Summer Fruit Editorial Photoshoot
I recently had the chance to shoot with Skylar, a local model, at the beautiful beaches of Santa Barbara. The concept? A playful and classic Southern California summer vibe. While this idea is all over Pinterest and might not be the most “original,” I was excited to bring some extra pops of color into my photography.
We started the shoot under the Santa Barbara Wharf, just warming up and capturing a few shots with no set plan. The lighting was tricky, and unfortunately, a few interruptions forced us to move to the open beach.
Once we got settled, I pulled out the cherries—because, of course, we had to do the iconic cherry-dangling-over-the-mouth pose. After nailing that, we switched things up, moving around the beach to figure out the best lighting, since the midday sun was harsh from every angle.
Next up: strawberries. To avoid repeating the same pose, I decided to scatter them on the ground, letting them act as accessories in the scene rather than the main focus. The bright red was exactly the color pop I was looking for. One of my favorite shots of the day was when I placed a strawberry in the corner of the frame, playing with depth of field and framing.
Once we were completely covered in sand, we headed to the ocean for some classic, Sports Illustrated-inspired bikini shots. Typically, I am hesitant to add grain to my photos, but this time I made an exception. I added justttt a touch to give the images a slight 1970s California surf culture feel without sacrificing quality. I’m still torn on using this editing style, and I’ll definitely share more of my thoughts on it in a future post.
After wrapping up at the beach, we headed to a line of palm trees—the epitome of the California aesthetic. Skylar switched into loose pants, and I pulled out some colorful sunglasses to mix things up. I was using my Sony 35mm 1.4 lens, but moments like this remind me how much I need a wide-angle lens!
For the final fruit prop, I brought lemons. I had Skylar sit on the grass and basically get silly and goofy.
To finish off, we used some colorful beverages—Olipop and watermelon juice from Trader Joe’s. I wanted to practice shooting with branded products, as working on campaigns is something I want to further pursue in the future. It was a solid challenge figuring out how to make the drinks the focus while keeping the shots engaging and creative.
This shoot with Skylar was a great reminder that even the simplest ideas—like a beach shoot with fruit—can lead to special photos if you bring the right energy and creativity. It's not always about having the most unique concept; sometimes it’s about pushing familiar ideas in fresh and exciting ways. From playing with natural light to incorporating everyday props like fruit and drinks, we turned a classic theme into something that felt uniquely ours.
