Call for stock content: Embracing summer’s bounty

Our Adobe Stock visual needs for summer are alive with hyperactive possibility. Here are some key topics and color palettes for vibrant summer 2021.

Image source: Adobe Stock / Marc Romanelli.

Of all the seasons, summer seems to be the stubborn holdout against modernity. Unless you are working in agriculture, spring and autumn seem to be mostly aesthetic and environmental. We change how we dress or what we are eating, but rarely do we depart greatly from our day-to-day routine. Winter is no longer a period of hibernation and rest, we just continue to work and live our lives despite the cold and dark.

But summer? Summer is when, en masse, entire countries take weeks off for vacation. Schools close down and beaches open up. It is the season where we eat outside as much as the sky allows us. The season of festivals, parades, concerts, and competitions. It is the season that begs us to put down our phones, close our laptops, and explore the world around us.

Fittingly, our upcoming Adobe Stock visual needs and trending colors for summer seem to be alive with endless hyperactive possibility. Alongside the classic backyard BBQs and lakeside camping trips is a collection that celebrates who you are when you are not playing worker-bee. Here are some of the key topics for a vibrant 2021 summer.

Turn up the volume on summer color

The colors of summer always seem to want us to go big. The world around us has reached its peak intensity with the longest days, brightest sun, the ripest fruit. That first dewy slice of watermelon or cantaloupe brings a vivid jolt to our eyes of speckled green, rich pink, and vibrant creamy orange. The supernatural plasticine yellows and reds of pool-toys play against a sky that seems bigger than before.

The Adobe Juicy Fruits color palette this year evokes backyard dinners, rustic barbeques, and bountiful farm fresh produce of summer. Leafy green and warm sunflower yellows play against intense hibiscus and chili reds, burnt cinnabar, and tangerine. These colors often play well together in a frame, so do not be afraid to dive into a maximalist color buffet.

Image source: Adobe Stock / He (left); Adobe Stock / The Picture Pantry (right).

With the hot weather also comes our annual dive into whatever refreshing body of water is closest to us: from municipal pools and nearby beaches, to shimmering lakes and riverside water holes.

The Poolside color palette seems to play into our collective nostalgia for childhood’s endless days of summer, with the warm tint of vintage film. Yellows, oranges, and poppy-red infuse these frames with a rich golden hue that plays against the soft cerulean of a midday sky and the endless aqua of the deep end of the pool.

Image source: Adobe Stock / panupong nookwan/EyeEm.

Outdoor imagery for every activity

Last summer countries and communities across the globe sought for ways to eat, see each other, and enjoy summer safely. Once it became apparent at COVID-19 was not going to last a few months, people hunkered down and adjusted to a life outdoors. Restaurants spilled into sidewalks and parking lots — when they remained open at all. Campers fled to National Parks. Backyard pools and grilling became the season’s hottest commodity.

This year, even with vaccinations up and infections gradually slowing, our fondness for living outside continues to evolve. On the Grillis a collection that captures the endless possibilities and primitive thrill of cooking on an open flame. Timeless American classics like hot dogs, ribs, and corn on the cob play alongside healthier and fresher options like clams, squid, artichokes, and even watermelon.

Meanwhile the Get Wet collection revels in the enlivening and childlike thrill of leaping into a cool body of water on a blisteringly hot day. With the crowded beachscapes of Cape Cod, Miami, and Malibu still too crowded for most to feel comfortable, this collection celebrates the quieter, elemental joy of rivers, lakes, and backyard pools. From the adventurous call of canoeing, paddle boarding, and surfing to the languid comforts of floating in a pool, this trend seems to never reach for the towel.

Image source: Clockwise from top left, Adobe Stock / whyframeshot: Adobe Stock / CHOTi: Adobe Stock / Rawpixel.com.

Celebrate heritage, tradition — and yourself

While spring is the season of holidays like Lunar New Year, Passover, and Easter, which are rooted in family and tradition, summer brings us out of the family circle and into the world at large. People will be finding ways to celebrate who they are and how they relate to their identities.

Adobe’s 2021 Pride collection examines the ways we represent queerness in media and visual culture. While the rainbow flag is still a powerful and clear symbol of pride, there is also a need to show LGBTQ+ families simply existing at home and outside. And as we become increasingly aware of the nuances of gender, artists and brands will be increasingly likely to look for images that display non-binary or gender non-conforming people proudly, comfortably existing and engaging in the world.

Image source: Adobe Stock / MyMicrostock/Stocksy.

Summer is also the season for countless parades and festivals celebrating our heritage, ancestors, and communities, from the incredible costumes of J’ouvert, a celebration of West Indian culture and resilience, to the exuberant music of the Puerto Rican Day parade. In a world where there is no shortage of bigotry, it is important to document and celebrate the pride communities feel in their heritages alongside acknowledgement of the injustices to which they are subjected.

Image source: Adobe Stock / Mattia/Stocksy.

Artists wanted: Get ready for Summer

Despite the odd hiccup, many counties are on track to have COVID-19 vaccinations widely available by the time midsummer arrives. After over a year and a half of adjusting to a global pandemic, summer 2021 promises to be something of a return to normality.

Months of pent-up energy, stalled plans, and hedged expectations will come roaring out top speed and full volume. Along with all that energy will come a slew of campaigns and stock content opportunities, as brands look to capitalize on buoyed consumer moods and expanded freedom to play. So grab your camera, paintbrush, or stylus and embrace the season of bounty.

The Adobe Stock team is looking for photography, illustrations, video clips, and vectors that express the emotions, themes, and recognizable symbols of summer. Check out of Adobe Stock Summer 2021 gallery for more inspiration — then, upload your best new work to Adobe Stock.