Welcome to our monthly photo shoot planning guide where we share themes, special dates and suggested tags to help guide you in creating and preparing your stock images for submission to Noun Project.
August offers numerous opportunities to capture vibrant stock images. With the beautiful weather of summer winding down, the excitement and anticipation of a new school year begins as many students return Back to School after the summer break. This theme is illustrated with stock photos of kids with backpacks, school supplies, and classrooms. August is also National Wellness Month, which promotes healthy living by focusing on physical, mental, and emotional well-being with an emphasis on self-care. National Dog Month is observed in the United States every August, dedicated to recognizing the importance of dogs in our lives and raising awareness about responsible dog ownership.
Use these themes as suggestions and expand with your own ideas on what types of photos best say “August!” and let these amazing photos from Noun Project help inspire creative direction on your shoots.
Table of Contents
Back to School
With school starting in August and September, educators will be on the lookout for stock photos that capture the excitement and anticipation of a new school year. It’s a nostalgic time of year that can be beautifully captured in photographs.
Photos of kids walking to school with backpacks as well as greeting each other after a long summer are some fun ways to capture the excitement of a new school year for stock photo customers.
Photo (L) by Marko Subotin // Photo (R) from Scopio
Photo by Jacob Lund Photography
For stock images without people, consider photographing still life images of school supplies or chalkboards, as well as classrooms without students or teachers. When photographing images without people, keep in mind that photos with copy space are highly valued by our customers.
Photo (L) by the Zamurovic Brothers // Photo (R) by Thomas Baker
With a property release, photographing empty classrooms or libraries provides generic stock images that educators can use.
Photo (L) from Scopio // Photo (R) from Scopio
Suggested tags: school, back to school, education, classroom, students, teachers, class, school supplies
National Wellness Month
August is National Wellness Month which promotes healthy living by focusing on physical, mental, and emotional well-being with an emphasis on self-care, managing stress and promoting healthy routines. Images that capture the essence of this month can help promote its message of self-care to a wider audience. Images of people engaging in healthy activities are very popular with Noun Project’s customers who download and purchase stock photos.
Photographing people engaging in activities such as yoga, meditation, drinking water, eating fruits and veggies, exercising and getting good sleep are examples of ways you can capture National Wellness Month in stock photos. Keep an eye out for natural lighting and serene backdrops, such as a park or garden, to convey a sense of calmness and tranquility.
Photo (L) by Jacob Lund Photography // Photo (R) by Jacob Lund Photography
Photo by Jacob Lund Photography
If you are creating stock images without people, there are plenty of options to create still life scenes and flat lays that represent National Wellness Month. Photographing vegetables, fruits, bottles of water and skin and spa items are an easy way to represent National Wellness Month. Consider leaving room for copy space in some of your compositions as Noun Project customers often look for a space in stock images to place text.
Photo (L) by Zamurovic Brothers // Photo (R) by Alina Kho
Photo (L) by Yes Photographers // Photo (R) by Yes Photographers
Suggested tags: health, self care, wellness, fruit, vegetables, meditation, yoga, exercise
National Dog Month
National Dog Month is a celebration held in the United States every August. It is a month-long event dedicated to recognizing the importance of dogs in our lives and raising awareness about responsible dog ownership. Various initiatives take place to promote adoption, spaying and neutering, and the overall wellbeing of dogs. Additionally, it is a time to honor and appreciate the contributions that dogs make to our society as therapy animals, service animals, and loyal companions.
Making stock photos of dogs is fun, but it also can be challenging. Follow these 7 tips for photographing dogs:
- Capture their natural behavior, such as playing, running and even sleeping
- Use natural light to give the photos a more authentic look
- Get down on the dog’s level to create an intimate feeling
- Focus on the eyes, just as you would in a photograph of a person
- Use treats and toys to get their attention
- Take your time and be patient to capture those candid and genuine shots
- Photograph dogs with their families to help the dog feel more comfortable and to add interest to the image
Photo by Suzanne Strong for Noun Project
Photo (L) by Suzanne Strong for Noun Project // Photo (R) from Scopio
Many customers at Noun Project are looking for stock images that represent work. Get creative and take images of dogs with laptops or helping their owners work from home.
Photo (L) by Stefy Gutsova // Photo (R) from Scopio
Suggested tags: dogs, pets, national dog month, pet portrait
More Inspiration:
Other significant themes, dates and observances to inspire your stock photos for August are: National Peach Month; National Watermelon Day on August 3rd; National Avocado Day on August 7th; International Cat Day on August 8th ; Women’s Equality Day on the 26th; World Photography Day on August 19th; Women’s Equality Day on the 26th and last but not least, on August 15th, we celebrate National Relaxation Day.
Interested in joining our community of photographers and contributing to Noun Project? Submit your photos and explore our guide to creating authentic, inclusive images.
Click here to download FREE photo shoot production document templates.
Plan your photo shoots out for the year with our free monthly photo shoot guide.
For more photography tips, check out our blog.
Sign up for our photo newsletter to make sure you never miss out on our photography content.
Creative Director for Photos at Noun Project and Photographer
