It’s that time of year when I get asked about beach pictures and how to take better photos at the beach. There’s a big a difference on getting “portraits” and great “shots” of your family while enjoying the beach.
A few tips:
1. Watch your sun: I really take the sun out of the equation. I only shoot late in the evening so that I’m not dealing with the harsh sunlight. I do want to get the warm glows that that time of day and year offer, so I make sure to do my sessions 1 hour before sunset.
2. Don’t shoot wide open: I usually shoot at a very low F stop, but at the beach, I don’t do that as much so that I’m able to capture the ocean. You don’t want it all Bokehed out! You want to see the actual beach and waves.
3. Make use of all of the beach: Use the ocean, the dunes, the piers, the docks…it will help to make for more interesting shots. In the shots below I used a sailboat that was on the beach, we also used a life guard station and the dunes….all which give these families even more memories.
4. Keep them natural…have your family interact with each other so that you can capture connection and not just a formal portrait. This shot is one of my favorites as I love the laughter and the giggles!. Always show connection!!!!
5. Don’t be afraid of the sun…yes, I know I said to take the sun out of the equation, but sometimes, the sun offers a wonderful feel to your pictures. Capture it!
6. Change your vantage point: Don’t do the same thing all the time, you will end up with the same results and your images will look like the next person who is taking beach photos. Do something different so that you get a different shot! Think outside the box! Think about things before you are on the beach…plan it out! You will find that sometimes this makes for the most amazing and fun shot.
7. For your family pictures, don’t be afraid to just sit and wait..you don’t have to have them “pose” for you. Children will give you the most amazing shots if you are patient. It takes just sitting there with your camera (hopefully not your DSLR) but just waiting for them to do something that you can capture. This shot I took of my niece as she played with her boogie board and wanted the waves to come in.
8. When editing, don’t be afraid to go black and white. I adore black and white beach images.
9. Make sure your horizon is straight…never more than in beach photos do you want to make sure that your horizon line is straight…Of course there are times for creative liscence, but for the most part, keep that camera straight.
10. Make sure you get both close ups and far away shots. You will want those close up portraits, but you also want the beach and the ocean in there so make sure you move or zoom in or out. Keep in mind the rule of thirds, it makes for the best appealing images.
11. Don’t be afraid to get wet! Some of my favorite beach shots are when my clients get in the water.
Get out there and enjoy the beach…it truly is one of my favorite places to be!
If you are interested in booking a beach session for your family, please e-mail me at info@sara-annephotography.com You can also check out our beach lookbook here.
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MayCay Beeler - I am awestruck. As a TV Personality/Host/Journalist for 30 years and counting- I never dreamed in a million years I could photograph like this! Never have my publicity and head shots looked so incredible, and frankly, I assumed I was not pretty enough to achieve such professionally polished and pleasing images. I figured such slick photos were reserved for other women- for flawless models and beautiful people– but thanks to Sara-Anne, I am delighted beyond words with my photographs. Sara-Anne has captured my free spirit and true self- somehow majicking the images to look better than I could have ever dreamed. Thank you, Sara-Anne, for your incredible talent! How do you do it? You are a joy and a breath of fresh air to this middle-aged fly girl! LOVE IT! Thank you!
Marcelle - Beautiful work and BEAUTIFUL client!!! Love the uniqueness of the tarmac/airport photoshoot!!