“Summer
It turns me upside-down
Summer, summer, summer
It’s like a merry-go-round”
—The Cars
Maybe you’re on a break from school, taking a summer vacation, or you just love summer scenery. Summer in South Carolina means our plants are flourishing, but our heat and humidity are as intense as the mosquitoes. Here are some of my tips for taking photos on summer days:
1. Consider choosing sunrise instead of sunset. Sunrise tends to be the coolest time of day. Even right after sunset, it’s still warmer and more humid than sunrise. It also tends to be less crowded at sunrise because it involves waking up early, and a lot of people don’t want to get up early enough for sunrise in the summer. It’s about 6:15 in Greenville around summer solstice. For more information on deciding whether sunrise or sunset is the right choice for you, check out this post!
2. Bring a change of clothes. I always recommend having two outfits to give you variety, but this also gives you the option to spend less time in an outfit that makes you hot, and you can change into something else if you get sweaty. Check out this post for suggestions on what to wear!
3. Pick somewhere that’s not as exhausting to get to so you won’t be red, sweaty, and tired in your photos. For more suggestions for choosing a trail for your photos, check out this post.
4. Keep a bottle of water with you. Sometimes you don’t notice dehydration until you actually start feeling weak or sick. And don’t forget water and a bowl for your dogs if you’re bringing them! Here is more information about bringing your dogs for your photos.
5. Take advantage of shadier spots when the sun is higher in the sky. For this beach session, we used the shade to block out the sun, then we went out to the water as it got darker. The water acts as a giant mirror, so any sunlight will look really bright if there’s a lot of water.
6. Use sunscreen in the days beforehand. Please. Being pale looks better than being sunburned.
7. Be strategic with your location. Summer means that a lot of people will be traveling, and they may be visiting the same scenic location you’ve chosen for your photos. Sunrise can help with avoiding crowds, but so can going on a weekday, or finding lesser-known places. For more ideas on where to take engagement photos in upstate South Carolina, check out this post.
8. Have a rain plan. Summer evenings in South Carolina pretty much always have that forecast of “50% chance of scattered thunderstorms in the evening.” If it’s difficult for you to reschedule, we can find a covered area, like the Wyche Pavilion in downtown Greenville. Here are some more ideas for locations in downtown Greenville, and here is some info on how to navigate cloudy days.
Bonus for photographers: take your camera out of your bag a few minutes before you want to start taking your photos. Your camera might fog up if it’s really hot and humid out, and there’s nothing you can do except wait.
Bonus for upstate South Carolina: the South Carolina Botanical Gardens has a desert garden area that looks best in the summer when the succulents can thrive on the heat! Check out this post to see more photos from there!
I hope this was helpful! For more weather tips, check these out:
Taking Photos in Cold Weather
Like What You See?
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Info for Chimney Rock State Park in Chimney Rock, North Carolina.