How to photograph a mall.
Usually each mall has a management office and I have noticed that some of the stores welcome people to come in and take photographs and others do not like it. I have always gone to the management office and asked them if it is okay to take photographs on the grounds, the outside of stores, the inside of stores, and the mall itself. Sometimes malls such as the Montclair Plaza Mall in California will not allow you to take inside photos for some security reasons. I do not know exactly why that is, but I also respect whatever they say 
I first always look for the big signs that might show the name of the mall and take a photograph of that sign. Most stores are usually attached via a Located within area on google maps to that actual mall name. So you might wish to verify that for each store you write a review on or take photos of! A lot of the times you will find missing links between a store and a mall. I try to update that on the google maps page when possible.
I always take photos of the outside of stores prior to walking in. Some stores love you being there and taking photos of the inside and others don’t. You always have to respect the wishes of the owners. I always ask if it is okay to take a few photos of their store to simply update google maps and tell them it will increase exposure for them. Be nice. Always be friendly. I have found that goes a very long way
Photography is like any other art. I always try to take good quality photos which represent the store, and also other photos which represent the mall itself. Try to use flowers in the foreground, or even some greenery or a tree. It adds to the impact of the photo! Also, don’t shoot directly into the sun. Try to make this store look pretty and don’t be in a rush. I find if you follow some simple patient rules, your photos will come out nice.
One last thing to remember. When taking photos inside a store make sure you don’t take photos of random people just standing in your view. I always wait until they are out of view or sometimes I will ask someone in the store if they wish to be in the photo. A lot of the time, you will find that if you ask, some people actually want to be included in the photos But try to avoid getting into any type of confrontation. Be cautious about taking photos of people. Some people do not like it at all.
To me this has become a hobby. You get to walk for a few miles, get to meet new places and nice people, and you also get to work on your photographic skills. Sometimes you will find very unique and interesting stores you never knew existed. I do try to take a photo or two of every single store at the mall. This can sometimes take a couple of days depending upon the size of the mall. It is a really great way to enjoy the day and help out google maps become a better place.
Below is a photo I just took of one of the stores located in the Sycamore Mall in Upland, CA. You can see that including some bushes and certain angles can make a photo really stand out.
