Summer started yesterday (at least in Spain) and many of us are dragged like a magnet to the seashore. The beach is our refuge, it recharges our batteries, our Zen place. If you are one of these people, you probably already do. Like it or pack your bags, that’s why today I’m going to give you some tips for taking pictures on the beach, if you’re in the southern hemisphere, even if you don’t suffer the same heat as you and us. You do not need the sea to cool down, that does not mean that a walk along the shore is not pleasant or that you have advantages that we are now far from enjoying here, such as an empty stream or a storm at sea, do you stay?
Light is the most important element of a photograph, which we often repeat in the blog and that we will not stop doing, because it is. There is no other, just as two plus two are four, however original we want to be or provide new information.
- Today I insist on the subject of light because on the beach we often sin too much.
- People usually go down around noon and want to have their memory of those moments.
- What happens is that at that time.
- The sun causes too much light.
- Creating very marked shadows and eliminating details.
- Another mistake that beginners usually make is trying to achieve the silky effect in a bright light.
This does not mean that you cannot take pictures in the central hours of the day, but you should know what kind of images are best for this purpose. For example, the bright light enhances the bright blue of the water, so if you want to highlight the turquoise waters of the bright white sand, this is the best time, however, for a portrait, you’d better wait for Lorenzo to come down or place your model under the umbrella or in the shade. plans to photograph a group of people, prevent some from being in the sun and others in the shade. For soft or diffuse light, enjoy sunrise or sunset.
On the other hand, being the sand a powerful reflector, you have to be careful during the exhibition, if the subject of exposure and measurement scares you or if you do not know very well what I am talking about, do not miss this guide.
As much as the landscape is spectacular or the moment worthy of immortalization, as long as you do not compose the elements attractively, the image will be flat, empty, devoid of interest. Keep in mind that there are rules, such as the horizon or three-thirds, and ignore them only when you have a clear intention.
Unless you have a clear, very, very justified intention, pull the right horizon. If you can’t do this while you’re shooting, don’t hesitate to publish your image to an editor and straighten it out. If you don’t, you’ll ruin the picture. If some of the image above scratches you, that’s all, although in this case it’s just a millimeter, is that enough to damage your eyesight?
Natural framing is a composition resource that you can use to add appeal to your photo. The beach can offer you many possibilities, if you don’t believe me, here’s an example.
Use any element of the scene to help guide the viewer’s gaze on your photo. Footprints, waves, repetitive patterns? Any line that draws attention to how and where you want will add appeal to your images.
When moving a two-dimensional landscape, there are so many elements that get lost along the way that it is very easy that in the end you obtain a flat result, in every sense of the word, there are some tricks to avoid it, one of them is to add depth to the scene, how to get it? It includes elements in the different planes, both in the foreground and in the background, see the following image.
A different perspective can turn a photo upside down. You can go from an unre interesting image to a spectacular one by simply changing the angle from which you are shooting. Don’t you just photograph at eye level, with this view that has us so used to that it doesn’t tell us anything new, go down, climb the rocks, shoot from a boat?but move and surprise
This resource can also be used to change funds. If you want to photograph your children on the shore and the beach is very busy, change your perspective to make bathers disappear.
As tempting as the sea is, which attracts attention to an almost hypnotic point, sometimes it is also interesting to take a look and discover the landscapes that the sea has drawn, rocks, mountains, dunes or other natural elements that give a touch to the ocean. The hand can be very worthy of photography.
The beach is a wonderful setting for storytelling. Do you write micro-stories with your camera, taking advantage of a place where the film industry is spoiled?Here’s a guide to storytelling through your photos.
I like the word “snapshot” better than “photography” because of what it implies. A snapshot is not just drawing with light, it is capturing that moment, that moment that you want to keep forever in your retina, it goes far beyond light or technique. details Goes straight to the feelings. On the beach you will surely find many of these moments that inspire tenderness, nostalgia, joy, do not miss them.
On the beach, as in any other scenario, you will find repetitive patterns that you can take advantage of to print rhythm in your image and I do not mean the song of summer ?. There are many ways to do this, Alexa tells you here.
The beach, in addition to offering you stunning backgrounds and spectacular natural light at sunset or sunrise, offers you the gift of water, an element that works wonders as a co-star in a portrait. Here are some tips for taking large water portraits. (Or in the water?).
Nowadays there are many mobile phones that can overwhelm you and that have high quality cameras, if you are lucky enough to have one or a water box, as much as throughout the year you have the opportunity to use the pools to take pictures underwater. , don’t waste your time photographing under the sea, because there’s nothing like the light, colors and backgrounds offered by the ocean. Let your imagination run wild to take spectacular underwater photos and enjoy the brightest moments of light. In this case, noon is a fantastic option to press the button.
One tool that can help you with light management or color management are polarizing filters, don’t be afraid to use them.
If you haven’t experienced the long pose yet, I recommend you try it on the beach and practice the silky effect on the sea, you won’t regret it!Of course, a tripod is a must and do it when there is almost no light.
We will not deny that one of the biggest attractions of the beach is the blue of the sea, this does not mean that there are moments or snapshots that cannot be dressed in black and white.
If you want an excuse to change cameras and plan to throw away yours, the best thing you can do is leave it in the sand or let it in, otherwise take care of it. Protecting it is not leaving it at home, it is to make sure it does not fall off with the strap, do not leave it in the sand (never, at least) and store it in its case when you are not using it. Tips won’t help you take pictures today, but should you follow them if you want to redo a photo tomorrow?
I could go on telling you to take the opportunity to capture textures in the sand, photograph crabs or shells with a macro, play with forced perspective, get spectacular landscapes at sunset or sunrise, etc. but no, I’m going to stop here because what I want is not to make you read all day, but to enjoy your vacation to have fun with your camera, with these seventeen tips you have plenty of material to hang your camera around your neck and go to the beach without waiting more than a short break to share this article if you found it interesting. Thank you and see you soon!