Photographic Blog: Some tips for taking photographs in the Summer

Long summer days

There must be more photographs taken in the summer than any other season. Today, more people own a camera of one sort or another than ever before; it maybe a digital slr, a modest compact or a mobile phone, and they’re all snapping away during those long, warm summer days, and it’s no wonder, there’s so many subjects to photograph. So with the right technique and a little thought before you press the shutter you could capture some really great images.

Image by Luis Hernandez

The summer landscape.

Unlike winter, summer is filled with green landscape, colourful flowers and blue skies. As with all landscape photography you need to make use of the available light and there’s plenty of that in the summer months.

The time of the day can have a dramatic effect on your photograph; around midday the sun can be harsh for a landscape shot, but wait ’til the evening and the light becomes softer and warmer, especially nearer the ‘magic hour’; a chance to shoot sublime summer sunset perhaps?.

Image by HPUPhotogStudent

People

If you’re taking a picture of someone, try getting in close with your camera. This lovely, well captured image below by A Witt is a good example.

Avoid having the sun behind your subject (unless your going for a silhouette shot) but if you have no choice then use a fill-in flash to lighten your subjects face.

A candid shot of someone can work well, with some people, having a camera pointing at them can make them feel self conscious- we’ve all seen those fake cheesy grins- so try photographing them when they’re not aware of the camera, or try photographing them from a distance using a telephoto or zoom lens; people will feel more relaxed when the camera is further away.

Colour

There’s no shortage of colour in the summer months, it can be found anywhere, from a field full of sunflowers to the bright summer clothing seen in the town and city parks. Colour can add real impact to your photographs, so keep a look out for subjects containing bright, vivid or contrasting colours.