The lazy days of summer are upon us. I just looked at the calendar and realized that my son has 7 more weeks until school starts back up….yikes! We have already crammed so much in this summer, I can hardly think of anything to do with these remaining weeks. Alas, while the long stretch of vacation strikes some fear into my heart, I also kind of love having 24/7 access to my muchkin and getting to do all these fun things together. I know one day soon he probably won’t want anything to do with me, so I better soak it up now.

Summer brings so many unique experiences, and we are so fortunate in this day and age to have phones and digital cameras at our fingertips all the time, making it so easy to preserve your summertime memories forever

Clearly, not every moment calls for a professional photographer, so it’s up to the momtographer (or dadtographer) in the family to take charge of the must-take summer photo checklist:

 

Splashpark/Waterpark/Poolside

Kids + water = instant happiness. Document your summer poolside play, waterpark and splash park visits. The splash park is like our home away from home during the summer, but I am often afraid to take my professional camera out there because I don’t want it to get damaged by the water. One tip for avoiding water damage is to use your phone (as long as it is water resistant or has a water resistant case on it). There are also many point and shoot digital cameras out there with underwater capabilities like the Olympus TG-3 and of course, Go Pros. In my case I typically take my backup Canon T3i Rebel along with a long range zoom so I can stay far away from the splashing action but still get the shots I want.

Treat Time

Summer is full of tasty treats…popsicles, watermelon, Texas peaches, s’mores…it’s the season of deliciousness and you are going to get a genuine smile anytime the treats are out.

Vacation

Some of my absolute favorite images of my son have come from our vacations to the beach. The sand and waves are a whole new world for this landlocked Texas boy, so I always make sure to document every aspect of our trip. It’s also a great place to get candid, unposed images of your children.
Vacations at campsites, the mountains or whatever your family chooses to do will all be gorgeous because the subjects in them are so happy!

 

Red, White & Blue

The shiny side of summer. Fireworks and sparklers can really inspire you creatively. My son is just 4, so I still struggled this year with balancing photo-taking and safety, but I look forward to the years ahead when I can take some awesome sparkler shots.

Shades

Too school for school! Capture your kiddos in their sunglasses (or better yet, let them don a pair of mom or dad’s sunglasses).

Swings

Perspective makes a huge difference in swing photos—there are so many different angles you could go with, so experiment and see what’s going to work best for you. Also make use to use a high shutter speed if you want to freeze the motion. My son isn’t super into swings, but his interest is growing so maybe this will be the year to check this off my list.

 

Summer Showers/Rainboots

Texas summers are typically pretty dry affairs, so this one is elusive. Have your rainboots at the ready in case a freak shower comes through.

 

Amusement Park

I was born without the gene for riding roller coasters. I legit despise them. At best, I can be convinced to go on a super tame water slide and maybe a miniature train..and that’s all your getting me to do at the amusement park. But, I know this is apparently a thing…so more power to those of you who can handle the people zoo, corndog smell and carny rides. 🙂 Amusement parks are definitely full of color, vibrancy and movement…a great recipe for some creative and intriguing photos. In fact, if you ever see me at an amusement park it is probably only to take photos.

Indoor Play

It gets hot here–like 110 degrees hot, and sometimes we just hunker down indoors for hours of movies and plain ol’ playtime.

Sunset

The last hour before sunset is absolute magic year-round, but the magical colors of a summer sunset are to die for. The lighting around sunset is basically perfection, so don’t forget to keep snapping even as that sun dips low.

 

Heather of H. Parker Photography is a Ft. Worth Newborn Photographer also specializing in baby photography in Fort Worth, Texas and surrounding areas including but not limited to Dallas, Trophy Club and Roanoke.