Picture Perfect Summer:
Photography Tips for Summer
Story and Photos by Amanda Causey
Photography Tips for Summer
Story and Photos by Amanda Causey
Published in the April issue of Lake Wedowee Life
Warm, sunny days and summer vacations seem to encourage everyone to get outside and take more photographs. Here are 3 tips for your summertime photography that will help keep your goal of awesome summer photographs in focus!
Tip #1: Beware the harsh light. The very same sunshine that makes it great to be outside can actually be the worst light for your pictures. The bright, mid-day sun casts very harsh shadows. To avoid this, try to shoot during what photographers like to term the “golden hour:” the half hour before and after sunrise and sunset. The light is warmer (more yellow in color) at this time of day, and casts softer shadows. If you are photographing people during the day, try to move them into the shade to avoid squinting eyes, and dark shadows on faces.
Tip #2: Make it personal. Photography is a form of communication. You want your images to tell the story of summer, and how it makes you feel. Think about what summer means to you, and strive to capture that in your images. You will treasure your photographs more if they tell the story of what summer means to you. Does summer mean picnics, building sand castles at the beach, car rides with the top down, or playing Frisbee with the dog? Do you think of blue skies, blazing heat, and cornfields? Is summer a time to spend on Lake Wedowee with your family; fishing, swimming in the lake, and roasting marshmallows on the camp fire? Does it mean eating ice cream, soaking up the air-conditioning at the mall, and wearing flip flops? These activities can all be turned into iconic images that capture the mood of summer. The most important thing is for you to make your images personal, and photograph the subjects that represent summer for you.
Tip #3: Color it up! Each year, I look forward to summer because it brings with it rich and saturated colors. Including strong, bright colors in your pictures already gives an indication that it’s summertime. In addition, the choice of which specific colors you include can help you tell your summer stories more effectively; color choice can determine the mood of the image. Warm colors bring to mind the warm temperatures we enjoy in summer. Using warm tones in your images, or a splash of vibrant red, orange or yellow, lends an impression of heat to your photograph. You can also make use of cool colors to create a feeling of refreshment. The trick is to use color so that it enhances your summer photographs.
These photographs were taken during our “Living the Lake Wedowee Life” cover shoot. All model search contestants were invited to participate. Our next model search contest will be announced in the May issue.
