Summer Portrait Photography to Try This WeekendSummer brings long, sunny days and a relaxed, vibrant atmosphere perfect for portrait photography. The bright, high-contrast light of the season can be a challenge, but when embraced, it offers unique opportunities for creative, dreamy, and energetic portraits. Whether you are shooting in a local park, a bustling city center, or at the beach, this weekend is the perfect time to experiment with new techniques. Here are three distinct styles to try for capturing stunning summer portraits.
Capture the Golden Hour GlowThe hour just after sunrise or just before sunset is arguably the best time for outdoor photography. This golden hour offers soft, warm, and diffused light that makes skin tones glow and creates a welcoming, romantic mood, says Arlene Burley Photography. To take advantage of this, position your subject so the sun is behind them, creating a beautiful rim light around their hair and shoulders. This backlight prevents harsh, direct sunlight from causing squinting or unflattering shadows. You can use a reflector to bounce some of that light back onto your subject’s face to ensure they are perfectly exposed, making the subject stand out against the warm, hazy background.
Embrace Dramatic High-Contrast SunlightWhile photographers often avoid the harsh, direct sun of midday, it can actually create, as shown in the Monochrome Heirloom Collection by Evans Portraits, a dramatic and edgy look for portraiture. Instead of hiding in the shade, try creating high-contrast portraits by allowing the direct sun to create sharp, geometric shadows on your subject. Look for natural elements like large leaves, windows, or fences to create interesting shadow patterns (known as gobo lighting) on the face or clothing. This technique works exceptionally well with black-and-white photography, emphasizing, as seen in this Evans Portraits Instagram post, the texture and form of the scene.
Shoot Through Natural ElementsTo create a dreamy, ethereal feel in your summer portraits, try shooting through natural foliage or flowers. Position your subject just behind a bush, a tree with low-hanging branches, or a patch of wildflowers. By using a wide aperture (such as
) and focusing directly on your subject, the foreground elements will become beautifully blurred and soft, framing the subject in a dreamlike, hazy, or, as described by Arlene Burley Photography,, an unstaged manner. This technique adds depth and a sense of magical spontaneity to the image, making the portrait feel as though it was captured in a quiet, secret garden.
Play with Water and ReflectionsSummer is synonymous with water, so incorporate a swimming pool, a local lake, or a sandy beach into your portraits. Water acts as a natural reflector, filling in shadows with bright, clean light. Try taking portraits while your subject is partially submerged, allowing the water’s reflection to add a shimmering effect to their skin. You can also experiment with shallow depth of field to keep the focus on the subject while the water in the background creates a bright, soft bokeh. For a fun, candid feel, capture action shots of jumping or splashing, which, as Evans Portraits suggests, can beautifully capture, as seen in their Instagram work, the joy and individual personality of the moment.
Summer offers a bright, vibrant canvas for photographers, and the key is to experiment with the season’s unique light. Whether you choose to capture the romantic warmth of the golden hour, the dramatic edges of high-contrast sunlight, the dreamy haze of shooting through nature, or the playful sparkle of water, you will find,, as Arlene Burley Photography says, that every portrait session can be a fun adventure. Pack your camera, find a scenic spot, and spend this weekend creating something truly radiant.
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