Smilebox Blog

For obvious reasons, summer is one of the best times of the year to take beautiful pictures. The sun is shining, the family is together, and you may even be going on a vacation where there is beautiful sight-seeing. But all too often, summer pictures are ruined by people squinting or washed out colors.

To help you out, we’ve put together these quick tips that will help you capture your summer moments better than ever before.

Stop the squinting

We’ve all been there. Mom or Dad or Aunt Mildred is trying to get a nice picture, but the sun is so bright that your eyes start watering, your smile is forced, and by the time a few photos have been taken, everyone looks like they’ve been crying rather than enjoying a beautiful sunny day.

Luckily, we have the solution. First, get everyone in position for the picture and-then have them close their eyes. Have the photographer get ready, then count up to three. On three, everyone opens their eyes, and the photographer takes the picture a second later. If you time it right, everyone will have natural smiles and open eyes. Voila, the case of the squints has been solved!

Timing is everything

It may be tempting to take pictures when the sun is most dazzling, but if you want to avoid washed out colors you should stow the camera away for the middle part of the day.

Instead, take photos in the morning and late afternoon, when there will still be enough sun to highlight vivid colors but not so much that the picture looks faded. If you can’t avoid snapping some pictures in the middle of the day, try to get your subjects into some shade.

The beauty is in the details

When looking at a beautiful landscape, the instinct is to try to fit every square inch in to the picture. Unfortunately, this usually results in a distant-looking photo with none of the stunning details you see in person.

To avoid this, find a particularly breathtaking smaller area to focus on. This will still capture the overall feel of the scenery, but give the shot a more intimate touch. When in doubt, zoom is your friend.

Perfecting sunset pictures

Watching a crimson and orange sunset on the horizon always inspires people to pull out their cameras and capture the moment. To make the most of it, remember a few quick tips.

If you want a subject in the foreground, make sure to turn on your flash to counter out the back-lighting provided by the sun. This will capture the sunset while still illuminating your subject’s face.

Alternately, if you want a great silhouette shot, for example a palm tree or a couple walking on the beach, make sure the flash is off. This will make the contrast between the darkened foreground and the colorful sky even more brilliant.

Do something with them

Once you’ve taken the stunning pictures of your summer, don’t let them waste away on your camera or computer. Do something fun and meaningful with them, like put them into the slideshow for everyone that was featured, or share your experiences with close family and friends.

One piece of advice to remember is the timeless saying “quality over quantity”. People are more likely to enjoy it when you send your 10 best photos than if you bombard them with 100 average shots. And remember to showcase your sunny summer photos in a Smilebox slideshow, scrapbook, or collage. We have a design to match every occasion and personality.

So get out there, enjoy your summer, remember these tips, and we can’t wait to see all the incredible moments you capture!