We are blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places in the country! With the never ending rows of palm trees, rare birds, beautiful flowers, and white sandy beaches, there are almost limitless photo opportunities. However, if you've ever been to the beach with your camera, you've probably experienced the disappointment of not quite getting the shot you were looking for. The beach is a tricky place for photographers for a variety of reasons. The lighting can be extremely challenging and sometimes your subjects can be just as tough! The dolphins just won't pop out when you want them to, the birds are too far away, and the sky just turns out like a big grey mass, and all your pictures end up looking the same. But, if you take some precautions, you can capture great beach pictures every time. Here are some tips to get you started:
1. It's all in the timing. Many of us are familiar with the golden hour - that window of time in the morning and evening when the sunlight is just perfect and all of our images look fantastic! If you have the opportunity to take your camera to the beach early in the morning, or late in the evening you will not be disappointed. You avoid the harsh, direct sunlight that has a tendency to wash out our images and turn beautiful blue skies into a dull, grey mass. However, you can always find a way to make good images any time of day. If the light isn't cooperating, you have to get creative! Look for open shade anywhere you can find it. Often times, beaches are lined with large trees, a wooden boardwalk, or tall buildings. Get into the shade and you'll find the indirect sunlight bouncing off the sand makes for beautiful portraits. If all else fails, have your subject pose under a beach umbrella and you're guaranteed some great shots!
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2. Trick the Sensor. Digital cameras have revolutionized the world of photography. Still, as great as they are, they are just a tool. In most cases, we are smarter than our cameras and we must rely on our own skills to make great images. On way to wield this power over you camera is to trick the sensor. On most point and shoot cameras you can point the camera toward a bright spot (ie - the edge of the sun) and press the shutter button half-way down. Keep holding the shutter button half-way down and reframe your scene to look the way you want it to. Then, press the button all the way down and wait for the magic to happen! This will force your camera to under expose the scene and give you a more appealing image without that awful glare. It takes some practice, but it's a great technique! You can even use this trick to make great portraits by adding a little fill-flash. Just pop up your flash, or go into your menu and force it to fire. You'll underexpose the scene, but the little bit of flash will make your subject stand out. We always advocate knowing your gear well. Take some time to read that manual and practice shooting in modes other than automatic. Remember: You are still smarter than your camera...show it who's boss!
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3. Get Wet! Most of the time, our images end up looking the same. We stand in the sand and we point our cameras toward the sea and hope for the best. Get out of that rut and get wet! You can capture some great shots as you wade out into the water and turn back toward the beach. The waves sweep over our feet and create long, interesting wakes that lead our eyes through the scene. Be creative. You can get down low to give a great perspective, or raise the camera up as high as possible for a bird's eye view. Challenge yourself to create images that break the mold by adding a little more interest to your traditional beach shot.
4. Get in close. Ok, so honestly, we could apply this principle to just about any shooting situation. It's just one of those rules that is so easy to forget at the beach! We see that seemingly endless sea, those gorgeous palm trees, and those powerful waves, and we begin to get excited! In our excitement, we fire away, hoping to capture the whole scene in one frame. Sadly, in most cases, we get home to find out that our wide angle images just don't capture the emotion we felt as we stood on the sand. Next time, try taking some time to capture the details. Lay down on the beach and get in close to that pile of shells, or child building a sand castle. Get in close and allow the magic of the moment to dictate your shutter presses. Walk out into the water and capture the power of the waves as they crash into the shore. Be patient and allow that seagull to swoop in close before your start snapping away (you didn't hear it from me, but tossing a few french fries out in front of you helps!). If you begin to look at the details that surround you, you'll have new eyes that allow you to truly capture the relaxing feeling of life on the beach.
5.
Watch your horizon. In many cases, slightly crooked images go unnoticed. In fact, we often tilt the camera to the side to make a dull image turn interesting. However, tilted images at the beach almost always become more of a distraction than an artistic improvement. There is just nothing to break things up, so the eye is led away from your subject and lands on that slanting sea. If your camera has the ability to display a grid on the lcd, this is your time to make use of it! Take a few seconds to level out your scene before you snap the shutter. You want the attention to be on your subject, not your crooked horizon! Also, as a side not, try to frame your image so that the horizon fits into the rule of thirds. In other words, if your scene were broken into thirds horizontally, you would want to place the horizon on the line that separates either the top of the bottom third. For more information on the rule of thirds, check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds.
Next time you go to the beach, take some time to put the principles into practice. With a little extra effort, you can make images that stand out and capture the fun, relaxed feeling of a day at the beach! Feel free to contact TJ at tj@tjfreemanphotography.com with any questions you have. Also, if you're going to be in Southwest Florida and would love some great portraits, please call today to schedule your session! 239.249.8045
