March 2021

Here comes the sun!

Summer photography tips from Venture Studios

The sun is shining, lockdown restrictions are gradually easing, and we are daring to hope for better times ahead over summer.

When you are finally able to spend time with the family and friends you’ve not seen for months, it really is going to be a time to remember. So why not use your photography skills to capture those precious moments so that you can keep on enjoying them again and again?

At Venture, we are passionate about using the power of photography to tell a story. Your story. When you see your family and friends again there will be so much to catch up on, but the get-together itself will also be a significant chapter in your story. So you need to do your best to make sure that your photographs aren’t just random snaps, but reflect the feeling and emotions of the event. Try and capture some of those little moments that mean a lot.

In this article we share a few tips to help you make your photographs the best they can be. This can be particularly difficult if the sun is shining – which we hope it will be!

So let’s take a look at some key things to remember for summer photography.

Every picture should tell a story

Take every opportunity to capture people doing what comes naturally. Tell their story. In years to come, it will be a delight to look back on photographs of people having fun in the sun together. Photographs like these can bring memories vividly back to life again.

So look for people laughing together, children playing, dogs racing around. The minutiae of life that we used to take for granted but have missed so much over the last year.

Try taking these candid shots from different angles. If you are photographing children or animals, it can help to get down to their level to get a more detailed shot. So don’t be embarrassed to crawl around or lie on the ground if you need to!

Find the best light

We all love the sun but it can make it tricky to get the right amount of light in your photographs. If you go for the bright and sunny look, you can end up with a bit too much glare. But if you try and shoot in the shade, the image can look either dark or shadowy.

We’ve produced a short video called Shooting into the Sun, with some tips to help you find the best position for your summer photographs.

You may also want to consider using flash. Most people assume that flash is the last thing you need on a sunny day, but it can really help to get the light just right. Flash can help to balance and complement the direct sunlight, and reduce shadows in the image. Definitely worth a try.

Make the most of colour

Summer is a season full of vibrant colours, and good summer photography will reflect this. As well as the beautiful colours of nature, the blue skies and the flowers, we are continually surrounded by rainbows of colour. Bright summer clothes and shoes, umbrellas and awnings at outdoor cafes, childrens’ toys . . . colour is everywhere.

So make the most of colour in your summer photographs. Be aware that different colours can convey different emotions and feelings, and also check how the various colours in your shot are blending together. Our video Top Tips for a Summer Style has some advice about how to use colour effectively in your photos.

If your camera has filters try experimenting with using these to alter the hue and intensity of the colours in your photograph. Or you may want to have a go at editing your images afterwards to slightly adjust the colours. You can get some ideas on this from our recent article The Best Photography Effects for 2021.

The end of the day

If your get-together extends into the evening, you have another wonderful photography opportunity. Sunset. The beautiful golden hues and sense of calm all have an additional poignancy after the last difficult year. So taking some relaxed, peaceful shots of people enjoying time together towards the end of the day.

Sunset is another time when flash can make a huge difference to photographs of people. The backdrop of sunset will still be there, but you will be able to get a gentle light onto peoples’ faces instead of them being too dark and shadowy.

You might also want to try taking some silhouette photographs. Whilst these would not show faces, photographs of people sitting or standing together with the sunset as a background can be very dramatic, and could be a wonderful way to convey and remember the emotion of the wonderful day you all finally got back together again.

Venture Studios Summer of Love

Of course, another way to get some fabulous shots of you all together is to visit your nearest Venture Studios for a family photography experience! We are opening again in April, so take a look at our range of photoshoots and offers to choose the one that is best for you.

We also have lots of special campaigns, events and offers to look forward to over summer, including our exciting new Summer of Love campaign. So remember to check back here regularly for the latest news and offers from Venture Studios.