Summer photo ideas
Summer photos are about water, sun and long evenings: running through a sprinkler, a popsicle melting down a wrist, the jump into the pool. Here are ideas for the backyard, the water and summer nights, all easy to shoot with an iPhone.
Backyard and driveway
- The sprinkler run Kids or friends dashing through the spray, shot from the side with the sun behind the water so every drop lights up.
- Melting ice cream A cone dripping onto a wrist, close up. Work fast; it won’t wait for you.
- Popsicle tongues Everyone sticks out a blue or red tongue at the same time. Shoot the row from a low angle.
- The lemonade stand The hand-lettered sign, the stack of cups and the very first customer handing over coins. Shoot from the kid’s side of the table so the customer faces you.
- Hammock nap from above Someone asleep in a hammock, shot from above with dappled light through the leaves.
- Chalk wings Draw wings or a rocket in chalk on the driveway, have someone lie down in it, and shoot straight down so they become part of the drawing.
- Watermelon grins Big smiles behind wedges of watermelon, then the rinds lined up on the plate afterward.
Water and sun
- The pool jump Shoot from the side at water level as someone jumps. A burst catches the frame right before the splash.
- Feet in the water Toes dangling in clear pool water, shot from the edge looking straight down.
- The float from above A friend drifting on an inflatable, shot from a balcony or the end of the diving board.
- The beach towel flat lay Sunglasses, a paperback, sunscreen and a peach on a striped towel. Shoot straight down; more in beach photo ideas.
- The wet hair flip Coming up out of the lake and flipping wet hair back. Burst again, and shoot with the sun behind for glowing drops.
- Shadow play Midday sun makes hard shadows, so use them: a palm frond, a straw hat brim or lace casting a pattern across a face.
- The road-trip snack haul Chips, sodas and sunglasses spread on the hood of the parked car at a rest stop.
Summer nights
- Fireflies at dusk A kid holding cupped hands around a firefly for a second before letting it go, the yard going blue behind. As the light fades, Night mode turns on by itself; hold still.
- Backyard movie night A sheet on the fence, a projector and blankets. Shoot from behind the audience so the screen glows over their heads, and rest the iPhone on a chair back to keep it steady.
- Toasting marshmallows A marshmallow going golden over the fire, with the glow on the faces around it.
- Nine o’clock sky The sky still bright at the edges late in the evening. Silhouette everyone against it.
Make it move
Summer is the season that moves the most, so let your photos move too. In Tada:
- Lively for the sprinkler run, the pool jump and the hair flip: people laugh, turn and wave, and hair and clothes swing. It takes 20–40 seconds.
- Stickers for a sunny portrait. Neck things has a lei, Hats & headbands has a bucket hat, and Classic has a sun and an ice cream. Pick a pack and a set is placed on you in about a second, and the stickers keep moving in the saved Live Photo. Free.
- 0.5 Pic re-shoots a photo of one person as an ultra-wide shot from close up and above, where whatever you hold looms huge, so hold up a popsicle or a water gun. It redraws you, and you move. See 0.5 pic.
Lively and 0.5 Pic are AI tadas: Tada asks first, then makes them on its servers with OpenAI and xAI. You get 3 free. Privacy.
iPhone tips for summer photos
- Shoot early or late. Midday sun makes people squint; the hour before sunset is warmer and kinder to faces.
- For jumps and splashes, swipe the Shutter button to the left to take a burst, then keep the frames you like.
- Leave Live Photo on at the sprinkler. Later, open it in Photos, tap the Live Photo button near the top and try Bounce.
- Keep the iPhone out of the splash zone: shoot from a dry spot and dry your hands before you pick it up.
Questions
What are fun summer photos to take with friends?
A sprinkler run, popsicle tongues, a pool jump caught in a burst, and a backyard movie night shot from behind the audience. Anything with water and movement works.
What time of day is good for summer photos?
The hour after sunrise or before sunset. Midday light is harsh and makes people squint; if you have to shoot then, find open shade.
How do I make a summer photo move?
Tada makes any photo in your camera roll move and saves it as a Live Photo. Lively uses AI to make people laugh and hair swing; stickers like a lei or a bucket hat are free.
Sources: Apple Support: Take and edit Live Photos · iPhone User Guide: Capture action shots with Burst mode