August 2020

Top Tips for Summer Photography

Have fun with a summer photography experience from Venture Studios…

The schools may be back, but summer isn’t over yet! Even though we are beginning to see signs of autumn, there is still plenty of sunny weather around. And if previous years are anything to go by, this could last well into October.

2020 has been a strange and difficult year, so why not keep enjoying summer as long as possible and have some fun? There are still opportunities to get out and about with friends and family, especially at weekends, and make the most of the good weather that we will hopefully have over the next few weeks.

The events of this year have really brought home the importance not just of making the most of every moment, but also making sure that we record those moments and create #memoriesforever.

So to help you do this, we have put together a series of videos for you with top tips for summer photography. You can see our latest video on our Destination Venture page, and the whole series on Venture Studios UK Youtube channel.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the tips we share in our videos, starting with the latest Venture Studios video, which is all about sunglasses.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are so popular, and have become something of a status symbol, with various celebrities choosing to wear them indoors as well as out. They actually date back to ancient China and Rome, though mass production of the kind of sunglasses we use today started in 1929 with the launch of the Foster Grant range in the US. Then in the 1930’s polarised sunglasses became available, as did Ray-Ban anti-glare aviator sunglasses, which were then used during World War II.

Nowadays almost everyone wears sunglasses. The problem is, how do you accommodate them into a photograph? There are two main things to manage: reflection and glare.

You need to bear in mind that sunglasses will reflect whatever the wearer is looking at. If you want to avoid this in the photograph altogether, then have your subject turning slightly away from the camera so that the reflection doesn’t show. If there are two people in the photograph, then they could look at each other.

On the other hand, you might want the reflection of what your subject is looking at to be a feature in the photograph, in which case you need to make sure that you position your subject in the best place for the effect that you want.

Also be aware that sunglasses can easily reflect the glare of the sun, and you want to avoid this in your photo. A good way to do this is to get your subject to tilt their sunglasses down. Not only does this avoid glare but you also get to see a little more of their face, which can add a bit more interest to the photograph.

There are also some more general pointers for successful photography in the sun, so let’s take a look at those now.

Shooting in the Sun

The main thing about taking photographs in the sun is to get the right amount of light in your photograph. You want everything to look bright and sunny, but if you are not careful this can also lead to a lot of glare in your photograph.

So try to choose an area with a bit of shade, as this will help you to avoid harsh shadows in your photograph. The best position for your subject is with their back to the sun. This will avoid the sun in their eyes and will also ensure that the sun highlights their hair and not their face.

You can then snap away and should be able to get some good shots. But to get a really great shot requires a little bit of advance planning …….

Summer Style

If you want some really special shots then the best thing to do is to style the scene of your photograph. Make sure your subjects are wearing lovely bright summery clothes and have some favourite personal items with them. All of these add colour and personality to your shots.

The problem with planning photographs is that they can then seem a bit artificial and forced. So to avoid this, try to create an element of surprise if you can, to get some really good facial expressions. Try and have some fun together and capture that feeling in your photography.

A Venture Studios photography experience

Of course, another option for getting some great summer photography is to bring your family or friends to your local Venture Studios for one of our fabulous photography experiences. We have a range of photography experiences available, one of which will be perfect for your needs.

With a Venture photography experience, you can bring all your favourite summer outfits and props – and your sunglasses of course! You will then have a fun one hour photoshoot, followed by a viewing of the resulting photographs, from which you will be able to choose one to take home with you; either in a frame or as wall art, depending on your experience.

So why not keep the summer fun alive and book your family photography experience today. You can either book online, contact your nearest Venture Studios, or call us on 01606 558854. We look forward to meeting you soon, and helping you to create #memoriesforever.