I hate the beach.

[ababysean]

Just for laughs...

I had a beach session yesterday. I hate the beach. Little girl was all cute, hair nice and done, of course we get to the beach and the wind is blowing the wrong way from where I want the sun grrrrrrrrr! and so I decide to try to have mom hold my reflector, I open it up, it pops up and takes off like a bat out of hell down the beach! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so embarrassed! It kept lifting and sailing and here I am with my huge arse camera around my neck, jumping and chasing this friggen reflector. I would have laughed my ass off if I saw myself. kid was cracking up, mom was helping me chase this friggen deadly weapon down the beach. I swear I'm like the klutz of photography. Anyways, I come home and look at the pictures and I'm zoomed into one and how neat! I spy me!

There I am....

So I have a session on Saturday with 12 sorority sisters, they are all older now, 38-42 years old. They vacation together every year, this year they came to the beach and they contacted me to take pictures of them on the beach. Did I mention I hate the beach?

I grabbed my friends kid yesterday for practice and here is what I got. I would love CC on how I can improve. I know the angles are a bit funny but the beach was of course slam packed crowded and my friend is 30something weeks pregnant so I could not walk her further down where I will have the ladies this weekend, so keep that in mind. I am mostly concerned with lighting and settings. I will not have an assistant with me.

1. 1/200 f4.5 focal length 70mm ISO 100

2. 1/320 f4 26mm iso 100

3. 1/250 f4 70 mm iso 100

4. 1/250 f4 70mm iso 100

 

[tirediron]

Beach shoots can be tough! I would make sure that you're there for the golden light, either within two hours of sunrise, or about ninety minutes of sunset. Typically I prefer sunrise light to sunset (Taking into account where the sunrise/set is in relation to where you want the subjects of course).

I think given the circumstances you did well with these, but not having an assistant may make things tough, but it's doable. Watch for things like the composition in #2; you've got a perfect set of leading lines with the pier supports, BUT they take the eye away from the subject and right out of the image.

#3 is a bit visually off-putting as well with all of the vertical lines, but a horizontal perspective.

#4 makes her like like she has a couple of antennae growning out of her head, and the background is really distracting as well. Look for a nice even setting without too many lines or repeating patterns. Try things like have them in the water knee/waist deep, or you in the water shooting them laying on the sand...

The lighting is good, but watch for the awkward shadows that structures like the pier cause.

Good luck; just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[OrionsByte]

I don't have much to say but I'll post here to bump your thread if nothing else, because I'd love to see what someone with more portrait experience would have to add.

I think these are pretty good, and you did a good job keeping the light soft on what appears to be a bright sunny day! Nice catchlights, pretty good contrast. Something about #4 is rubbing me the wrong way - It looks like maybe you tried to bring the exposure on the sky down in post? I think it needs more separation between the ambient light and the light on the model, but that could be more a matter of taste than anything.

Nice job!

 

[baturn]

Thank you . I really enjoyed the story as I could picture myself in that situation. Needed a good laugh. Only comment on the photos is to agree with John, especially on # 4.

 

[ababysean]

Thanks everyone!

We most likely will not be able to get in the water due to massive jellyfish swells.... The shoot will be in the evening. I had a hard time finding a clean background mostly because we were in a highly populated area. With my Sorority sisters shoot, I can move them down further a bit to a move desolate area. Kids mom is 7 months pregnant and wasn't going to walk very far away from her car....

I think the biggest challege is going to be the lighting and the angle of the sun, since I'm on the Gulf Coast side in Florida, near the alabama border, The sun does not set or rise in the water, it moves across the beach.

The wind is going to be a big deal too because the hair is just everywhere. I am wondering if I should say anything about having them put their hair up so it is not flying in their face.

 

[tirediron]

The wind is going to be a big deal too because the hair is just everywhere. I am wondering if I should say anything about having them put their hair up so it is not flying in their face.

I think this is an excellent idea; you can always take a five minute break and they can take it down and comb it out if the winds calm down.

 

[vtf]

I like them.
Sweet and simple sometimes is best.
I noticed you don't have them on the over exposed side, decided not to this time?