Getting into that laid-back summer mood yet? Temperatures are rising, flowers are blooming, and, at least in New York, people are finally wearing bright colors again!
Inspired by the changing of the season, in this post, we’re exploring some of the ways you can capture the more pastoral beauty of summer in your videos, without having to travel too far from the office. Throw on your straw hat and let’s get started!
Hazy, lazy days of summer
For some reason, memories of childhood summers in the country remain forever hazy in the mind, like they’ve all been put through Instagram’s Mayfair filter. How can you achieve that same effect in your videos? Well, if you’re sharing your video on Instagram only, you can go ahead and simply use the Mayfair filter! Job done. However, if you want a higher resolution or longer version of your video, this is achievable with applications like PhotoShop and Chromic.
View from above
Have a picturesque panorama to show off? A sunset over a remote lake, or perhaps just a particularly rural-looking view of your neighborhood park? Try getting some shots from up high. Head to the balcony, a fifth-floor window, or if you’re brave, do some experimentation with a GoPro or a drone.
The flora and the fauna
Throwing some of the more iconic wildlife of summer into a shoot is enough to turn a park into the 100-acre wood. Classic summer flora would be things like daisies, sunflowers, baby’s breath, black-eyed susans, and pink peonies. A generous helping of bright, small-headed flower varieties strategically propped among tall grasses can create the effect of a wildflower meadow in July, especially using a soft focus. For fauna, think critters that are most active in warmer months, like birds, squirrels, dogs, or deer (if you can spot them).
The experience video
Camping scenes, fishing scenes, picnics—these are experiences that say summer to almost anyone. Use the video to take your audience on a summertime adventure, even if it’s filmed among the trees in your backyard—who’s going to know?
The carefully-placed prop
Ever worked on a theatre set? Then you’ll know how a single prop can communicate a whole world of information. In this case, you want your props to communicate summer. Think about things like picnic blankets, vases of summer flowers, straw hats, sunglasses, flip flops, bamboo wind-chimes, a deck chair.… you get the idea. Just make sure everything is in context.
Country sounds
One thing you can add in post-production that helps turn the backyard into a summer wilderness are summer noises: buzzing bees, crickets at dusk, birdsong, maybe an acoustic guitar track if you’re feeling bold. Filter out the noise of city life and filter in something a little sweeter.
Have any other ideas for creating a wild summer in your own backyard? Leave us a comment, visit our page on Facebook or tweet to us!
