Taking family photos on the beach! Advice much appreciated.

[lainy]

Hi, everyone. I'm glad that I found this place.

I'm from the east coast and am going to be taking family photos on the beach around 8 a.m. this weekend.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what equipment I should bring?

Here are some photos that I came across, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me what equipment might have been used to take these photos.

The third photo from http://www.caughtonfilmphoto.com/slideshow_family.htm

Any from http://www.himephotography.com/Images/Galleries/Family%20Portraits%20On%20The%20Beach/index.html

I love the rim lighting in these... I'd love to attempt this kind of shot.
http://terrywayphotography.blogspot.com/2008/07/family-photos-on-beach-in-santa-cruz.html)

I don't have any professional reflectors, but I was thinking about buying a large poster board at the store and using that. However, I don't know if it's the best idea since it can blow away.

Also, is a tripod a must?

I'm going to be getting paid, but I don't know how much I should ask for because I've never done family photos before, and I don't want to disappoint. Do you think I should just ask her to pick her own price? I'd probably be happy with whatever she gives me, but please give me some price ranges if you have any idea about what I should charge. It's for someone I know, not just someone who randomly found me somehow. The family has never seen my photography before, either...

Any other tips for beach photography, please let me know! Thanks! =)

 

[JIP]

Well the equipment that was used in those particular photos belonged to someone else so the first thing you should be doing is posting links instead of the photos directly.

 

[lainy]

Well the equipment that was used in those particular photos belonged to someone else so the first thing you should be doing is posting links instead of the photos directly.

Fixed.

 

[tirediron]

I can't see the images you've linked to from work, however I would suggest that if you're asking these sorts of questions you may not be ready to make the step into paid work.

That aside, you say you're from the East Coast, but are you photographing on the East Coast?

You'll need a helper, reflectors (Poster board does work, get white and light-yellow), tripods, off-camera flash (Good light, but long shadows at 8.00am), a helper, lots of batteries, lots of memory, a circular polarizer, possibly graduated neutral density filters...

Make sure you explore the area before hand and give the family recommendations for the types of colours to wear (ie, if it's very white sand, you don't want them showing up in white t-shirts and shorts).

As for pay, I'm not a 'people' photographer; I work on a straight hourly fee ($50/hour which includes my transport within a half-hour of my home) and basic post-processing (levels/curves/brightness/saturation, levelling, cropping. Any special work is charged at my regular hourly rate (Did I mention I'm not a people person?)

Good luck...

 

[tron]

bring a uv or a circular polarizer filter. the polarizer filter will make for purdy skies and the uv filter is a nice way to protect against blowing sand

 

[lainy]

I can't see the images you've linked to from work, however I would suggest that if you're asking these sorts of questions you may not be ready to make the step into paid work.

That aside, you say you're from the East Coast, but are you photographing on the East Coast?

Good luck...

Thanks.

Yes, the photos will be taken on the east coast.

The family offered to pay me, and I told them that I don't have all of the necessary equipment. I'm thinking about just asking the family to pay me whatever they feel is appropriate after they see the edited photos. I'm not expecting a huge chunk of change, and I really jump at any photo opp. to build my portfolio anyway. It's just that they offered to pay, so why not. Or is it rude to accept their money (given my not-yet-professional photographer status)?

I can't wait until I've taken more hands-on photography classes...