‘Let your light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark’
I took this self portrait last year in Cotswolds, Broadway Tower 🇬🇧
Shooting on location is one my favourite things to do. So here’s a beautiful lavender field we got to shoot in last year. It was at sunset on the hottest day of the year! 💜🦋
Model is Elle Harris and makeup by Nicole Dawn MUA
I want to show you my favourite location in Berlin
It’s the waterfall in the Viktoria park in Kreuzberg! If you ever come to Berlin I highly recommend you to visit it! I shoot most of my mermaid photos there and in winter, without water, all viking related shoots, but if you visit Berlin you should come in summer, it’s much better.
Rekii – Make Up & Fotos @rekii.fotografie
This beautiful little church is not in Scotland or England, it is in Piedmont, Italy. It’s an ancient church, probably it built between the end of X century and the beginning of XI century. Its name is “Gesiùn”, and I see it every day but I never thought it could make it so good in photo!
Model & styling: Giulia Biletta My Land – Giulia Biletta
Idea: Federica Cosentino Nature Wedding Planner
Photo: Valeria Forno Photo
My first collab in Taiwan
Photographer: Wendy Lu
Model: Valen Ng
The rest of this set is on http://instagram.com/heywendylu
I’m choosing these two photos from my first and only overseas trip, to Scotland. Myself and two friends basically just wandered around as carefully as we could in big dresses for a few days, capturing photos whenever a location looked lovely. I’m sure we looked very lost and confused. 😄
Photos by myself WinterWolf Studios
MUA The Fabled Fox
Dress by KMK Designs
Set 1: I try to narrow it down to one specific location, but to my dismay I couldn’t make a choice… It does not matter where you are in Iceland you are bound to find inspiration one way or another. There is so much texture and lush beauty all around and you will not find two locations the same. The endless waterfalls, black sand beaches and miles of lava fields will spark your creative mind. Iceland will forever one of my most favorite places to visit.
Set 2: My location for this week is Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. It is always a location I bring up whenever we discuss about shooting locations. There’s a magical aspect to this place, it’s not quite the desert nor is it in the mountains but it is much higher in elevation and so there’s chances of rain, which in return creatures a beautiful mirrored image of your subject. Bonneville is a place everyone should at least visit once in their lives. I plan to visit it much more in the future. On these images, I used Iris and Into the woods Color Lab actions from The Flora Collection with some of my own colors.
I absolutely love collecting and finding rare gems like these, here is a ruin we came across in Suffolk. Colour toned with Renaissance and Wolf in the Woods actions from The Fairytale Collection. I embellished this red dress with feathers and really loved the result!
Thank you everyone for your submissions!
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