Make a splash!

Make a splash!

Use the bright light in the middle of the day to shoot an advertising-style still-life with everyday items

The middle of the day in high summer is often regarded as the worst possible time to take photographs, as the high sun produces unflattering light for most subjects. But with your creative hat on, you can use the harsh brightness of direct sunlight to your advantage, and construct a makeshift outdoor studio that’s perfect for an advertising-style still-life shot.

Nothing sets up a summer mood better than an ‘ice and slice’ shot: by freezing the motion of ice or colourful fruit splashing into a tumbler, you can capture a great-looking image that will look like it’s been taken in a pro studio with high-end flash kit!

You need to spend a little time constructing your ‘set’, but all that’s required is a plain white backdrop. We used a couple of foam mount boards, placed and propped up on a workbench, but you could just as easily use a white pillowcase taped to a patio chair, or a white sheet draped from a washing line over a table.

It doesn’t matter how rough and ready your overall setup looks, as long as the viewfinder shows your tumbler and the clean white backdrop filling the frame.