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June 21 was the solstice, which means summer is officially here! Whether YOU’RE here for summer is another question, altogether. It’s tempting to position your body under the AC and put your plan to improve your photo skills on hold. Instead, consider embracing summer. Having lived in some truly hot climates, I’ve learned to take care of myself while shooting by wearing protective clothing and, of course, bringing lots of fluids. Plus, there are subjects and settings that really work best in summer. So that’s why I’m sharing 7 summer photo ideas to motivate and get you out there, taking photos.
1. People enjoying air conditioning
Where do people go to get out of the heat? Malls, movie theaters, grocery stores (especially the frozen food aisle), dollar stories, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, roller derby matches. Go to these places and document what’s going on, or catch people coming out of the air conditioning back into the sweltering heat.
If you are not ready to document strangers, take photos of friends and family visiting these places.
2. Document peoples’ relationship with the sun
I’ve lived in many different parts of the world and peoples’ relationships with the sun vary. The strength of the sun also varies greatly.
What do people wear to avoid the sun where you live? Take photos of floppy hats, umbrellas, sunglasses, long sleeves and pants, scarves, other garments designed for sun protection, and people applying sunblock.
Or, consider the other side of the spectrum. How do people embrace the sun? I remember exploring London and on a day Arizonans might call overcast, people were overjoyed, sunbathing in bikinis on street corners.
Take photos of people soaking up the sun in interesting settings or swimming at the beach, playing in the park, pets frolicking in sunbeams, people sitting on sunny park benches, eating lunch outside on their break. Take photos of people enjoying melty ice cream, sitting on misted restaurant balconies, farmers working, people out exercising.
3. Photograph summer nights
How about where you live? Do people’s daily patterns change in the summer? Take photos of businesses that stay open late in summer, people hanging out in parks or other public areas after dark, or people riding bikes. Take photos of people playing nighttime sports like mini-golf or doing martial arts in the park.
4. Document water
Take photos of people buying gallons of water or dispensing filtered H2O at convenience stores. Photograph people enjoying misters at restaurants, swimming at a pool, a splashpad, a waterfall, a river.
Make images of people fishing at a lake or reservoir. Capture people playing in leaking fire hydrants. Get out your camera to document summer showers. What do people do when it’s raining? What does the land look like after the rain?
Or consider summer photo ideas like documenting the next neighborhood water balloon fight. Take photos of people conserving water or reducing their water use in novel ways. Take photos of places that use more than their fair share of water.
5. Document places that flourish in summer
Photograph at farms that grow plants that thrive in summer months or document how summer ravages certain plants. Document all the yellow grass in people’s yards.
Photograph at a botanical garden or in the desert, take photos of small plants surviving high temperatures on mountain tops or canyons, take photos of pine trees and evergreens. Take photos of people interacting with these natural spaces.
6. Take photos at festivals
Burning Man started as a beach burn on the Summer Solstice. Festivals are a perfect place to practice taking photos of strangers because there is an expectation that they will be photographed and it’s all part of the party atmosphere.
Festivals are one of the quintessential pleasures of summertime, from music festivals to cultural festivals. Try to attend as many as possible and take in people’s outfits, their interactions with each other, and with the environment.
7. Take photos of yourself under the AC
Okay, if these summer photo shoot ideas have left you mentally exhausted, how about getting introspective with a self-portraiture project instead? Start looking at ideas in your photo books or on Pinterest. Consider using the self-timer or setting up the shot and having a helper press the shutter. Think about how to convey what you do during the summer months.
Have any of these summer photography ideas provoked you to to get started with a project yet? Share your ideas and whether you’ve started photographing in the comments!
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