During the dog days of summer, it can be hard to get out with your camera. Here are some ideas to keep you out of the hot summer sun and give you ideas on what to shoot.
Sunflowers - August is the time to get out there and shoot the sunflowers. They are a fun morning or evening photo shoot. Think about how you can capture them differently. Focus on more significant scenes or get close to capturing all that sunny symmetry.Trees - why not get out to a local park or arboretum and capture the details in large summer trees. Summer is not the typical time to capture trees, but they are full of texture and details at this time of year. Shoot early morning to see how the light plays and creates shadows. Stay cool with indoor photo shoots. One idea is shooting flowers on a light tracing pad. This is a fun activity to capture beautiful summer flowers - check out this post to learn all my tips for creating these images. Try abstract, intentional camera movement photography. I have been working on a series of macro flower petals captured with camera movement. Set your camera to F16 or greater, and then make small movements to capture the petals as if dancing in the breeze. You can shoot these indoors or outside. On hot days capturing water can be a great way to cool off! Capture the beauty of a local creek, waterfall, or fountain. Play with shutter speed to create smooth water or reveal all the details. If you want to stay indoors and keep cool, then work on editing. Go through old images, re-edit, or find those you skipped over and create something new. Sign up for a trial editing program or app and play with creative editing styles like multiple exposures or adding textures. Visit a local community garden or farmer’s market. The colors this time of year are bright and fun to capture while you shop. Take a minute to cool off at a local museum. Visit a local art museum or gallery for inspiration. You can also try photographing if allowed. Use your zoom lens to create abstract images with the art you see. Look for the natural light - shoot after 7 pm. This time of day can be magical light in August. Shoot with wide open apertures - F2.8-F4 and look for bokeh and “sparkly” light: frame people, pets, and flowers with this light for a magical summer image. Summer fairs begin in August in local areas. Try your hand at capturing the Ferris wheel, cotton candy stands, and all the colors and action happening at these events.
