Summer is one of the best seasons of the year. The weather is (usually) great, it’s warm and everyone inherently seems to be in better spirits. It’s also a great time to take some colorful and lovely photographs, but taking photos in this season can be a bit different to taking photos in the other three seasons. However, there are some ways in which you can improve your summer photography, so here are the top 10 tips to take some beautiful images these next few months.
White Balance
White balance is of course always important regardless, but in the summer it’s even more important because of the harsher light of the typical day. In this case, it’s usually easiest to set your white balance to “daylight” or “sunny.”
Invest in a Hood
This is probably one of the most helpful things you can do for your summer photography. As mentioned, the light is really harsh so a hood that keeps the direct sunlight away from the lens can make a world of difference.
Choose the Right Time of Day
Taking photos in the middle of the day will create harsh shadows, so aim to take photos early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun is lower in the sky.
Face Away from the Sun
Light is crucial in these summer months, and shooting into the sun will likely wash out the whole image, so if you’re shooting midday make sure your back is to the sun, rather than the other way around.
Polarizing Filters
Polarizing filters are great and can make a huge difference to the quality of your photography, regardless of the month or time of year, but they’re especially important in the summer. Both tinted and gradient polarizing filters can help with the colors and shadows of bright summer light.
Focus
During the summer beaches are one of the main things people love to take photos of, but these beaches are huge and typically don’t have a focus point. This will make the image less interesting, so try and compose a photo with a subject or at least a point of interest.
Pay Attention to Exposure
Looking closely at your exposure is crucial to great summer photography. The sun is automatically harsher, so you may need to compensate for shadows with a higher exposure than normal.
All About Candid
Candid shots are great as they are, but during the summer these can make for especially lovely photographs; whether it’s children playing in the sand or someone on a swing, they add a whole level of dimension to the photo.
Try New Angles
So many aspects of summer photography are pretty overdone: beaches, sunshine and light. Try and look at these photos with a new and unique angle.
Bad Weather
Although summer is the time of sunshine and good weather, don’t shy away from storms or other bad weather. These kinds of shots make incredible and dramatic photos that are very different to your typical summer images, and they are usually far more interesting.
Summer photography is amazing and offers dozens of ways to improve and take spectacular photos, so with these 10 top tips you’ll be on your way to stunning summer photos that will be wall-worthy.
