Before I really get going on this post, I have a confession to make. Every single time I hear, read, say or type the word summertime I start hearing The Fresh Prince "Summertime" in my head. I can't help it, and I will be singing it to myself while I write this. Any songs that you pop up when you hear the word? I can't ask my darling hubby, who has a whole mix that he made featuring the word summertime, because I'm invested in my sanity!
Having said all of that, for this week I photographed a family water balloon fight because what says summer more than water? As a little bonus, I've got a few summer photo tips for you. So here goes...
1. The harsh light of summer can be a challenge for any level of photographer. But don't just run for shade (unless it's Africa hot and then TOTALLY go for some shade). Get the light behind your subject. With the exception of the summer solstice, odds that you can get the sun behind your subject even at noon.
2. Expose FOR your subject. That's how you avoid dark, underexposed photos. If you're using a DSLR, make sure that your exposure meter is set to spot metering and get that 0 to +1 going so that your subject isn't dark in the backlight. If you're using a phone, apps like Camera + use a pinch and separate method to separate exposure from focal point and you can dial in your exposure that way. If you're using the Lightroom app, you can set your exposure manually and make sure your subject looks exactly the way you want it to.
3. Embrace that summer looks different. Get creative with those hard shadows, because they usually come with some amazing skies, blissful expressions on your kiddos faces and loads of fun moments. Dramatic shadows can be amazing storytelling elements, so go with it.
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