Quarantine or not, summertime is here. The days are hot, filled with lots of sunshine, and offering up extra time to be outdoors. Even if you’re only going as far as your backyard this summer season, it’s still worth whipping out the camera.
Below are some awesome tips for snapping perfect summer photographs, along with a few unique photo ops you can create, right at home!
EARLY MORNING LIGHT
You may typically be too groggy before that first cup of morning coffee to notice how gorgeous the morning light looks, but the way it streams in through the window can offer lovely lighting in a photo. Angle your subject’s face toward the window at a 45 degree angle, so that you get both highlights and shadows, giving their features the best depth.
FOOD
Summertime is full of fresh fruits, berry picking, ice cream, s'mores, and backyard barbecues. Have your camera ready when someone is slicing up that ripe watermelon, the roasted marshmallow just reached s’more perfection, or your “Grill Master” is flipping those juicy burgers.
BIKE RIDES & HIKING
Whether it’s your child still with training wheels on their bike or your friend’s thousandth mile, choose a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion in any bicycling action shots.
Taking photos on a hike could include landscape panoramas, posed portraits with a truly natural backdrop, or macro compositions of a stunning flower, unique insect, or colorful toadstool.
WATER
Beyond staying hydrated and snapping an Instagram-worthy photo of your citrus-infused “spa water,” warmer days often mean cooling down with a splash. Whether you canoe around the lake, have a pool to swim in, or washing the car turns into a playful water fight—it can be good to keep the (waterproof) camera or smartphone ready to snap.
Don’t forget about all of the storms summer brings. Capturing some raindrops splashing into the birdbath could result in a frame-worthy photo.
RELAXING & GOLDEN HOUR
From afternoon naps to sunsets, don’t miss capturing the quiet times. Kids are often exhausted from hours of swimming and running around the yard, or maybe your husband just flopped down in the hammock—a wider angle lens could be just what you want for stealthily composing those candid moments of relaxation.
Golden hour presents a glow in lighting that photographer’s the world over love. Just as the sun is kissing the horizon, you’ll get warm lighting. Bursts of light become more visible and backlighting more pronounced this time of day. While you won’t quite see those yellow hues if you shoot in black and white, it's a stunning time to choose that monochromatic setting, and can result in some impressive photographs.
So keep the camera handy. With these simple photo ideas, you can surely make taking perfect summertime pictures a snap!