10 simple steps
1
One of the most important bits of advice for any photographer, but especially so in summer, is to wake up and get out early. This article’s opening picture of light coming through the pine trees (pages 12-13) was taken at 5.45 on a July morning.
2
Don’t be afraid of white tones and blacks. Let the shadows fill in and let the highlights blow out. Be bold and you’ll capture some superbly graphic images.
3
Think of the shapes of things that remind you of summer: palm trees, beach umbrellas, wine glasses and stripy t-shirts.
4
And once you’ve thought about those shapes, think about the silhouettes. And once you’ve done that, let them go black.
5
Don’t look at your histograms. Let your eye be the judge of your image. Be bold in your pictures and be ruthless in your editing.
6
Think about architecture and strong shapes against the sky, and never be afraid to darken the sky. I always shoot in colour, convert to monochrome and adjust the tones by using the colour sliders in Lightroom.
7
Remember that black & white can be pushed further than colour, so when you think you’ve over-processed, try going a bit further. This is the exact opposite to the advice I offer when using colour.
8
Think nostalgia and romance; use filters to age your pictures. I’m particularly fond of Alien Skin’s Exposure plug-in, which has a lovely array of vintage-inspired filters. Another great source of filters is the app VSCO.
9
Don’t forget that monochrome can also mean sepia, cyanotype or other tones, so experiment in postproduction to see how you can change the feel of an image.
10
Don’t get sunburnt; remember to take a hat with you.