Summer Photography Tips in Show Low

Summer in the White Mountains of Arizona is a magical time filled with energy and adventure. When taking photos, you’ll experience light variations, beautiful skies, water-based backgrounds, and much more.

Photography during the summer comes with its fair share of challenges. For example, the sun can be too intense, washing out your shots and adding unwanted contrast. Also, summer storms often create interesting cloud drama in the sky but be sure to keep your camera safe from the rain.  

Lighting

Learn to master lighting by paying careful attention to the sun.

1. Are there clouds? If so, how are they moving, and are they covering the sun?
2. Where is the sun positioned in the sky?

Clouds often diffuse the light, creating soft, balanced illumination perfect for flower photos, portraits, and landscapes. Clear skies, on the other hand, will produce hard, high-contrast light that’s great for architectural shots but bad for pretty much everything else.

It’s best to shoot early in the morning or late in the afternoon. These times – known as the golden hours – feature soft, golden light that’ll create long shadows and reveal plenty of subject detail.

Shooting Flowers

It’s fun to stumble upon a beautiful patch of flowers in Show Low in the summer. Pick a lens with a focal length in the 80-120mm range; it’ll let you photograph up close without needing to get inches from the edge of your subject, and you won’t have to deal with the bulkiness of a longer macro lens.

A tripod can be useful and helpful if you want to shoot at high magnifications but keep the entire flower in focus.

• Start by setting your ISO to its base value to keep your images as high quality as possible.
• Choose the aperture that gives you the depth of field effect you want. Wider apertures (smaller f-numbers) create a smaller window of focus, while narrower apertures (larger f-numbers) provide a larger area of focus. You can choose a softer-focus effect with artistic blur, in the f/2.8 to f/5.6 range, or a sharp effect in the f/8 to f/16 range. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to experiment and see what appeals to you.

Set the shutter speed value that gives you the proper exposure. Make sure it’s fast enough to ensure a sharp final image, especially at high magnifications. Typically, you’ll want at least 1/160s, but sometimes you can get away with 1/100 and faster.

Water-Based Fun

Water-based fun in the summer is easy to find, so be sure to photograph people enjoying the water from above or even frolicking UNDER the water. For underwater photography, you’ll need underwater housing (or a waterproof camera). You’ll also need swim gear; if you’re doing a lengthy underwater shoot, then a snorkel or even scuba equipment is a good idea, but you can always start by holding your breath, diving, and shooting. Detailed information here: https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/underwater-photography-guide-beginners.

Silhouette Shots

Deliberate silhouette shots are pretty easy. The secret is to time it just right, often early mornings or late evenings when the sun is low on the horizon. Position yourself strategically, with your subject between you and the bright sky.

Set your exposure for the background. That way, your foreground subject will turn out ultra-dark, while the sky will look wonderfully vibrant. Experiment with different angles and adjusting the brightness levels until you achieve that magical balance. Shoot in RAW to have even more flexibility in post-processing, allowing you to recover or remove details as needed.

Bad Weather

Bad weather creates puddles, plenty of cloud drama, powerful light, and more – so the next time you sense bad weather, see if you can brave the unpleasantness and head outside with your camera.

Rain causes people to bring out their umbrellas, which allows you to capture all sorts of interesting images!

Portrait Photography and Props

If you’re into portrait photography, summer is the time to dive into the world of summer-themed photoshoots.

Bring along a handful of props that produce summer vibes. We like colorful sunglasses, flowers, and ice cream. These props will help you capture the summer feeling.

In conclusion, summer in the White Mountains is the best time to head outside, have fun under the sun, and appreciate the power of nature. 

Located just three hours from Phoenix in Show Low, Ariz., Torreon is a luxury golfing community nestled in the White Mountains. It offers convenience, world-class recreation, and amenities for the entire family. Offering everything from a sprawling outdoor pool, expansive fitness center to award-winning food at Torreon Grille as well as a family and game center, fishing pond and endless trails throughout the community, every member or guest is sure to enjoy time at Torreon. Learn more at https://torreon.com/