Summertime Photography
Summer is a wonderful time for photography! The vibrant colors, clear skies, and outdoor activities provide ample opportunities for capturing beautiful pictures. Whether you're shooting landscapes, portraits, or macro shots, here are a few tips to enhance your summer photography:
1) Use a Polarizing Filter: a polarizer can be used to boost color saturation, which means that it can help render the blue summer skies a deeper, more vibrant shade It can also help draw the clouds out, defining and separating them from the blue background. Polarizers are also useful for cutting down on glare and reflections on the surface of the water.
2) Use a GND Filter: A GND filter, or graduated neutral density filter, allows you to capture images where the sky requires one exposure and the ground something different; especially ideal for sunsets or any scenic shot that involves a bright sky and a darker foreground.
3) Golden Hour Magic: Take advantage of the warm, soft light during the golden hours—shortly after sunrise and just before sunset. This lighting can add a magical touch to your photos, especially for landscapes and portraits. Summer sunsets are longer and obtain more dramatic than winter sunsets. It's a perfect time of year to try this type of photography. If you have an iPhone there is a nice free app called "Magic Hour" to see what time Golden Hour is in your area.
4) Water: Whether it's the ocean, lakes, or pools, or even rain drops, water can be a fantastic element to incorporate into your summer photography. Experiment with reflections, splashes, or capturing people enjoying water-related activities.
5) Capture Vibrant Colors: Summer is known for its vibrant colors. Look for colorful flowers, lush greenery, and vivid sunsets to make your photos pop. Be mindful of composition and use these colors to create visually appealing images.
6) Silhouettes: Take advantage of the strong summer sun by creating captivating silhouettes. Position your subject against a bright background, like a setting sun, and expose for the background to capture their shape as a dark outline.
7) Macro: Summer is an excellent time for macro photography, as nature comes alive with insects, flowers, and intricate details. Get up close and personal with small subjects to capture their beauty in intricate detail.
8) Candid Moments: Summer brings people together for picnics, festivals, and outdoor gatherings. Capture authentic and candid moments by blending in with the crowd, observing interactions, and anticipating emotions.
9) Experiment with Perspectives: Don't be afraid to try unique angles and perspectives to add interest to your photos. Shoot from low to the ground, experiment with different lenses, or find new vantage points to create captivating compositions.
10) Take a Drive: Whether out of state or just down the road, getting out of your familiar surroundings and capturing unique and different images can get your creativity flowing and challenge you to capture some compelling shots.
11) Use Bubbles or a Lensball: Using store bought or homemade bubbles or better yet a Lensball can add a unique perspective to your image.
Remember, the most important aspect of photography is to have fun and explore your creativity. So, grab your camera, go outside, and capture the essence of summer through your lens!
