The best gyms for fitness shoots: Top 2

ALPHALAND – This is by far the hardest of all gyms to shoot in. I have a membership here and workout in this gym daily. They’re 3 campuses on the property (called Gym 1, Gym 2, and Gym 3.)
1. Gym 1 is the easiest to shoot in. The lighting is pretty consecutive throughout. A wide aperture is preferred (f1.4 or below) with adjustments depending on the time of day and if your client is by the windows near the squat racks. Every time I take out my camera it seems I am learning something new about the space.
2. Gym 2 is the hardest to shoot in. The gym is a warehouse style with openings on either side. This makes the inner-area machines perfect for photography (lots of ambient light), but anything on the outside edges during the day will have to battle harsh daylight. Unfortunately, Christian Guzman does not allow flash photography for guests (I know, the crowd goes “booooo.”) I should also state that I have recently seen many shoot with flash (not large setups by any means), but I’m unsure if they know Christian personally and are receiving special treatment or not, so best to play it safe!
3. Gym 3 is a WONDERFUL gym to shoot in. The light is directional (meaning only from one side) and this makes for exceedingly dramatic work. Shadow, depth and all things contrast (elements essential to my style and why clients book me) are abundant in this gym. Have your client face the mirror side and go to town! The posing rooms can be tricky. Make sure you’re using lighting to best of your ability. Make sure to not ‘wash’ your subject with light.A post seeing all 3 gyms can be found here.
VICE GYM
1. Before proceeding, I must state something clearly. I am affirming of all peoples and I always will be. I noticed a post in this gym’s marketing after shooting an open gym event in 2025. I did not personally agree with the ad. The post was a video advertising for an open trainer position. It was not appropriate and rather inconsiderate of others. (It was a video stating “If you’re fat, don’t bother applying for our personal training position”…Yeah. Ouch. I could not believe the gym owner approved and allowed that video to be published! I even commented that they could be sued for discrimination. They replied back with a legal “loophole” to accomplish this. Though the post has now been deleted, a picture of the comment is below – made by @joeebro who was a ‘collaborator’ at the time of the post.) I was aghast at this and unfollowed immediately. I have not been back. Nonetheless, it is still a fantastic spot for photos if you’ve got the right equipment. I would suggest a wide aperture of f1.4 for dramatic focus points. Their posing rooms leave a lot to be desired with the lighting, but it’s direction is superb (it comes from on top!)
  The response to my comment when I stated they could be sued for discrimination for discouraging ‘fat’ trainers from applying to their gym.
  
  A post seeing the dramatic focal points achieved with an aperture of 1.4 can be found here.
  
  A post seeing the posing rooms can be found here.