Revitalize Your Photography: Fun Summer Techniques to Explore
Maria Eveslage • June 27, 2024

Is the business side of photography draining your passion? This summer, reignite your creativity with these fun and innovative projects. The season's long days and vibrant landscapes provide the perfect backdrop for experimenting with new photography techniques. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a budding photographer, these ideas will inspire you to elevate your skills and rediscover the joy in your craft.


Capture Golden Hour Magic


Golden hour, the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset, offers the most flattering natural light for portraits. The warm, soft glow enhances skin tones and adds a dreamy quality to your photos.


Tips:

  • Schedule your shoots early in the morning or late in the evening.
  • Use a reflector to bounce light and eliminate shadows.
  • Experiment with different angles to capture unique lighting effects.


Explore Water Reflections


Summer is ideal for photographing water reflections, whether it's in lakes, pools, or even puddles after rain. Reflections can add depth and symmetry to your compositions, creating visually striking images.


Tips:

  • Seek out calm water surfaces for clear reflections.
  • Use a polarizing filter to minimize glare and boost colors.
  • Try different perspectives, including low-angle shots, for a fresh viewpoint.


Delve into Macro Photography


Summer is full of small wonders, from blooming flowers to bustling insects. Macro photography lets you capture these intricate details up close, revealing textures and patterns that are often missed.


Tips:

  • Use a macro lens or extension tubes for close-up shots.
  • Keep the background simple to make your subject stand out.
  • Stabilize your camera with a tripod to avoid blur.
A bridge over a body of water with a city in the background at night

Photograph the Night Sky


Clear summer nights are perfect for astrophotography. Capture the beauty of stars, constellations, and even the Milky Way.


Tips:

  • Use a wide-angle lens with a large aperture (f/2.8 or lower).
  • Set a high ISO (1600-3200) and a long exposure time (15-30 seconds).
  • Find a location away from city lights for the best results.


Create Stunning Silhouettes


Silhouettes against a sunset create dramatic and powerful images. The contrast between a dark subject and a vibrant sky can convey a story with a single shot.


Tips:

  • Position your subject in front of the setting sun.
  • Expose for the brightest part of the sky to ensure your subject remains dark.
  • Experiment with poses and compositions to add interest.


Experiment with Light Painting


Light painting involves using a long exposure to capture the movement of a light source, creating stunning and surreal images.


Tips:

  • Use a tripod to keep your camera steady during long exposures.
  • Experiment with various light sources like flashlights, glow sticks, or sparklers.
  • Set your camera to manual mode with a low ISO, small aperture, and long exposure time.


Capture Summer Action Shots


Summer activities are full of energy and excitement. Whether it’s sports, swimming, or playing at the park, action shots can capture dynamic and lively moments.


Tips:

  • Use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion (1/500s or faster).
  • Continuous shooting mode helps capture multiple frames in quick succession.
  • Anticipate the action and be ready to shoot at the right moment.


Conclusion

Summer is the perfect season to try out new photography techniques. From capturing the magic of golden hour to experimenting with light painting, there's no shortage of creative projects to explore. So grab your camera, head outdoors, and let the summer inspire your creativity. Happy shooting!


 Is the business side of photography draining your passion? Streamline your workflow with ShootQ. Try ShootQ for free and discover how our all-in-one platform can simplify your business, manage your client relationships, and give you more time to focus on what you love – taking amazing photos. Sign up for your free trial today!


By embracing these fun and creative summer photography projects, you'll not only enhance your skills but also create a diverse portfolio that showcases your versatility. Enjoy the season, experiment with new techniques, and most importantly, have fun capturing the beauty of summer.

A logo for a company called shootq migration.
By Maria Eveslage February 10, 2025
What’s Changing? The technology behind our legacy platform has reliably supported our users for many years. However, maintaining and updating this older system has become increasingly challenging, and its limitations have prevented us from delivering the best possible user experience. Therefore, we have decided to transition all users to our more modern and robust platform, which has already been successfully serving thousands of photographers for the past five years. This change is a step forward in our commitment to providing superior tools and services that meet the evolving needs of professional photographers. Why This Change Is Happening Our new platform leverages modern technology that resolves the issues encountered with the old system. It introduces powerful features designed to streamline the management of client relationships. Expect a faster, more stable, and comprehensive system to support your business growth. What is being migrated? To ensure a seamless transition, we will migrate the following items: Jobs Invoices Contacts Contracts Proposals Email Templates Contract Templates Contact Form Templates Product & Services Templates Workflow Templates What will not be migrated? Certain elements will not be carried over to the new system: Client Portals Job Notes In-Progress Workflows (workflow templates will be migrated) Payment Schedule Templates Discount Templates Tax Templates Referrals set in existing jobs Transition to the New System As the legacy system is phased out, here are steps to help you adjust: Disable Legacy Settings: To avoid confusion, disable any unnecessary settings in the legacy system, such as invoice reminders by navigating to Settings > Invoices & Payments > Invoice Settings and unchecking "Send automatic email reminders for unpaid invoices." Complete the New Setup Guide: Utilize the Setup Guide in the new system found under Settings > Onboarding Setup Guide to fully adapt to the new functionalities. Updates on Integrations We are thrilled to share some exciting enhancements that are on the horizon for our new platform. In response to feedback and the evolving needs of our community, we will be implementing integrations with QuickBooks and ProSelect in the near future. These updates are designed to streamline your financial management and client interactions, enhancing your overall workflow efficiency. Stay tuned for these valuable additions that will further empower your photography business. Multiple Brands Additionally, we are excited to announce that support for managing multiple brands is now available, providing you with the flexibility to handle various aspects of your business from a single account. These integrations and features are designed to enrich your experience by streamlining financial management and client interactions, making your workflow smoother and more efficient. Stay tuned for these exciting updates that will further empower your photography business. Further Assistance For a smoother transition, visit our YouTube Tutorial Series and consult the Getting Started Knowledge Base . Our support team is also ready to assist you every step of the way. What If I’m Not Using My Account Anymore?  If your account has been inactive for more than 12 months, your account will not be migrated. If you wish to have your account migrated, you will simply need to login to your account before March 3, 2025. Final Migration Notice This migration is essential for enhancing your photography business operations. We are committed to supporting you through this transition and ensuring a smooth and effective upgrade to our new platform.
By Maria Eveslage February 3, 2025
Learn how to manage leads and clients effectively with ShootQ’s tools, designed to foster stronger connections and elevate your photography business.
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