Summer is here! Get incredible photos during the brightest time of year
Introduction
Summer is upon us and it is such an amazing time to be outdoors, to travel and of course, to do photography. But sometimes, summer is not the easiest season for photography due to it being the brightest time of year with not as much atmosphere as perhaps spring or autumn.
This is why I want to share my top tips for summer landscape photography you can take with you on your travels or at home to get some amazing photos and be prepared for what this summer brings on!
#1 Know your locations well
Whether you’re traveling or not, it is very important to be as familiar as you can with your location, whether it is from scouting or research or both.
Summers have very changeable weather and very short golden hours so you want to maximize your chances and not waste time on finding your way around when you have the right conditions.
#2 Keep a close eye on the weather
Know what type of weather you’re looking for and keep a close eye on it. Summers can both bring along powerful clouds with thunderstorms but also very hot and clear days so keep an eye on the weather fronts and know where you want to be when something interesting happens.
If you’re hunting for fog, it is not as common a phenomenon as in spring or autumn but you can still get it and it can be very worth chasing.
#3 Avoid harsh light and the sky during the day
Unless in very specific circumstances, a good general rule of thumb is to avoid the harsh midday light and days with strong shadows. It is also easier to compose an image when you intentionally leave the sky out, for example when capturing forests, mountains, waterfalls, etc.
There are of course exceptions to this, for example a perfectly clean blue sky or a well-placed cloud against a clean sky can look really good and give that minimalist look.
#4 Hunt for summer-specific phenomena
Summer can have some very interesting phenomena going on but it depends a lot on where you are in the world. For us in the north, we have noctilucent clouds that start appearing from around June after dark and glimmer beautifully in the sky.
For the northern hemisphere it is also milkyway season. Even higher latitudes than Denmark experience the midnight sun, for example. There is also the wildflower season whose peak differs from place to place but it is a fantastic time to capture some incredibly beautiful floral images.
The idea is to research and know when these (or other) phenomena happen and go out when the conditions are right.
#5 Take advantage of the long summer days
Long summer days both have advantages and disadvantages, but using them wisely can really help your photography.
What I mean is, take advantage of the long summer days to scout, explore and take your time finding compositions that you can return to. There isn’t a more pleasant time of the year to do this and you will thank yourself later when you know exactly where you need to be.
#6 Consider carefully when you plan your travels
Of course many of us love traveling in the summer and doing photography there, but taking into consideration photography at home versus away can be really powerful.
If you are able to, try to be around during the season with the most output for photography at home, and be away on vacation (photography-related or not) while the least interesting stuff happens at home. This will maximize your output and will also make you enjoy your home even more during the summer!
Need inspiration?
Take a look at my Denmark summer gallery containing images that I have taken in my home country during this beautiful season.
To end on a sunny and positive tone, make sure that no matter what you do, you enjoy it to the maximum and are present in the experience. Summer is a beautiful time for exploration, enjoyment and of course photography. Despite sometimes being a bit more difficult to find the right conditions, there is huge potential.
I hope these tips will help you take amazing photos this summer and go enjoy!
With love,
Alexandra
