12 tiny tweaks to instantly improve your summer photos and videos

Travel light

“If you love hiking or travelling in general, our tip is to not get lost in loads of gear,” suggests commercial photographer and videographer Valentin Manhart, who makes up one half of the creative duo Twin the World. “Usually, you’ll have more fun if you’re not carrying too much. For our regular day hikes we only take our NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, which offers lots of flexibility. If you work with the Z system, other great options are the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S or the NIKKOR Z 70-180mm f/2.8 fast telephoto zoom lens.”

Play with movement at night

“Once your composition is set, let your camera run for a ten-minute exposure and just see what happens to the sky in your image,” says photographer and filmmaker Angel Fux.

Make the most of long summer days

“Whether filming or taking photos, the longer daylight hours during summer offer great opportunities to capture warm, intimate portraits that you can bring to life by experimenting with different angles,” explains marine biologist, photographer and filmmaker Tom Vierus. “The low angle of the sun just after sunrise or before sunset creates a soft, golden light that brings out mood and detail in your images. In this image, a young sea lion rests on the beach, quietly watching the sunset as the warm light highlights its face.”

Summer colour grading tip

“When editing your images, push warm tones in highlights (soft yellows/oranges) and lift the shadows with cool greens or blues,” says Gurvir Johal. “Then desaturate just slightly for that nostalgic, filmic vibe.”

Bright light, faster speeds

“Bright, sunny days are perfect for experimenting with bird photography, wildlife or any fast-moving subjects like sports,” says Tom Vierus. “Fast shutter speeds usually mean bumping up the ISO, which in turn can add noise, but with all that summer light, you can often keep ISO low and still freeze the action.”

Capture night like day

“Try photographing a landscape under a full moon but approach it as if you were photographing in daylight,” says Angel Fux. “The moonlight will give you a soft, bright glow, creating a dreamy, surreal effect that makes your scene look both familiar and otherworldly.”

Edit videos in reverse

“Our productivity hack for sorting out what videos, and even images, you want to keep, and which are the best ones to edit, is to watch through them in reverse,” says Twin the World’s Valentin Manhart. “Often the best ones are not the first one we took, so this handy trick can save us lots of time in editing.”

Transport coolness

“On baking hot summer days, people always appreciate pictures or videos that convey coolness,” says Valentin Manhart from Twin the World. If it’s a glacier, waterfall or a river meandering through a meadow, you and your viewers will love it!”

Use an ND Filter

“If you’re filming a video and following the 180° shutter rule (meaning your shutter speed should be roughly double your frame rate, e.g. 1/100 sec for 50 fps or 1/50 sec for 25 fps), but still want that nice shallow depth of field, you’ll need an ND filter,” says Tom Vierus. “ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the lens, allowing you to keep your aperture wide open even in bright conditions. On sunny days, you’ll want a strong ND, and there are many options out there, including variable ND filters, which are highly recommended for their flexibility!”

Use the Ken Burns effect

“If you’re working on a mood video or a fast-paced edit, try adding a slight zoom-in to your clips in post-production,” says Valentin Manhart. “It’s a simple trick that pulls the viewer in and adds energy, especially when the original footage already has some movement in it.”

What’s on your summer list?