I feel like I should preface this post by admitting that I am a Yankee. Mountains and snow are what feel like home to me, but being a military family we have lived in the south for years now (almost 8!). I have slowly found myself becoming more and more of a southerner, saying things like “y’all” and “bless her heart,” and monogramming everything, but I think that my favorite part of embracing the southern way of life has been spending so much time at beaches where the water is warm enough to swim without a wet suit! We have been lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time at multiple beaches up and down the eastern coast and have captured some great pictures of our kids frolicking in the waves in each location. And while I’m not a professional photographer, I have picked up a few beach photo tips along the way that I wanted to share with you all in case you are headed for a beach vaca this summer. PS: my apologies, but this is a pretty photo intensive post, so it may take a moment to load.
Tip 1: Sunny skies are not always the best
When people think of beach photos, they tend to think of bright blue, cloudless skies. Those are great, but they’re not always the best. Moody, cloudy skies can be a beautiful background and add a whole new dimension to your photos. Not to mention that the beaches will be far less crowded if it looks like a storm might be moving in. Also keep sunrise and sunset in mind for stellar photos.
As you can see in the photo below (taken at the same time as the one above), the sky is becoming dark and ominous. The beach was completely empty of tourists though, so we had time to run around and get some fun shots.
Tip 2: Don’t be afraid to get dirty (or wet!)
I feel like this goes without saying, but I am always amazed at how many parents I see who won’t go anywhere near the water and are trying to capture the fun from a safe distance. If you are looking for up close and personal shots, you’re going to have to venture a little nearer the water. Just carefully watch the waves so you can hop up and out of the way before the water reaches you and your camera.
The photo below was taken while I was crouched down with my feet in the water, but it makes it feel as though we are in the action.
Tip 3: Capture your children’s personalities
People often get hung up on the idea of each person looking at the camera, giving their best smile and saying cheese. I used to be one of those people. That all came to a halt when I had three kids. There is no way that everyone will always be posed perfectly, so I usually don’t even try anymore. And truthfully, I like these candid pictures better than posed ones. I go out of my way to allow them to make silly faces, be who they really are and try to capture a bit of their personalities. I would much rather see a picture that clearly screams “Emmalynn (or whoever it happens to be)” than one that says “pretty smile.”
The pictures below show Emmalynn having fun being herself and her personality is shining through.
Tip 4: Treasure their treasures
So your kid has a shell obsession? Man, I can sympathize, but instead of taking all of the shells home, why not take some pictures of your child finding shells that you can keep forever? If your kid finds something that they feel is treasure, go ahead and make their day by taking some photos.
The pictures below show Grace with some found seaweed and Emmalynn with a dirty nasty seagull feather that I cringed when she picked up she played with for an hour.
Tip 5: Take Action Shots
I have a hard time keeping my kiddos still while we are at the beach. Between the water, the seagulls to chase, the shells to collect and the sand castles to build they take off running as soon as their feet hit the sand. I follow them around and take action shots of them in their constant motion. When I look back on these pictures I don’t see the strain in their faces while they have to pose, I see the rambunctious little people that I know and love.
The pictures below are of Barrett on the move and the kids after I asked them to pose momentarily and they chose to jump off the log instead.
Tip 6: Small details can make a big impact in photos
We’ve all heard that “it’s all in the details,” and that is true for beach photos too. Make sure to take a moment to capture some of the smaller details that will not be quite as vivid in your mind later.
The picture below is a close up of the sand that stuck to Emmalynn’s back.
Tip 7: Try new angles
I am totally guilty of getting stuck in a rut of taking only frontal pictures, obsessed with getting smiling faces in each and every shot. When I find myself doing this I try to remind myself to try new angles. Even if you are just taking photos from behind or of a silhouette, it changes it up and will give you fun variations.
The pictures below show a shot taken from the back and in silhouette.
Tip 8: Take a series of shots
While I love taking video of my kids playing, I also really enjoy taking a series of shots that almost become a flip book when viewed together.
The pictures below are a series of Grace and Bear trying to “catch a wave.”
Tip 9: Change focus
This is one of my favorite tips! I love to change what I am focusing on in my photos and blur my backgrounds just a bit. As you can see in the pictures below, Grace had found (and caught!) a small sand crab. In the first shot I focused on her face, but in the second photo I focused on the crab. Totally different look from the same moment.
Tip 10: Don’t forget to get in on the action / the art of the selfie
Okay, so most of us don’t want to lug around a tripod when we head to the beach, so taking pictures of the whole family can become a challenge. But please, make sure that you include yourself in some of your family photos. I say this as someone who has realized that there are frighteningly few pictures of my children and myself together in my photo albums. You can hand your camera over to a third party if you are comfortable with it, most people are happy to help out. Even if the best that you can do is a cell phone selfie, do it. You will want to look back and remember that you were more than just the person behind the lens. Get on in there!
The pictures below are recent photographic evidence that I was there too!
Linked to Practically Functional
Great shots!! We’re getting ready to do a wedding on the beach this summer so this was the PERFECT post for me to read!
On a separate note, your oldest has the most AMAZING hair!!
Ashley Tukiainen recently posted…The Finnish Language
Aww, thanks so much Ashley! It’s a lot of hair to keep up with, but it can be absolutely stunning when the curls are all controlled. I LOVE beach weddings, and I am sure that all of your photos will be amazing! Congrats!