Photography at the seaside

Capture fun pictures and great memories

Since most days at the beach are filled with bright sunshine and blue skies, contrast is a problem that photographers have to contend with. Dark shadows on one side of your subject and bright highlights on the other are unavoidable for many picture-taking situations. This doesn't mean that pictures taken in direct sunlight are going to be bad. They will often look quite natural, as in this photograph on the left. But many times, the contrast can be too stark, especially in close-ups, with shadows that conceal detail or washed-out highlights. There are several ways to avoid this problem, including shooting with the sun behind you and also with the sun behind your subjects (known as "backlighting"), to name just two.

Having the sun behind you as the photographer is not your best choice, since it usually causes subjects looking towards the camera to squint in the direct sunlight, and the sun's straight-on illumination tends to flatten your subject's features, reducing the appearance of three-dimensionality. Shooting when the sun is hidden behind a cloud, or when the sky is overcast, and the lighting is therefore diffused is a good idea that will result in pleasant seaside portraits. Posing your subjects in shade will also avoid the sun's direct, harsh light. A beach umbrella can provide the shade, but be careful that it doesn't cause a strong color cast on your subject. Placing your subject in the shade of a building or natural feature while having a bright background that is not in shade can produce a nice effect. This useful technique is explained fully here.

The time of day should be taken into account, since pictures photographed when the sun is near or at its highest point will generally not be too attractive. This overhead, direct light creates dark eye sockets and deep shadows beneath noses and chins. Fill flash and reflectors can help, but your best beach shots will usually be taken when the sun is closer to the horizon.

With the sun behind your subjects, they will appear dark unless you do one of the following - set your camera for backlit subjects if it has that option; use a light meter to take a reading of the light either falling on or reflected from your subject, and set your exposure accordingly; reflect light onto your subjects using a white or light grey material; or select your camera's fill flash mode which will fire the flash even in brilliant sunlight to fill in shadow areas for subjects near to you.

One of the benefits of a white sandy beach is that it reflects light, so if your subjects are backlit or sidelit, lying on their stomachs on the sand or seated in a deck chair on the beach, they are probably being partially illuminated by reflected light. It may provide you with a very pleasant beach portrait. Water, too, can reflect light, although sometimes a little too harshly, and pictures of subjects in or near the water can benefit from reflected light.

Most folks, especially kids, are very active at the beach, running in the waves, digging holes, building sand castles and so on. This is a great time to candidly capture their pictures, when they are unaware they are being photographed. It shows them behaving naturally. They will probably be delighted when they find out later that you got some great shots of them unawares.

Be sure to include the activity when you take their pictures. A sand castle under construction should not be left out of the frame, for example. It is good to include other objects of interest if they help in telling your picture's story of a day at the seaside. A sailboat or windsurfer in the background can add that little touch that makes a beach photo an interesting photo.

Sometimes, there is an attraction on the beach - acrobats, a volleyball game or a sandcastle-building contest, for example - that will provide you with the opportunity to take a photograph that includes the activity, adding interest, color or action to your composition. All the better if a family member or friend is a participant.

If there are floating docks, fun floats on which to climb and jump from, sea-doos, kite-sailing, water-skiing, sailing, team games or other nautical or beach activities in which your subjects take part, use a telephoto lens to photograph them. Take a few shots that include them in the activity, and be sure to shoot close-ups to capture their expressions, especially when the activity reaches a peak.

Follow your kids and their instructor if they are enrolled in scuba or surfing lessons or taking diving instruction to get photographs they will be delighted to see. Keep an eye out for the chance to tell a time-sequence story that requires more than one photo. A flat beach being transformed into a tall sandcastle is one example where a series of photographs tells the start-to-finish tale.

If you are photographing small children or people on their knees digging in the sand, be sure to get down to their eye level for pleasing results.

When a beach is crowded, you run the risk of "losing" your subject in the mass of people. You may want a picture that shows just how packed the beach was, and that is fine. But, you don't want all of your photos to emphasize how many people were there. This means isolating your subjects by getting close to them with your camera, using a telephoto lens to bring them nearer and to throw the background out of focus, or moving around so that your subjects are posed against an uncrowded backdrop, like the water, a sand dune or foliage. A beach umbrella placed behind an individual can also serve to cut off a jam-packed background. When all else fails, you can always get down really low or have your subject climb a dune to get their picture with only the sky behind them. If there is a big, fluffy cloud up there, all the better.

With an expanse of sand or water in the background, make sure the horizon is level and never dead center in the viewframe. Placing it a third of the way from the top or bottom will result in a more pleasant composition. Include the water in the background of your pictures to establish that they were taken at a beach, but also place other objects of interest behind your subjects. A palm tree says this is a tropical beach. A sand dune, a cluster of bright umbrellas, a boat dock or swimming platform and a boardwalk or a pier can all add to the mood and the memories of a fine day of fun and leisure. If you have a favorite beach hangout or bar, don't be shy to take some pictures of it, and of the friends you may meet there. The beach can provide an ideal scene for an interesting and colorful panoramic photograph. Panoramas are not that difficult to photograph and assemble.

As pleasant as the seaside can be, it can play havoc with your camera. Heat, water and sand can be destructive to it.

Safeguarding your photo equipment at the beach is essential.

• Storing it in a waterproof bag inside a camera bag when not in use will keep it safe from the elements.
• Place the bag away from zones of activity to ensure no one kicks sand or water near it.
• Using your neck strap when taking pictures will prevent it from falling too far should you accidentally drop it.
• Concealing it with your body or clothing when the wind picks up sand or spray will protect it from harm.
• When you are loading or unloading film, keep the camera out of bright light so the sun can't penetrate the cassette's slot, possibly streaking the film.
• When unloading either film or a digital memory card, be sure to protect the camera's opening from blowing sand or moisture.
• If you plan to take pictures in or near the water, you would be wise to consider buying a one-time-use waterproof disposable camera that won't get damaged if it gets wet.

An important point to keep in mind as the designated photographer of a day at the beach is to ensure that you take pictures of everyone in your group or family. Imagine how badly Aunt Agnes or cousin Ernie will feel when the pictures are brought out for viewing days or weeks later, and there are none of her or him.

This applies to pets, too. The kids would feel as if something important was missed if the family dog, even if he's an old-timer who spends most of the day snoozing, doesn't appear in any pictures.

It also applies to you. Make time to step into a few scenes to be photographed with your family and friends. Hand the camera over to someone else to take shots with you in them. Everyone will appreciate it, probably even you.

A colorful sunset is often the last shot of a day at the beach, but when the sun is low can also be the time to take a picture of your exhausted kids, asleep in the car when you are ready to head home.

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