A photo of a little kid at the beach taking a photo.

Summer’s all about getting together with the family, sunny days at the beach, and exploring exciting new destinations, so there are loads of reasons to get your camera out. But if you need a few hints on how to capture the very best of summer to add to your bonusprint photo books, we’ve got you covered with five simple tips.

We’ll give you easy-to-follow advice on how to plan and stick to a summery theme for your photo book, plus creative ways you can play around with photography and get the whole family involved.

1. Create a mood board

If you’ve got a photo book style in mind but haven’t taken the pics to go in it yet, a mood board is a great place to start. Putting your inspiration down on paper, or even on a Pinterest board, is a useful way of deciding on a theme to work from. You could collect images you like the look of – maybe it’s a technique you want to try out, or it could be a style you want to work in. Collecting items or images in a similar colour can also help you think about how you put your photo book together too.

A mood board with lots of colourful summery pics of kids with their parents in the sunshine, kids eating watermelon, and bright photos of boats and fishing lines.

2. Narrow things down

When you’ve got loads of creative ideas in your head, it can be easy to get carried away. But try to focus on one subject when you’re preparing to take photos for your photo book. Whether you’re into wildlife, you’re a keen traveller, or you just love taking photos of your kids, base your project on the thing you’re most passionate about and stick to it.

3. Tell your story, one image at a time

When you’ve got your summery subject in mind, make a list of the types of shots you want to take. This is especially useful for telling a story with your images in a photo book. If you’re going on holiday and want to make your book more like a travel journal, create a checklist each day of scenarios and locations in chronological order. Day one of your holiday could look a little something like this:

  • View through the plane window
  • Arriving at the accommodation
  • First walk down to the beach
  • The kids playing in the sand
  • First swim in the sea
  • First local dish
  • Sunset over the sea

A photo of a woman and her son running along the beach.

4. Get creative with your subject

Try experimenting with new angles or techniques. If you often find yourself taking photos of the same subject, then this can help you capture it from a new perspective. You could take more time thinking about the composition of your picture, and have a go at adjusting some of your basic DSLR camera modes, such as shutter speed or white balance. You could even let the kids take some photos with your camera, so you can capture images from their point of view.

If you don’t have a DSLR, you can still experiment with your phone. And if you download the bonusprint app for iOS or Android, you could start creating your next photo project within minutes of taking the perfect picture.

A topdown photograph of two women lying on the grass, holding bright yellow flowers over their faces.

5. Location scouting

Whether you love a nature shot or capturing summer in the city, think about your location before you head out with your camera. If you’re about to go away on holiday, Google the landmarks you want to shoot and tips on what time of day to capture them at their best. For your favourite locations that are a bit closer to home, consider how natural light will impact your shot – maybe your nearest beach looks better at sunset, or your local park is worth a visit first thing on a sunny morning.

A photo of a row of brightly coloured beach huts, taken on a sunny day.

With a little bit of forward planning, you can get professional-looking results from your summer photos, and you’ll create even better photo books too.

To get creative with your snaps on the go, download our app so you can capture and create in a couple of taps.

We’d love to see how your summer photos turn out, so share them with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging us in posts and stories and by using #shareyoursummer.

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