The essence of summer – challenges to try this season

Look up

“Summer encourages a different pace, and sometimes simply changing your perspective can transform the way you see the world,” says professional landscape photographer and aerial and video content creator Nicolas Jægergaard. “This challenge is about looking directly upwards and finding new compositions above your head. For example, in a redwood forest, pointing the camera skyward reveals a towering symmetry of trees stretching into the light. Similarly, in a field of lupins, placing the lens low and angling up can create a playful scene full of texture and colour, one that’s often missed from eye level.”

Nicolas advises using a wide-angle lens for this challenge to exaggerate depth and draw attention to the converging lines of trees, flowers or even architectural structures. “It’s a simple but creative way to embrace summer’s strong light and open skies, and it often leads to striking, abstract results,” he says. The landscapes pro suggests using a Nikon mirrorless camera with either the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S for ultra-wide dramatic images, or the NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S for slightly tighter perspectives with beautiful sun flare, and advises using a sturdy camera strap or ground pad when it comes to photographing low and aiming up.

Nicolas’s top tip: “Use a small aperture like f/16 to capture clean sunbursts and create sharp edges across the frame. To avoid underexposure, increase ISO or adjust your shutter speed accordingly. Fill all corners of the composition with foreground elements such as trees, branches and petals to create a natural frame and keep the viewer engaged.”

Capture stillness with negative space

As a professional street photographer, Lucy Hamidzadeh is used to working at a faster pace than most. “I’m always chasing fast moments, candid expressions, blink-and-you-miss them gestures and raw human emotion that unfolds naturally,” she explains. “My lens is focused on people, movement and the unpredictable poetry of everyday life. However, when it comes to capturing that summer life, I quite often find myself drawn away from the streets, especially when I’m travelling and find myself by the sea, capturing something entirely different: the feeling of summer.”

For her first challenge, Lucy invites photographers to adopt this more leisurely approach to photography in order to capture the essence of lazy summer days by focusing on what’s not there just as much as what is. “Don’t fight the setting,” she says. “Use its constraints, harsh sun, open space, minimal subjects, as creative prompts. So instead of zooming in on a particular subject, allow the negative space around it to emphasise the slow and gentle stillness of summer.”

Lucy’s top tip: “Take a moment to explore the scene with just your eyes, not through the camera, at different levels. Move around, crouch, lie down, peek through things. Often, the most compelling frame isn’t obvious until you physically shift your viewpoint. It’s not about capturing more, it’s about seeing differently.”

Capture every detail with bracketing

“Summer light can be both beautiful and unpredictable, and that’s where exposure bracketing truly shines,” says Nicolas, who explains that when a scene contains both strong highlights and deep shadows, a single exposure often isn’t enough to do it justice. Instead, he suggests combining multiple exposures with varying brightness levels to preserve the image’s detail and create a more dynamic final result. “This technique worked particularly well in the Netherlands, where a sunrise over the countryside created complex lighting conditions,” he says. “With limited time and rapidly changing skies, bracketing ensured that no part of the image was lost to blown-out skies or dark foregrounds. So I challenge you to try this when photographing summer sunrises, interiors with bright windows or dramatic coastal scenes. It’s a powerful technique that will expand your creative control.”

Nicolas’ top tip: “Set your bracketing mode to capture three or five exposures with 1 to 2 stops between each frame. If your camera allows, use continuous high-speed mode to minimise motion between frames. Nikon mirrorless cameras include a bracketing (BKT) function, so no special gear is needed beyond your main camera. Use lenses with minimal distortion for easier blending and consider a tripod or stable surface to align exposures precisely in post-processing.”

Frame the scene, tell a story

For this challenge, Lucy dares photographers to focus on layering and framing. “Summer light can be harsh, intense and flat,” she says. “To avoid creating images that feel washed out or overly minimal, look for natural frames – fences, foliage, rock formations, even beach umbrellas – and use them to introduce foreground interest.

“I recently travelled to Sicily. Drawn to its coastline, I found myself photographing a sailboat drifting along the horizon. At first glance, it was a simple, serene scene, but I wanted to approach it with the same curiosity and layering I bring to street photography. So rather than just pointing my camera at the sea, I looked for ways to create depth. I lay flat on the sun-warmed ground and photographed through a small hole in a wall to frame and obscure, to add tension and narrative to an otherwise tranquil moment. These subtle barriers and textures help give images dimension, inviting the viewer to feel as if they’re peeking into a quiet, sun-drenched story.”

Lucy’s top tip: “One of the most effective ways I create visual depth is by physically lowering my perspective. Lying flat on the ground or framing through small gaps forces me to think differently about space and scale. This isn’t just about being unconventional. It gives the viewer a more intimate, almost voyeuristic view into the scene.”

Harness harsh midday light

Using midday summer sun may seem counterproductive and considered far too intense for photography, but Nicolas says harsh light can create powerful images with the right approach. “On a trip through New Zealand, two different scenes stood out during the brightest hours of the day,” he recalls. “The first was a gorge, where only a narrow shaft of light managed to break through, perfectly illuminating the subject and adding striking depth. The second was a shaded waterfall deep within a forest. Here the light filtered gently through the canopy, enhancing the natural contrast between shadow and movement.”

For this challenge, Nicolas encourages photographers to embrace the midday sun, seeking out locations where light is naturally diffused or directional. “Caves, gorges, or thick forests can all provide the kind of soft-edged light that adds drama and clarity,” he suggests. “Summer’s bold lighting becomes a tool rather than a challenge if used intentionally.”

Nicolas’s top tip: “Use an ND filter to control exposure if light levels are inconsistent or still too harsh. Keep an eye out for narrow beams of sunlight breaking through the environment, as these can be used to spotlight your subject. If needed, adjust contrast and brightness in post-production to emphasise the natural glow of the scene.”