Summer photography — TOP 10 ideas and techniques

Are there people in the world who don't like summer? Of course there are! But there are so few of them that you have to search for them with a bright light that can only be found on a hot summer day. Most of us love summer. In winter and fall, we miss our vacations and the quickly passing summer days, and we come up with new summer picture ideas.

In this article, we will discuss how to effectively utilize the resources and knowledge at your disposal to capture the capricious summer sun, vibrant colors, and natural emotions in your photos.

Why summer photography is so special

Summer photography is easier and more enjoyable — there is more light, the days are longer, and you can shoot in the sun and moonlight. Someone is laughing, someone is running, and someone is sitting on the grass. These moments are ordinary, but they are the ones that seem important later on.

If you run out of ideas, consider implementing summer picture ideas. These are simple techniques that can be tried both in the city and in nature. And if the frame turns out a little dull, you can use tools to brighten pictures. Sometimes it takes just a couple of moves, and the photo already looks better.

10 best ideas for summer photography

The summer months offer many opportunities for photography: nature is bursting with life, there is plenty of light, and people are more likely to be outside — no one can be kept indoors against their will. The best backgrounds are green parks with picturesque meadows, crowded beaches, explosive summer festivals, and leisurely walks.

1. Photography during the golden hour

The photos turn out lively and cinematic. This is one of those summer photography ideas that always works, whether it's a landscape or a portrait.

How to take cool photos on the beach or in the city at this time? Stand slightly to the side of the setting sun, and the water in the frame will sparkle with glare. In the city, you can use this time to capture the reflections of the sunset in windows and shop windows.

2. Summer landscapes: beaches, parks, and gardens

In parks and gardens, everything is in bloom, the grass is lush, and the sky is clear — the composition comes together on its own. Place your child with a balloon in front of an alley — the contrast of color and movement will enliven the frame. A dog running across the lawn creates its own dynamic and mood. If you are shooting without people, use a bright blanket, a bicycle with a basket, or even a book left on a bench. 

3. Photographing water: lakes, pools, and waterfalls

Water is always about movement and freshness. Splashing drops, splashes in a pool, or a simple puddle after rain, with the sky reflected in it, can make for great shots. The following tips:

• use a short exposure to freeze the movement of water;

• shoot reflections on the water's surface in calm weather;

• experiment with underwater photography if you have the appropriate equipment.

Such photos often find their way into summer photo shoot idea collections due to their variety and mood.

4. Macrophotography: small wonders of nature

It’s best to shoot in the morning, when there is no strong wind and everything around has not yet dried out from the hot midday rays. Such pictures of nature become a real decoration among other summer picture ideas.

Wildlife photography in summer

In summer, everything moves, sings, crawls, and runs. Even without leaving the city, you can spot birds, lizards, and butterflies. It is better to take such summer photographs from a distance so as not to scare away your multi-legged or feathered model. A zoom lens or a smartphone crop will do. 

5. Portraits in natural light

Outdoors, the light is natural and honest — it shows people as they are. To avoid having the face in sharp shadow or, conversely, «burnt out» by bright sunlight, it is better to find a shady spot — under a tree or near a wall. There, the light is softer and more evenly distributed. Cloudy days also work well — everything looks calm and soft.

Summer events and festivals

For nighttime photography of concert lights or fireworks, you'll need special equipment. And so you don't drown in thousands of photos later, photo organizing will come in handy — there you can neatly arrange everything into folders and themes.

6. Night sky photography: stars and fireworks

Warm summer nights beckon you to go outside and look up at the sky. The stars are visible even in the suburbs, and on holidays, fireworks light up the sky. For stars, set up a tripod and use a long exposure; you can also photograph the Milky Way. For fireworks, turn on continuous shooting and capture the moment. This type of shooting is unusual, but it can complement your summer picture ideas.

