If you’ve recently picked up a camera and are interested in snapping shots at the beach, I know just how you feel. I didn’t have much experience with photography when I first started trying my hand at beach photography, so I’d like to share a few tips that I’ve learned along the way.
You’ll find several helpful tips below, such as:
Consider the time of day you are going to shoot
Before you even start taking photos, consider the time of day you are going to shoot. If you’re unsure when to take your photos, plan on getting up early to see what the sunrise looks like or stay out late for sunset. Both are stunning and provide opportunities for some of the best photos.
Be prepared and remember to bring your tripod and shutter release (either remote or cable). You will want these pieces of equipment to capture long exposures during sunset and sunrise as well as help steady your images while you take pictures.
Consider the weather before heading out to the beach. The best conditions are when there is a cloudless sky, but this doesn’t mean that clouds won’t make for great photographs. If you want to get creative and experiment with different landscapes, shoot when it’s raining or snowing. These conditions can be beautiful and allow you to capture unique images that other photographers tend not to photograph.
Think about what you would like to photograph
The beach is a great place to photograph. I’ve photographed it a million times and still find something new to photograph there. Here are couple of things for beach photography to keep in mind when heading out to the beach with your camera.
Light
One of the best things about photographing at the beach is the great light. You have beautiful soft light from the ocean reflecting up into the sky and softening the effect of the sun. You have amazing sunrises and sunsets, which will give you wonderful colors and shadows. On overcast days, you can get some pretty good shots as well, but if possible head out during sunrise or sunset for your best chance at having really excellent shots.
Beach
Think about what you would like to photograph at the beach? Do you want shots of people playing at the beach? Shots of people sitting on the beach watching waves roll in? Do you want to photograph shells or rocks? Or maybe you want to do some landscape photography? Maybe you want to photograph some birds flying by or fishing off a pier? Maybe there’s an interesting lighthouse nearby that you’d like to try photographing? Think about what it is that interests you most about being at the beach and focus on that subject matter. Don’t
Be willing to experiment with your camera settings
A picture says a thousand words, but if you don’t have that perfect shot, those words could be wasted. One of the best ways to take professional-looking photos is actually a little bit old-fashioned. Make sure your pictures are in focus. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your camera settings because even professional photographers weren’t born with these skills. Practice makes perfect!
Get down low and think about your angle and perspective
If you want to take great beach photography, you need to understand that perspective is everything. I’m a sunbather and occasional amateur photographer, so it wasn’t until I started playing with professional photography equipment that I realized how important perspective is. But then, once I learned the basics of getting down low, angling my camera far to one side and creating something called diagonal intersection (which looks more awesome than it sounds), I realized my beach photos were about to look 1,000 times better.
Remember to bring an extra battery and SD card
Remember to bring an extra battery and SD card on your beach photography excursion. Typically, the pictures taken at the beginning of the day will be of a higher quality than those taken later on due to the lowering sun angle editing some harsh shadows in your photos. It’s important that you have backups for your backup. You never know when you’ll run into battery and storage issues.