HOW TO TAKE PICTURES AT THE BEACH !
51 Different subjects in photography, and I am going to do them all. Today’s subject: “How to take photos of the beach!”
The beach is something that everyone loves. The sound of the calming waters, the feel of the sand through your toes, the beautiful sunsets, the sunburn you get the first time. It is all just a special place in so many people. So, there is some special tips I would like to share with you about taking photos at the beach that will help you out to get great photos.
- Make sure you focus on something, even if it’s way out there.
- Use the “Golden Hour” to take your photos before sunset and after sunrise.
- Bring an air blower, and a lens cleaning brush with you.
- Use a tripod
- Polarizing filters will do wonders for your photos
- Play with shutter speeds when taking photos of the waves
Ok, let’s take a look at some of these ideas so you can see what we are talking about.
Find something you can focus on. Take a look at the above photo, and notice that the person on the swing is very sharp. Also, look at the background, it is also in focus. If you can set your focus, with setting your aperture right (F16, F22, etc.) you can get it all in focus, but, if there is something in the foreground, focus on that.
Taking pictures during the “golden hour” will just give you a warm glow to the entire photo. It is so pleasing. And also, especially at the beach, you will get the warm colors that make things so perfect. Try this: take a photo of the beach around 12 noon, vs. 8pm, and you may never take a photo again at noon.
The beach is a dirty place. It seems like you always find that your camera equipment gets dirty. Two pieces of equipment you should always have is: lens cleaning cloth, and a blower brush for lenses.
This just has to be a tool that you need to get used to using: tripod for cameras. It will improve your photos more than you could imagine. Sharp photos = tripod for cameras.
The above photo should show you enough reason why you should use a good circular polarizing filter. If you care about the colors in your scenery photos, and especially the beach photos, please use a circular polarizing filter.
Just a quick note: if you click on the words in red, they will take you to a link that gives you more information about that word. Try it: circular polarizing filter
This is a great example of just one of the things you could try with a telephoto lens and a fast shutter speed. The telephoto lens will get you out on the water, and the fast shutter speed will stop the action of the waves. Have fun trying different things with controlling your shutter speed.
Another great example of a high shutter speed, and a good telephoto lens.
Find beaches that are not so crowded with people, and get some different types of photos. A telephoto lens may be able to get you this kind of photo, and get you away from the waves. There are a lot of beautiful things to take pictures of at the beach. Go enjoy.
HOW TO TAKE PICTURES OF “SOMETHING NOSTALGIC”
Definition of “Nostalgic” = feeling or inspiring nostalgia: such as. a : longing for or thinking fondly of a past time or condition!
This subject today requires some “digging in to the past”. Such as:
- Places you’ve been
- Things you have done
- People you remember
- Objects from a certain period of time
- Good memories with friends
- Finding things that bring back memories
One of the interesting things my wife and I like to do, is to go for a “photographic drive” to places unknown, old towns that are small, and the old buildings and places of old are still there, never to be torn down for a long time.
And one this type of situation, for nostalgic sake, to make it look like I took a picture of this barn from it’s early years, we do it in a black and white photo:
Part of the fun things you can do to take pictures of old buildings that are still currently standing is to reproduce them in monochromatic, sepia tone, or straight black and white. It will look like you took the picture around 100 years ago.
Looking at the list above of things that are nostalgic, one thing that is always fun to find, is cameras, old things you used to take pictures of. If you kept any old cameras, use your new camera and take pictures of your old equipment. People will be amazed at how far it has come, or not come:
You know it’s fun to go down memory lane. If you went on short vacations up in the mountains, or out to the beach, what kind of photo would you take to bring back those memories?
Get back to the places that brought you good memories if you can, take a picture of someone looking at the same things you used to do. Then reflecting on that person, seeing the same thing you used to do, will be a great photo for nostalgia.
Now, if you have a chance to get together with friends you grew up with, and have a photo of all of you now, how wonderful would that be?
If you cold ever go back to a place that you loved, but, it’s been a long time ago, what would you take pictures of? Probably the beach where you played, the park you used to go to, or the buildings around where you lived. Those are some photos to take again, now, that you are a photographer:
Getting a picture of “Grandma and Grandpa” is something that will be nostalgic in just a few short years. Get the memories of your family.
Nothing brings a sense of nostalgia than visiting places you would go to as a child. Take a picture of it so you can bring back memories of it whenever you want to think about your past.
Now, just for fun, click on this link: nostalgic…… And notice all the fun things that Amazon lists as nostalgic :
Just click on this link: nostalgic, and see all the fun things still available from your past.
