Secrets to Getting Awesome Photos at the Beach

Heading to the beach to enjoy the last few weeks of summer? Take this opportunity to capture some breathtaking photos. Between the sea life, crashing waves, sandcastle building and colorful umbrellas, there’s no end to the beach photography possibilities. Here are some tips to help you find the best light and compose some creative beach images on your next trip to the beach!

Timing is Everything

The time of day you select for your beach photography is an important decision. The type of images you are shooting will determine the best time to take your beach photos. Beach landscape photos using your Canon Ultra-Wide Angle Zoom Full Frame Lens are best achieved as the sun begins to rise above the horizon or just as it begins to dip below the horizon. Sunset is usually the most popular time because of the warm colors it creates in the sky. However, if you are shooting some beach portraits with your Nikon Full Frame NIKKOR 50mm Lens, you’ll want to utilize the blues of the sky and ocean the mid-day sunlight offers. Shooting in RAW format will allow you to fix any exposure problems later.

Polarizing Filters

Polarizing filters are excellent tools for beach photography. A polarizing filter from Beachcamera.com will help enhance blues, darken shadows, and suppress glare from the reflective surfaces of the water. A polarizing filter also helps to prevent overexposed, blown out beach photos. Polarizing filters are especially helpful if you're doing midday shoots when the sun is at its harshest. Don’t forget your lens hood. This is especially important when you are shooting into the sun for backlit images. Using a lens hood will significantly cut back on haze that could take away from your beach photo.

Create Side-Light with a Drone

Open up a whole new world of beach photography with your drone from Beachcamera.com. Have you ever used a softbox or flash to add side-lighting for added depth to your portrait photography? You can apply this same technique to your beach landscape photography using your drone. Shoot when the sun is rising or setting, and keep the sun off to the side of the drone when shooting. The sun will light up your landscape creating depth to your beach image.

Protect Your Gear

All the beach photography tips won’t do you any good if your camera and lenses don’t work when you arrive at the beach. Sand and saltwater don’t mix well with camera equipment. Protect your camera, lenses and accessories with a camera bag or backpack. Stock your camera bag with some essential cleaning supplies. An air blower will help keep sand off your camera gear. It’s always a good idea to pack some lens cloths and wipes to clean off water drops. So hit the beach in search of the perfect shot to celebrate the perfect end to summer. Use these tips to help capture those final summer memories with these incredible beach photos.