The sun is out; summer is coming around! To all photographers and content creators, what better time than now to whip out your camera and capture life at its warmest and sunniest? The long days ahead give plenty of time for you to perfect your photo-taking craft.
Don’t waste your time; take advantage of it by doing what you are good at—capturing moments! With this, you can even earn money with photography while away on vacation, so let’s get started.
Are you craving some summer fun photoshoot ideas yet? Read on to get inspired.
Summer essentials for your summer images, how can props level up the summer heat?
Cool down with cool drinks and treats
Showcase your preferred refreshing drink of the season; cocktails, mocktails, or smoothies; anything goes! Garnish with a colorful tropical flower, slices of fruits, or a sprig of mint or two, and you are good to go. Ice cream is optional!
Get fruity!
Coconuts, watermelons, pineapples! Juicy, bright, fresh, rainbow-colored fruits. Hold a slice or the whole fruit close to your face; you can pose partially hidden or pose with “orange headphones” (orange as headphones, geddit?).
Flower child
Pose with some striking-colored flowers, floral bushes, or tropical plants. Just be sure to have fun and enjoy what summer is all about. For some floral photoshoot ideas, you can go with something bright and outstanding like a huge pop of eye-catching sunny sunflowers or, if you lean more towards the dainty side, soft fluffy dandelions for a whimsical summertime mood. Pose with them or have them in your background because they are Mother Nature’s radiance in all her glory. And if you are feeling crafty, make and put on a summer floral headpiece to channel the boho-chic style ala Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
Sporty summer
With the summer heat going on, it is the perfect time to come out and play. Sweat it out with a surfboard, skateboard, or roller skates. Go swimming, cycling, canoeing, play baseball, football, hockey, or frisbee; your choices for sports props or activities are endless.
Show off your Ray-Bans in a different light
Sunglasses are the epitome of summer photos as they are well known for those chill summer vibes. Besides the primary purpose of keeping UV rays from hurting or bothering the eyes, you can capture the reflection of your subject reflected on the sunglasses.
Hats on and all booked up
A hat does not only protect you from the weather conditions; you can hide your face behind the hat, tip it a little on the brim and shield your eyes for photogenic poses. For book lovers, having a book is the perfect literary companion to spend the time with – you can pose while reading the book surrounded by a summer backdrop, such as on a sun lounger, hammock, or lying on the beach.
Beach bag surprise
What’s in your beach bag? Let’s have a peek at your summer essentials:
A wide picnic mat
Your skin-saving sunscreen
A fun beach towel to keep you dry or to get beach sand off your body
A book to curl up with
Practical and fashionable sunnies
Flip flops
A sun hat
Picnic feast
This calls for summer food photography. Put together a stash of your favorite nibbles, a charcuterie board with a spread of cheeses, meats, an assortment of fruits, French baguettes, croissants, and sweet pastries topped with whipped cream. Cutleries and all neatly tied up with a bottle of sparkling water, a toast of champagne, or glasses of wine for that perfect beachside rendezvous. If you feel like treating yourself, you can also spoil yourself with a bouquet of fresh flowers.
Shelling out
When you walk along the beach, you will come across all sorts of pleasant discoveries. Colorful seashells, sea glass, and rocks in different shapes and sizes. Perfect for your photoshoots. Collect some seashells, arrange them creatively and start snapping away. You can line an array of shells along your forearm. Some seashells may naturally have a cracked opening caused by the forces of nature. Try taking a shot of your subject through the crack, and the outcome will have the subject framed by the shell.
Highlight your self
No props? No problem! Get creative by forming artful poses with your body. Show off a part of your body, whether your feet, arms or whichever you feel comfortable with. Embrace body positivity by being confident when it comes to posing for photography. Your summer photos have never looked better!
Take pictures of your feet lounging on the sand with the sunset on the horizon, just above the waters. Or stand on where the waves gently crash in, exactly when you can catch the soft texture of those white foamy seawater. Or, if you have someone else with you, you can take hold of their hand while you are facing or moving forward, leading them to somewhere magical for your next adventure.
Seize nature’s backdrops
From day to night, epic sunrise to scenic sunset, capture your perfect golden hour shots.
Nature’s setting is perfect for photo-taking. The skies, sun, sea, sand, and even manmade creations in the surrounding landscape too can boost the summer appeal, such as the long stretch of a pier or even a nearby carnival.
Can’t head to the nearest seaside or meadow? You can still take the summer with you! All you need are some fun-loving props for photoshoot ideas.
Build your flat lay background if you are nowhere by the beachside; you can set up a simple backdrop indoors or outdoors in your backyard, especially if you have a pool. If your setup is indoors, let the sunshine in through the windows to create that intense picnic scene. Summer images of you floating in the pool can work out as well. Accessorize with the summer essentials as props to give it a more vacation feel.
Going underwater
Here’s a simple hack to take photos underwater. Camera or smartphone is not waterproof? All you need to do is get a transparent box and place your camera or smartphone inside it. Then, submerge the box partially in the water to start snapping shots of any nearby marine life or your subject matter. Adjust the submerged level of the transparent box according to your desired water depth to achieve varying images.
Shadow playing silhouettes
The glowing sun-kissed rays are enough to provide a contrast between light and darkness. Light beams travel through the borders of a substance to generate a shadow outline. You can position your back facing the shadow of a long palm tree leaf; this leaves a herringbone shadow effect on your skin. Another option is to use flowers or lace to create an intricate and textured shadow pattern on your face by placing them in front of you from where the sun is shining.
Sparkles in the dark
To seal the end of the day, bring out your inner child by lighting up some sparklers and holding those in any creative pose. You can also stick some sparklers in the sand to create a group of lights by the seaside. Fairy lights can look magical at night; experiment with them and see what photo pose will work best for you.
Play with nature’s elements
For a different take, create movement with what nature has to offer. Grab a handful of sand and throw it into the air. Swish around in the water, and play with it as naturally as possible. Splashes of fun with water droplets and waves, let the wind blow your hair wild and free. It is moments like these that feel effortless. Summer photos personified!
Here are some more photoshoot ideas:
Cover the lower half of your body with sand by building a “mermaid’s tail”.
Draw or write your message in the sand.
Use a glass ball and take a picture of the subject behind it. What comes out of it is an inverted perspective of the subject.
New energy and feel-good vibes
Before summer ends, make the most of your time with it. Summer brings new energy and feel-good vibes. Get creative with the essential summer props, practice self-love to embrace your body well with confidence, have fun with nature’s surroundings and let your imagination run free when capturing those creative summer images. As a bonus to content creators, we have curated some summer trending keywords for you to enjoy preparing your summer content.