It’s hard to believe it, but summer’s winding down already. Before you bundle up for dreaded cooler temps, soak up every last drop of summer—and document it, too! Here are five summer scenes to photograph:
Sand hearts
Try this fun trick next time you head to the beach. Cup your hands together and scrape up some sand, then let your fingers relax and —voila! —the sand takes the shape of a heart. For ideal results, shoot your photo toward the water to get those lapping waves and a bright blue sky in the background.
Tiny landmarks
Whether your late-summer travel plans include a visit to the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal or an attraction close to home, this perspective trick never fails to get a laugh. Stage the shot by standing far enough away from a landmark that it fits fully in the camera’s frame. Ask a camera-wielding friend to photograph you in front of the monument with your fingers apart—from the right angle, it’ll look like you’ve got the landmark in your hands.
Sunbeams
Have you ever tried to capture beautiful sunbeams on your camera as you see them in real life, only to be disappointed by a blown-out photo? To capture that “ahh!” feeling, first pose an object or person between you and the sun — the dark silhouette will help show off the contrasting sunlight. Then, set your aperture to a high value like f/16 or f/22. The higher the number, the smaller your aperture—making the sparkling rays show up clearly in your photograph.
Sparkler words
Use up your leftover Fourth of July sparklers for this magical shot. Set your camera’s shutter speed to five seconds, then mount it on a tripod. As soon as you press the shutter button, have a friend light a sparkler and write a message in cursive in the air. Challenge them to write it backwards so it reads left-to-right on-camera!
Sunglasses reflections
Shoot photos of landscapes, beachgoing friends or sunsets with this cool photo idea. Set a pair of sunglasses anywhere they reflect a pretty scene: on the sand, a picnic table, or even your friend’s face. Position your camera so you can see the reflected image, then shoot a photo for a fun reminder of your day.
