7 Summer Photo Shoot Ideas with Editing Tips

You don’t need to fly to an exotic location to do a creative summer photo shoot. Whether you live in the town or countryside, and no matter the weather, a little inspiration can make for a successful photography session.

Here’s our compilation of summer photo shoot ideas to create pictures that you’ll be proud to post on Instagram or Pinterest!

Woman with hat and backpack standing in field looking at view of mountains

We’ll also share some tips on how you can edit your photos to perfection, in case the original shot didn’t turn out exactly as you wanted.

Top summer photo shoot ideas

Bubbles photo shoot
Evening picnic photo
Icecream eating shoot
Summer landscape photography
Summer fruit phography
Straw hat fashion photo
Pet picture

1. Bubbles photo shoot

This is a fun photo shoot idea to try at home or in the park. The lightness and joy of bubbles is a great theme for summer. What’s more it will allow you to take natural-looking pictures, without anyone getting bored!

For best results, shoot this in a shaded area with little wind. If you want more visible bubbles, you could make your own with soap and glycerine.

If your photo turns out a bit dull, try adjusting settings such as exposure and saturation. Some photo editing software offers a specific feature for this. For example, One-Click Correction in inPixio Photo Studio automatically adjusts color and light balance to give your pictures a boost.

2 children playing with bubble solution outdoors

Adjusting certain settings can help perfect your summer photos

2. Evening picnic photo

When you’re enjoying summer evenings outdoors with a picnic or barbecue, don’t hesitate to reach for your camera ! This is a perfect opportunity to improvise an atmospheric summer photoshoot.

Try using the HDR setting on your camera or smartphone if you have one. This can help bring out all the different light and tones.

If your low light pictures look grainy, you can use editing software to reduce digital noise for a smoother finish.

Group of friends sitting under trees raising glasses on summer evening

Noise reduction can help correct grainy low light photos

3. Icecream eating shoot

Nothing says summertime like icecream! Capture your family or friends out with a cornet, or even in a café with a sundae. This is also a nice way to do summer portrait photography. Dress up in your best summer fashion for extra style.

In terms of editing, photographers often use background blur for portrait photos as it helps to put the focus on the subject. You may have an automatic function for this on your smartphone, and it’s also easy to achieve with simple editing software.

Alternatively, why not try adding a digital frame to your portrait images, as a fun finishing touch.

Two children eating icecream in summer photo shoot

A digital frame can be a fun finishing touch for portrait photos

4. Summer landscape photography

It’s the time of year to be outdoors, and enjoy the light. Even if you don’t live near mountains or lakes, you can find fun places to shoot. Ideas include parks, meadows, and city views. For best results try shooting during the golden hour just after sunrise or just before sunset. This will give you warmer light and help avoid exposure problems.

If the weather doesn’t cooperate during your landscape photo shoot, you can try replacing the sky for something more summery.

Woman with hat and backpack standing in field looking at view of mountains

Sky replacement is one option for dealing with bad weather on a photoshoot

5. Summer fruit photography

If you’re looking for photography ideas close to home, why not start with your fruit bowl! Summer fruit photos are fun to create and look super appetizing on Instagram.

Anything with vivid colors makes a great subject for a photography session. Strawberries are just one example.

If you’d like to get even more creative with your 5-a-day photos, you could try a selective color effect. Creating a monochrome background can really make your subject pop.

Basket of strawberries against monochrome background

A selective color effect can help your food photos pop

6. Straw hat fashion photo

If a fashion-oriented photo shoot sounds more your thing, then simple summer head wear can provide lots of inspiration. This summertime wardrobe staple is a cool addition to most outfits.

Photography ideas include everything from beach photos to lifestyle images that help you capture the natural beauty of your model. Why not try this with family and friends?

Play with different locations and backgrounds to see what works best. You can also use filters to change the atmosphere in your photo and create a retro look, for example.

Woman in straw hat at the beach with Sepia preset effect

Filters can create a retro effect in a photo

7. Summer pet picture

Pets make for adorable pictures at any time of year. Summer provides the opportunity to spend some time outdoors for a fun photoshoot. Play in the garden or head to the park, and create some cute portrait images.

You can also try using the burst function on your smartphone camera to capture your pet in motion.

If you want to add further creative effects to your animal photography, a vignette is one thing to try. It acts as a soft frame and is easy to add with a free photo editor.