The beach is a dream vacation for honeymoons, family vacations and intimate get-away for most people. It has many attractive features, natural beauty, impressive hues and magnificent patterns of light. It provides an excellent opportunity for great digital photography where people can capture fascinating memories. However, taking a decent photo can be a bit tricky despite your best efforts. You could end up with photos that look pretty much the same because beaches contain a vast amount of empty spaces. You need to have a focal point and consider many other tips in order to be an expert in beach photography.
Here are some tips that will be helpful!
Beach Photography – Tip#1
Timing Is Important
The best time to shoot while at the beach is either very early in the morning or at the end of the day. There are few people around meaning fewer distractions in your photo. It also gives you space and ample time to capture something breathtaking. During sunset and sunrise, you will get a softer light quality that has less contrast. These golden hours have the best color with long shadows which technically brings out the texture of the beach, adding depth. The problem with taking photos during the day is that there is harsh lighting with very dark shadows. This ultimately makes your beach photography have a lot of contrast hence losing detail in the dark or bright areas.
Beach Photography – Tip#2
Find Interesting Subjects
Apart from your family and friends, you can also delve further into capturing some unique subjects. Some of the subjects you can focus on include;
- Reflections- there is something quite breathtaking when it comes to reflection photos. Maybe it’s their uniqueness or the way the sun rays bounce off the water surface. Whatever it is, capture it and freeze it in time. It will blow your mind away.
- Man-made structures on the beach- there are so many photographic opportunities such sailboats that can make a good shot. You can focus on a boat that has been pulled to the shore. Wooden piers too, tell a story. Just get creative.
- Silhouettes- these are my all-time favorite photos. The way they tell a story in a mysterious way it’s simply alluring. The problem with silhouette photography is that it may need some getting used to. Here are the general rules of taking silhouette photos
- Sports-impromptu games such as surfing, jet-skiing, and volleyball can be a great opportunity for wonderful action shots. You can turn your shutter speed up to ensure that you freeze the action to get an incredible shot
Beach Photography – Tip#3
Consider Filters
You need UV filters that will protect your lenses in the beach and also filter out ultraviolet lights within a certain range. Make sure you also have polarizing filters for polarized lights. They also boost contrasts and reduces reflections especially when there are blue skies since it will technically darken the sky. Polarizing filters normally work wonders on the beach by basically enhancing the rich blue sky and making colors more vivid and bright. There is also the ND filter that is essential since it helps in reducing the intensity of light that hits your camera sensor.
Beach Photography – Tip#4
Fill Flash
When photographing at a beach, you will find that due to a lot of brightness, your subjects will always have shadows, especially on their faces. In these situations, switch your flash on and force it to fire. By doing this, your subject will be well exposed and all shadows eliminated.
Beach Photography – Tip#5
Find Unique Angles
When you are taking photos at the beach, it is always fun to try and mix some shots with different unique angles. Get a long shot of the beach from a higher vantage point, you can try an interesting subject like sunglasses using macro mode to make the photo look more cool and unique.
Beach Photography – Tip#6
Get Some Creative Locations
If you are set out to shoot at the beach, don’t limit yourself to that beach alone. You can look for unique and more fun settings that basically tell a story elaborately. You can take a photo of children running to the beach or tourists on their way to the beach. Other incredible ideas and locations you can try are sand dunes, beach houses, lifeguard stands, and jetties. Keep looking for things around the beach that draw attention and are captivating.
Beach Photography – Tip#7
Mind Your Exposure Settings
During the day, the beach throws up many exposure problems because it is very bright. Due to such bright conditions, a low ISO setting, a narrow aperture, and a moderately fast shutter speed are crucial to get the perfect shot. You can open the aperture and then make the shutter speed fast if you want a narrower depth of a field.
Beach Photography – Tip#8
Shoot In Black And White
In most instances, a really bright sun produces a high contrast black and white image because of the light areas and strong shadows. Black and white beach images are classic and in most instances help to create the mood of a timeless shot. If the sky is overcast and dull, black and white photography makes the photo better.
Beach Photography – Tip#9
Composition
Composition is a crucial part of beach photography. To get the right composition make sure you look for one that directs the viewer’s eyes directly into the scene. Include foreground interest and leading lines like a trail of seaweed that creates a path into the photo. Always make sure your horizon is straight when shooting a beach photo. Place the horizon off center so that you get a natural looking and more balanced shot.
Beach Photography – Tip#10
Protect Your Camera
While at the beach, you will be exposed to a lot of sand which is a sure way to kill your camera. While shooting you should protect your camera at all costs from getting sand. This can be done by wearing safety straps around your neck or wrist to ensure that you do not drop the camera. When you are not shooting always ensure that it is tucked in a safety bag.
Conclusion
Beach photography is such a delight especially when you have fun while at it. Make sure you protect your camera by taking the right protective measures at all times. Carrying enough batteries and memory can save you the headache of going back home. The most important thing about beach photography is to use your creativity. In most cases, you have very little to work with.
A sunny day at the beach is also a great opportunity for making some great portraits, so you might wanna check out this essential tips for portrait photography!
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