Summer is one of my favorite times for photos, and one of the most popular - for good reason! Everything is green and beautiful and blooming. But there are two things that can make a summer photo session very uncomfortable… the heat & humidity!
Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to better prepare for a photo session in the heat & humidity. Below are a few of my top tips!
1 - Dress for summertime weather!
This one might be the most obvious, but make sure you dress for the summer weather! Light, breezy fabrics without too many layers are the way to go. The key is to keep you as comfortable (and not sweaty!) for as along as possible.
Ladies, consider dresses and skirts, or a cute romper. Guys, consider lighter linen pants and fabrics.
Patterned shirts and dresses can also often hide sweat - and there are some fabrics that just generally hide sweat better than others, so look for those!
Also, consider lighter colors over darker ones. The sun will reflect off of your lighter colored clothing, rather than trap the heat in darker colors!
2- Stay hydrated before, during, and after!
Make sure you are drinking a lot of water leading up to your photo session so you’re not already dehydrated going into your session! Bring a water bottle with you to your session as well so you can stay hydrated during the shoot.
3 - Consider an early morning session.
This one is certainly not for everyone, but for those who really want to beat the summer heat… this can be a great way to go! Generally, mornings can be a bit cooler than evenings, so if you really want to beat the heat, consider a sunrise photo session.
4 - Consider bringing a second change of clothes.
For a summertime shoot, this can be a game changer! If it’s really hot and humid and your clothing is starting to show the affects of that (hello, pit stains!), then having a second outfit to change into can be a breath of fresh air (literally ;) ).
5 - For the ladies, consider hiring a professional makeup artist.
Those of us who might not be super proficient in the art of makeup (including myself!), having a makeup artist that can help create a sweat-proof look can be KEY!
6 - For the ladies, start with tighter curls in your hair, or choose an up-do for the second half of your photos.
Tighter curls will loosen up as you’re out in the heat and humidity, creating a more natural look throughout your session. I’ve also had girls & women choose a secondary hair style for their photos - maybe a cute updo or braid? Or, you can just have a styled updo from the start if you don’t want to worry about how your hair may fade during your photos!
7 - Don’t wear sunglasses for the week leading up to your session.
When you’re used to wearing sunglasses and then suddenly have to be outside in the bright light for an hour to an hour and a half, you will be very squinty. This is something very common that happens ALL the time. Put those sunglasses away for the week leading up to your session so your eyes are used to the brighter summer light!
8 - Bring an extra towel with you.
This might sound kind of gross - but a towel or washcloth can come in handy at a humid photo session for all of the extra sweat that might accumulate. Even if we can’t stop the sweat, we can wipe it off so it’s out of the frame for a few shots!
