Wednesday, June 17, 2015

10 Photo Ideas for Summer

After having survived winter and spring photographically, it's time for some photo ideas for summer. I can't believe how fast time is flying. It's like i made those two posts yesterday. The summer season is starting and this is the best time to give some inspiration to the fellow photography enthusiast. I hope you will find something for yourself.



click on the images for a bigger view

1. Sunsets

Who can resist the warm glow of the setting sun? And is there a better place to catch those sunsets then a lake (like in the image above), or on the seaside? I don't think so. Sure, you can take sunset images all year round, but lets face it, during the warm summer months, it's much easier to venture into nature, stay out late, and linger with the beauty of a sunset.


2. Tourists


My city is filled with tourists in summer. They fill up the streets of the old town of Mostar, roam, take pictures, enjoy the scenery. And it's nice to capture that atmosphere. This way you can get spontaneous and candid shots. Of course, if your city or town is not frequented by tourists, capture them during your own travels (see nr. 5 for more)


3. Summer Vegetation


I love red roses, and I'm always happy to see them blooming in our garden. Summer is the perfect time to capture them. Try various angles on flowers and summer vegetation, like shooting them from straight above. There are many plants that bloom only this time of year, so keep your eyes open.


4. Fruits of Summer


Just with the summer vegetation tip, try shooting (and eating) the fruits of summer. Weather it's cherries, watermelons or peaches, this is the season to capture them in their full glory. Try capturing them in their containers, or displayed on plates. When you shoot fruits, try to wash and dry them first, so that you get a nice shine on them for your photo. Although, leaving a few drops of water on them, can sometime create the effect of freshness. It all depends on what you're going for.


5. Travels


Summer is the season for traveling. Be creative when it comes to travel photography. Shoot wide, go up close. Discover the place you're visiting through your lens. I did an extensive post on travel photography, which you can check out by clicking here. Even though this seems like the obvious summer theme, by using the tips provided in my earlier article, you can come home with some really great travel photos.


6. Food and Dining


Summer lends itself for food and deserts. Try shooting grilled food, ice creams, sorbets. Capture them with lots of light (natural is the best in my opinion), that is coming from one side. Make sure to shoot raw so that you can edit them later on, and use a shallow depth of field, for maximum effect. Try shooting decorated tables with food from above, and use a nice tablecloth or place the food on wood. Works every time. Also check out my 5 Tips for great Food Photography for more inspiration.


7. Outdoor Parties


Gatherings and parties are a common sight in summer. Weather you are hosting or invited to one. Capture the festivities, people, laughter, pets and decorations. The best summer parties are barbecues or cocktail parties. Have your camera with you when you go. I'm sure you will come back with some memorable photos.


8. Beaches and Coastlines


Summer is the time of year to visit beaches and coastlines. They are much more welcoming then in winter. Capture unique angles and definitely go low and shoot wide, that always works well with landscapes. Capture these sights at sunset or dusk (or at dawn if you like to wake up early, I never manage to). Don't just think of sandy beaches, when it comes to this. River and lake shores, work equally well.


9. Towns and Villages

This might seem strange, but when you visit small or old towns, as well as the countryside during summer, life is very much different. I'm not just talking about the flora and fauna, but also about the people living there. There is lots of activity to capture as well as sights that you wouldn't normally get in the other seasons. Think of people cultivating fields, coming for a visit, enjoying the offerings of those places.


10. Nightlife


Nights are always lively in summer, and people love to go out. Try some night photography, and capture people standing in front of ice cream parlors, sitting in cafes and pubs and roaming the streets. The sights will be much more rewarding then in winter, I can assure you.


What are your favorite summer photo ideas?



47 comments:

  1. Mersad, I daren't take a camera to a party but you have some good ideas here.

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    1. At this point I get strange looks if I don't bring my camera with me :)

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  2. Wonderfull variety summer fotos, greting from Belgium.
    http://louisette.eklablog.com/

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  3. Wonderful photos!Have a nice day!

