Photographers see the world in a different light.
They see things most people will just ignore. Hence each day brings a new chance for great portraits.
Different seasons have different aspects which call for different photography strategies and tools.
Summer is the best time to capture memories.
Vacation with friends, family picnics, a trip to the beach, and moments that are worth capturing you can experience in summer.
Many beautiful scenes are waiting to be photographed during summer as it is during the rest of the year.
so there’s no need to pack away the camera for the season.
As always, it’s just a matter of finding the right subjects and the best light.
The days might be long and humid but it gives you more time to go outside and click as many photographs as you can.
But every picture you click is not going to be portfolio-worthy.
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Tips For Summer Photography | Including Props & Ideas
here’s a couple of important tips for summer photography which I’m sharing today in this article…
- Aim For The Golden hour
- Use A Polarizer
- Capture The Bad Weather
- Flowers, Flowers, Flowers (It’s Important, Believe Me!!!)
- Use Different Focal Lengths
- Use Shadows
- Experiment With Colors
hope these tips help you to capture better images during summer time.
Tip 1. Aim For The Golden Hour
Most photographers will advise you to shoot in the golden hour.
But what is Golden Hour? so the golden hour is the first hour after sunrise and the last hour of light before sunset.
The soft, diffused light blurs imperfections and even adds the perfect touch of a glowing tan.
If used as a dreamy backlight, the Golden hour sun can evoke nostalgia and happiness, and even a sense of youth.
The golden hour is short, there is no time to start fiddling with your equipment and the settings when the light is just right.
Hence you have to plan to click portraits in the golden hour.
You can use websites like timeanddates.com or apps like The Photographer’s Ephemeris to plan an outdoor shoot.
Your ideal light can however vary based on the location or the weather so try visiting the same place at different times of day to figure out your lighting preferences.
Tip 2. Use A Polarizer
A Polarizing filter or Polarizer is one of the most vital tools in a photographer’s bag.
It is typically the very first filter a landscape photographer buys to make the pictures better by adding vividness and contrast to them.
Photo by Scott Gummerson on Unsplash
The polarized glass blocks random light waves from passing through which creates a clearer picture.
It is generally used to reduce reflections, atmospheric haze and also increase color saturation in images.
On a clear sunny day, the distant subject can be obscured by the haze.
The best way to cut through that haze is by using a polarizer.
Once the filter is attached to the front of a lens and rotated at a particular angle, it is capable of cutting out most of the reflected light in the scene.
This instantly enhances the photographs by increasing their color saturation and contrast.
If you don’t want to use the attachment you can always use the polarizing filter in the editing apps.
It is typically available in every editing app out there.
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Since there’s a whole lot of sunlight during the summer months, carrying a polarizer is a wise idea. You’ll be thankful you have one.
Tip 3. Capture The Bad Weather
Summer is mostly about sunny days, warm weather, and humidity.
But some days the weather can change.
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
As soon as the weather changes most people pack up their gear and head home or they don’t go out at all if the weather is anything but perfect.
When the weather is bad there are fewer people everywhere.
You can take advantage of this opportunity. You can capture photographs of places that are normally busy, void of life.
As frustrating as bad weather can be, you can end up with more special images that you could’ve captured had the weather been “good”.
You can go to all the tourist spots that are normally bustling with people, walk on the sidewalks and even click pictures on the beach.
Tip 4. Flowers, Flowers, Flowers
Flowers are one of the best parts of summer with rainbows and sunshine. Summer is considered the best season to capture flowers.
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They can be found anywhere and can prove to be a nice addition to an image whether you choose to zoom in and make an abstract shot or incorporate them into a wider composition.
A picture in a field of flowers can never go wrong. You can even add a model to make it more candid and lively.
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Tip 5. Use Different Focal Lengths
Focal length can impact the look and quality of a photograph in a lot of ways.
Photo by Piotr Janus on Unsplash
Always using the same lens can be boring.
Summer can prove to be a great time to switch things up and try something new.
By using different focal length lenses you can create all sorts of interesting effects and this may be completely different from what you’re used to doing.
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You can use different focal length lenses as a way to see things more differently than usual.
Tip 6. Use Shadows
Shadows can help make your photographs more realistic.
If you look closely around you will notice that sunlight can create beautiful effects on buildings, the surface of the water, and almost everywhere.
You can try capturing shadows from different angles or overlaying them on your model’s face.
This will create a great illusion on the model’s face.
During a sunny day, the light is direct and hard, which creates dark and well-defined shadows.
It is better to use manual mode to maximize the contrast in this type of lightning.
Tip 7. Experiment with colors
Summer has more vibrant colors than any other season.
You can use different combinations of colors to create contrast.
You can use every color you want to.
But as a precaution try not to choose too many colors at once.
The clash of hues this creates can be distracting.
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You can always keep an eye out for any colorful object that can be used as a background or the subject of your photographs.
Color is said to be the essence of summer.
Final Words
Today photography has many kinds such as commercial photography, architectural photography, astrophotography and one of them is summer photography. The name itself explains it.
The most important thing about summer photography is remembering the moments and capturing them.
One of the best things about summer is that you can spend a lot of time outdoors with your family and friends.
It may be a bit hot and humid but being drenched with sunshine, the carefree atmosphere, and the summer heat bring excitement.
You can try to keep your photographs fresh by stepping out of your comfort zone this summer.
Beaches in summer are filled with unlimited opportunities for photography.
You can also try to switch up your style for experimenting with a new style.
Another thing that can define summer is colors.
You can see vibrant colors all around you.
You can use complementary colors effectively by planning eye-catching combinations.
The sunsets and sunrises are the best during summer.
You can see dramatic colors, reflections, and light.
They can be an ideal spot for a landscape portrait.
Summer is also the best season for camping and hiking because of the clear night sky.
The above article talks about some tips to improve your summer photography skill that will help.
so which one is your favorite spot to go during summer?
