Master The Art of Creative Beach Photography

Beach Photography is something every enthusiastic photographer wants to be proficient at. Being creative at beach photography, especially in capturing sunset beach photos and sunset portraits, isn’t a cake walk, as every element of a beach scenario including sunlight, water and the sand cause reflections making it hard to achieve a well-balanced exposure. Moreover, without an interesting subject to focus on and a lot of people around, this can be more of a mess than a delightful experience.

But, there are certain tips with which you can master the art and capture some great shots, no matter how difficult it seems to appear. Let’s have a look at these important pointers to help you get through.

Pack an appropriate lens

Choose your lens wisely as it will definitely influence the types of images that you’ll be able to capture at the beach. For capturing wide seascapes,  a wide angle lens will be the perfect choice, while telephoto lens with focus zoom is appropriate for abstract photographs and close-ups of the subjects even from a distance. 

Carry a Tripod

Though one mostly captures the photos with a handheld camera, getting a tripod along can do wonders in situations where you require stability for sharp and clean shots. Also it is much more convenient to place the camera on a tripod and shoot without the fear of camera shakes and blurry captures.  

Opt the time of Sunrise or Sunset

Sunrise or Sunset beach photography brings out the most alluring pictures. These time zones offer the best light for capturing the serenity around. Though the crowd is more in the evenings than at dawn, both these times allow you to capture great shots. Sunset couple photos can be the most experimental thing you can do within that time. 

Switch to Manual mode

If you choose to capture the night light or sky at the beach, be sure to switch to manual mode to reduce overexposure caused by reflecting lights. This way, you’ll have more control over the exposure, leading to more successful shots, as compared to auto settings of the camera.

Pick the Perfect Aperture

Different aperture values suit different subjects and scenes. If you are trying to capture portraits at the beach, try opening up the aperture so that you can blur the background. This will help you to isolate your subject from everything else that is going on in the surroundings. 

Work with a Flash

If you’re taking portraits at the beach and there are too many shadows on the faces of your subjects, using a flash will help to illuminate them against the very bright backdrop. It will also result in a better exposure and balance giving some really nice photos to cherish.

Be Candid

Candid beach photography will surely bring out the scenic view in the best possible manner. However, it’s important to ask for the permission of the people who will be featured in your candid shots. When people let their guard down as they immerse themselves in the surroundings, such candid shots make the composition much more creative and dynamic.

Get creative with Silhouettes

Sunset photoshoot comes with another experimenting idea of capturing just the silhouettes. An image of a silhouette minimizes distractions such as facial expressions and patterns, which can have an effect on how your audience will perceive the subjects. This shifts the focus on the subject by portraying them in an entirely different manner.

Capture the Wildlife

It’s not just the forests where you will find fascinating wildlife species, but Beaches too, are full of animals, ranging from nesting birds to starfish, crabs, sea urchins and other creatures hiding out in rock pools along the shore. Make these as your prime subjects against the background of the neverending sea and sand for some amazing captures. 

So now that you have all the details you require, get set to go with your camera, on a beach adventure like none other.