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  4. Gorgeous photography, and lots of wonderful ideas1
    Thank you for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/06/island-welcome-labadee-haiti.html

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  5. Beni looks wonderful and dogs are my favorite pic, for all four seasons. your food pics are always amazing..

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  6. Ich habe da keine Favoriten...kommt immer auf meine Stimmung drauf an, und natürlich wo ich mich gerade aufhalte. Wobei Urlaubs-Fotos würde ich auch mal wieder gerne machen ;-)

    Tolle Fotos!!

    Herzliche Grüsse

    N☼va

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    Replies
    1. Auf neue Urlaub fotos freue ich mich auch.

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  7. These are all to due for! Tom The Backroads Traveller

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  8. Dein 8. Bild ist traumhaft schön. Aber insgesamt eine super tolle Zusammenstellung.
    Liebe Grüße

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    Replies
    1. Danke Dir. Das 8. Bild ist in Sibenik, Kroatien, entstanden.

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  9. What beautiful shots...and great tips. Thanks so much.

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  10. I always enjoy your photos! Wouldn't matter which of the subjects you decided to share. There are no oceans or tourists where I live, so I enjoy seeing yours. ;)

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  11. Terrific captures as always, Mersad and great tips indeed!! Thank you so much for sharing your amazing talent and knowledge!! Oh, and I do LOVE Beni!! Hope your week is going well!!

    Sylvia

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  12. Mersad, you have captured some of my favorite things about summer. The real warmth of summer happens here in July and August when we can go on picnics, large outdoor parties, and playing in the water. Are you going to bake a pie with those great looking cherries?

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    Replies
    1. I love eating them just as they are! :)

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  13. summer is not my favorite season, but I like other people's photos.

    ROG, ABCW

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  14. Great ideas! That bunch of cherries made my mouth water!!

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  15. Thank you for the tips! I love photographing flowers :)
    Great photo's!

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  16. Good ideas, and nice shots. I like the "tourists" shot the best.

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  17. Great ideas and captures, Mersad, I'm partial to scenics and flower close-ups.

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  18. I would say my favorite summer photography topic is sunsets and people playing in water.
    Have a Wonderful Day!
    Peace :)

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  19. thanks Mersad for your suggestion for summer photography now all we need is the summer here!!! Gorgeous shots, lovving the cherries and ice cream and the wonderful scenes around the country and city. Of course you dog is so adorable.

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  20. Beautiful pictures! The "beaches and coastlines" is my favorite!!

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  21. All fantastic photos that most certainly capture summer!

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  22. I have to remember tourists as I am forever trying to not have them in my photos. I should just relax and include them.

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  23. Great idea to list 'summer photo ideas' ~ lists can be motivating!

    Happy Weekend coming to you,
    artmusedog and carol

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  24. Thanks for the reminder to be always looking for a photo opportunity!

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  25. Beautiful photographs. I love the two sunset scenes, and the cherries and roses. I have visited Mostar, about 25 years ago. It's a beautiful place.

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  26. Great shots, especially the sky.

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  27. Great ideas, Mersad. That sunset photo is spectacular!

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  28. Lots of wonderful ideas for summer season. Lovely photos too :-)

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  29. Excellent suggestions to accompany your wonderful images! Kudos...

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  30. A marvellous series of images Mersad - I especially like the second one.

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  31. These are all so summer! I would love to capture a great sunset, but we do not have much open space. Our horizons are blocked by pine trees.

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  32. Awesome sky shots.
    JM, IL-U.S.A.

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  33. Beautiful pictures.
    And a bucket of interesting ideas. Now that's a cool way to begin summers

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  34. I love all of your ideas and the photo's that go with them. If I were to add anything it would be catching the babies (of all kinds) that arrive in the spring and spend the summers with their parents preparing to be on their own. One of my bucket list photo's would be to photograph a baby Loon riding on the back of a parent. I haven't been able to spot one yet, but, I'll keep trying. Wonderful post Mersad ...

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  35. Such excellent tips and such beautiful pictures!

    Thank you for linking to the letter E.

    A+

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  36. Great post , Thanks for sharing :)

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