How to capture sun glare and reflections

Glare is the play of light from water, windows, glasses, and metal surfaces. Sometimes glare falls on a face or creates a rainbow in the frame. Such details make photos more interesting. This is a common technique in various summer photo ideas, especially if you want to add a little magic to the frame without editing. Sometimes, splashes from a watering hose or a glass of water in the sun are enough to make the frame «sparkle».

7. Playing with shadows: silhouettes and contrast

Clear, sharp shadows appear when the sun is shining at full strength. Then you can hide your face in them, build a composition, and create a silhouette effect. This looks especially beautiful on the beach, in a field, or near concrete walls. Shooting against the light helps to achieve expressive contours. This is one way to make a shot with character — not straightforward, but with a hint.

Summer photography techniques for getting the perfect shot

In summer, taking photos is both easier and more difficult at the same time. There is plenty of light, but it is not always easy to control. To make your shots expressive and «lively», pay attention to light, exposure, and movement.

Mastering exposure in bright conditions

When the sun is shining brightly, photos can easily become overexposed — details on faces are «burned out» and the sky turns into a white spot. An overly bright frame can be corrected during processing if you have a best picture editor that allows you to easily work with shadows, light, and contrast.

What helps:

• turn on the histogram and make sure that bright areas do not «go off the scale»;

• work in RAW — this makes it easier to bring out details in highlights and shadows later;

• use exposure compensation, try setting -0.3 or -0.7 EV on a sunny day.

When shooting on the beach, reduce the exposure — white sand and water often «flood» the frame.

How to tame the midday sun

Harsh light, rays falling from above, shadows under the eyes and nose — a difficult time for quality. But if you experiment, you can get interesting shots with contrasting effects.

What you can do:

• find shade from a tree, building, or even a hat — the light will become softer;

• use a reflector from below to illuminate the face;

• turn on the black-and-white style setting — high contrasts work well in monochrome.

On a city street, the shade from a canopy or store entrance will help.

Using the right aperture and shutter speed

There is plenty of light in summer, which means you can experiment with the settings. A wide aperture will give you a beautiful blurred background, while a short shutter speed will help you capture movement.

If the background appears «flat», open the aperture wider. If you want both the background and foreground to be sharp, close the aperture to f/8 or higher.

How to photograph fast-moving objects

Continuous shooting mode will also help — you'll have a better chance of capturing the right moment. Use autofocus with tracking (AI Servo or Continuous AF). Keep the shutter speed at a minimum of 1/1000 sec for active scenes.

Essential equipment for summer photography

Polarizing filters help remove glare from water and enhance the colors of the sky, while neutral density (ND) filters help you shoot with a wide aperture even in bright midday light. Caps, microfiber cloths, straps, power banks — these are all small things, but without them, it becomes much more difficult.

The best cameras and lenses for summer photography:

These cameras and lenses are often recommended for summer picture ideas because they combine quality and convenience. Their capabilities cover almost all summer scenarios — from city walks to shooting wild animals at sunset.

Luminar Neo Guide

Luminar Neo makes it easy to tidy up lighting, remove overexposure, and restore details in shadows — if you took a chance shooting in bright midday light and didn't get the results you wanted. If the face in the photo is a little blurry or the frame is «blurred» from movement, try learning how to unblur an image. If processing seems complicated, the interface is intuitive. Filters are adjusted with sliders, and you can compare the «before/after» results right in the program window. Luminar supports RAW. It's convenient to work with high-contrast scenes in the summer without losing quality.

Luminar Neo supports working with presets, which is especially convenient if you want to process a whole series in a single style. You can buy Lightroom presets on the website. Ready-made preset collections are designed to work in Adobe Lightroom and are compatible with Luminar via LUT profiles. They give quick visual results without unnecessary hassle.

How to get the most out of summer photography

Summer flies by quickly — you hardly have time to notice how the greenery changes to yellow leaves. But it is summer photography that helps to preserve these short, light, noisy, and peaceful days. Each of these details is a piece of summer that you can return to in November or February. So grab your camera or smartphone and go out and capture summer.