Being in the DC heat last week was a challenge to this Pacific Northwest girl, who feels warm when the thermostat hits 75. Believe me, DC was WAY past that, which reminded me that August in Oregon is typically the hottest month of the year. Don’t get me wrong: I love warm sunny weather, when it’s not as ridiculous as DC was. So with that in mind, let’s get our cameras out and discover how you “beat the summer heat” for all those moments when the thermostat tips past your comfort zone. Who knows, maybe we’ll discover some new tricks to staying cool through those hot days. Images can be product shots, things that help to keep you cool, like Popsicles, ice-cream, and ice-cold drinks… 
Or how about people enjoying them, like these … 
People cooling off in the water… 
Or get more conceptual with your ideas…like what you would like to do or consider doing to beat the heat … the more out of the ordinary here the better… 
Or people just doing what they do on those hot summer days… 
Remember to use a good clear description, especially important on those creative shots, so we all know what’s going on. Use all your technical skills, like composition, good lighting, and nailing the focus. Most of all, have fun with it and, of course, stay cool. As always, you can only submit your best ONE. So choose carefully. Submissions for August’s Photo Challenge are due by 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, August 29. You can submit your photos by clicking on the “Enter to Win” tab on our website. Photos need to be between 30 and 50 KB in size, or between 300 and 500 pixels in width/height. In Lightroom, you can plug in these size requirements when you export your photo. If you’re using a photo-editing software other than Lightroom, simply go to Google and type in “how to resize a photo in <fill in the name of your program>” for details. This month’s first-place winner will get a $30 gift certificate to the AWAI E-Bookstore, and the first, second-, and third-place winners will all be entered into the Hall of Fame to compete for this year’s annual $2,000 Grand Prize. [Ed. Note: Shelly Perry from Portland, Oregon specializes in people photography, what she calls documentary or lifestyle portraits. She is known especially for her imaging of children. Her concern for people is reflected both in her sense of purpose and the images she produces. Her images have been seen all over the globe on music CD covers, books, magazines, catalogues, websites, ad campaigns, and even on TV. Her work has also appeared in several local exhibits and gallery shows. Learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Selling Photos for Cash: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]
