Your Reading List For Getting Better Photos of Your Child This Summer
With summer officially just around the corner (at least it is if you are reading this as it goes live!) I’ve got a lazy and breezy summer themed blog post for you today 😃👙☀️🍦🍹
I noticed a definite dip in how many photos I took each year just after my son started school. No longer could I just pick up my camera at any time of day - I had to try to squeeze in photos in the morning (unlikely, since I’m never organised enough to find myself with a spare 5 minutes before school starts) or having to wait until he got home, which in winter, meant it was already getting dark.
So, for me, summer is a time when I tend to take a lot more photos since we don’t have to get anywhere in a rush, and where I can take photos all day long if I feel like it.
I also read something that resonated with me (and if you have kids I’m pretty sure it will resonate with you too) that we only get 18 summers with our kids. That’s SO crazy to think of it like that, right? It makes me just want to bottle up each and every summer. Since I can’t do that, capturing them as best I can is the next best thing.
So, in honor of aiming to capture another one of our 18 summers together, I thought it would be fun to compile a summer reading list for you, all with posts that should help you get better photos of your kids this summer……
Before we dig in, I just want to let you know about an amazing new freebie I’ve created for you! It’s my FREE 90 Day Photography Learning Blueprint , and it’s a complete roadmap for you to follow that shows you exactly what you need learn to get great photos, and has links to further reading in each one. This little PDF is worth its weight in gold, so go grab it now (you’ll kick yourself in about a week if you don’t!)
1) Get great beach photos
Well, it wouldn’t be summer without a trip to the beach right? So here’s 8 tips for getting better photos whilst feeling the sand between your toes..
2) Learn how to use open shade for better photos in full sun
When the sun is high in the sky like it is in summer, it can be really unflattering for photos. One way to deal with this is to use something called open shade - where you place your subject out of the direct sunlight, and into a pocket of shade instead.
3) Get great photos of your kids indoors
Of course, depending on where you live, summer doesn’t necessarily mean that the sun’s going to be out for the whole time (we can get four seasons in one day where I am) so don’t forget you can shoot indoors too! This blog post has some ideas for photos you can take with your kids indoors:
8 Ideas for Photographs of Your Children You Can Take At Home
4) Get joyful images of your children
Summer is a great time to get those super joyful images of your children, and I’ve got some ideas on how you can get them in this blog post!
5) Tell mini stories with your photos
There are many times when we will want more than just one picture of a event or activity, and tell a mini-story through images. To try to get the whole breadth of the story across, check out the blog post below to get a shooting "framework" that you can try to use to help make sure you capture it all when taking multiple images of the same activity.
6) Pack the right gear for your vacation
If you’re also planning on being away from home for some of the summer, then you’ll definitely want to take your photography gear with you! This post should help you know what to pack in your camera bag….
7) Capture Your Day to Day Life Beautifully
Long lazy summer days deserve to be captured in all their glory - even if you’re not going anything especially exciting that day. Learn how to capture your everyday life beautifully with these tips:
8) Use the Currently Prompts
Using the “currently prompts” is such a wonderful way to document what your life looks like right NOW, so it will be perfect for helping you document summer.
9) Have fun creating starbursts
Although you don’t have to use the sun for starbursts, it can be another fun way of using bright summer sun (just watch your eyes, and never, never EVER look directly at the sun through your viewfinder. Ever.) Here’s how to do it:
10) Learn how to use natural light
If you are new to using natural light for your photos, then this one’s for you! 5 perfect tips that will help you use the natural light this summer to your advantage.
5 Natural Light Tips for Beginners
11) Get lifestyle photos of your kids (even if they hate the camera)
This is my guide to taking lifestyle / documentary photos of your OWN kids, especially those than just don’t want to have their photo taken!
Lifestyle Photography: 8 Tips for Capturing Your Own Children
There you have it! Your summer reading list for getting better photos of your child this summer.
Can’t wait to see you all again next week!
P.S Before you shoot off, don't forget to download that 90 Day Photography Learning Blueprint , and take your first - or next - steps on your photography journey with ease today!
