Mini-Challenge #355 - Beat the Heat (or Keeping your Cool in a Summer Heatwave)

slpollett

I'm sure some of you folks are in some more comfortable areas, but here in Central Texas we are stuck under a sweltering heat dome that just won't go away. Our air temperatures have hovered around 100, but our heat index has us between 115-120. Folks, that is just too hot. So, of course all I can think about is ways to stay cool right now. Hence, my idea for this mini.

What I'd like to see is shots that show the various ways to cope with a summer heat wave. I don't have photos of all that I am thinking about, but this could be swimming, boating, hiking in the mountains, playing in a fountain, eating ice cream, etc. I'm sure y'all have way better ideas than I have. My brain has melted, lol.

Let's run this mini through 5:00 pm Central Daylight time on July 20, 2023. That will give me time to go visit my daughter who lives in a cooler place and then settle in back home.

Here are a few examples of what I have in mind.

1. Post graduation shoot at a local waterfall
   

2. Another
   

3. Eating a popsicle
   

4. Tubing
   

5. Water park ride
   

6. Hike the Narrows at Zion
   

7. Hike in the Mountains (Yes, it was cold up there. My daughter was chilly so she grabbed an extra jacket that we always keep in the car. It was just a little big for her, lol.)
   

I don't really have any great shots to share here, so I am counting on all of you to help me out and make it tough for me. I was looking for a couple of particular images. I will swap those out or add them when I find them. Send those cool summer vibes my way!

Sherry P.

Remember this mini ends on July 20, 2023 at 5:00 pm CDT.

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sarasphotos

Fun theme Sherry, I'll see what I can come up with!

sapphire73

Great idea for a mini! Thanks, Sherry!

lynnma

Diggin deep for this one Sherry.. great topic though..

Bella staying cool!

Fishing in a cool breeze

About to cool off!!

slpollett

Thanks lynnma for getting everyone started!

I know it's summer vacation, but there's still plenty of time to show me the best ways to cool off this summer! I am about to be out of pocket for a bit (though unfortunately nowhere that is cool), so please flood this thread while I'm not looking!

Sherry P.

lynnma

Hey guys! please don't leave me in here all alone

sapphire73

@Lynnma I will be posting some photos in the next few days. Hoping others join in and give Sherry lots of visual opportunities to cool down from the heat wave affecting so many of us this summer!

July 11 Edits:
I finally posted a few entries (see below). Along the way, I thought about the ways we used to beat the heat when I was much younger. Sitting in front of the fan (because we didn't have central AC in our house when I was a child), riding bicycles to feel the breeze, drinking a frosty cold beverage or eating a popsicle. It was fun to walk down memory lane and then do the same thing as I looked through my Lightroom catalog for photos I could share as entries. I am guessing that if I looked through my iPhone photos, I would have found even more possibilities!

Not an entry for this challenge but looks like a fun way to beat the heat! (I think I shared this photo in an earlier dgrin challenge and decided to look for more recent photos. It was fun to think back to that trip though and reprocess the photo a little differently.)

sapphire73

I was surprised at how hard I found the challenge of finding photos suggesting "Beat the Heat" but I think I was interpreting it too narrowly. I suspect that if I looked at photos taken with my phone, I'd find a lot more options but I did find a few.

1) Enjoying a Loch in the Glencoe highlands (Scotland)
The temperatures were unusually warm in June when we were visiting.

2) Playing in a Fountain in Charleston, South Carolina (USA)

3) Backyard Fun

lynnma

Great shots Gretchen!

sapphire73

@lynnma - thanks! I enjoyed seeing your entries, too. Wish I was sitting in that chair on the beach with my feet in the water!

slpollett

i just got back from our trip and I am happy to see two participants with awesome entries, but I am disappointed there aren't more!!

Those shots in the fountains, swimming, sitting by the lake, dogs playing in water, etc are all perfect. Other ideas could include eating ice cream or popsicles, sitting in the shade or using a handheld fan, or visiting a cooler place.

There are two more days left to participate. Please make it ridiculously hard for me to pick a winner!

Sherry P.

sapphire73

Hoping to see some more entries for this mini! I am visiting Georgia just now and the temperature is 96 (weather app says feels like 106)! Hoping for more participation because that makes it more enjoyable for everyone.

slpollett

There is still a little time to add some images before today's deadline! I would really love to see more participation. Would it help to extend the deadline until Sunday? I can easily do that if everyone is agreeable to it. Anyone have any thoughts?

Sherry

sapphire73

Sherry, please feel free to extend the challenge until Sunday if you want. Looking back over the past 18 months, participation tends to drop during the summer. So it is hard to know whether an extension will make a difference or not?

slpollett

We'll try extending until Sunday, July 23, 2023 say 9pm. I hope this gives folks a chance to get some entries this weekend. It's so hot throughout most of the US, surely there are images to be had!

No more extensions. I'll announce the winner on Monday, July 24.

Sherry

slpollett

I'm sad.

2.5 hours left to play and we still only have two people participating. Is everyone just too busy?

There is still a little bit of time to play. Please post an entry if you have one.

Sherry

james18

The water will help us cool off, and it can be a lot of fun. It's important to stay hydrated when it's hot outside.

slpollett

This mini is closed.

I will post the winner shortly.

Sherry