How to Photograph Your Kids on the Beach
By: Laura Jennings
With summer in full-swing, kids out of school and trips to the beach happening every weekend, I though it was time for a few quick tips on how to photograph your own kids on the beach!
1. GEAR– any gear you have will work. honestly! Don’t be afraid to bring it out in the air, on the sand and close to water, just hang on tight! I like wider angle lenses for beach photography, especially of my own children. The wider angle lets you really capture the entire scene and multiple children running around and playing. Fisheyes are super fun, or my go-to’s, my 24 1.4L or 35 1.4.
If your gear gets sandy or splashed a bit, just wipe off any sand and water droplets with a lens cleaning cloth and brush. Or better yet, get one of these awesome camera dry-bags like this one!
2. TIMING– You really can shoot on the beach at any time of the day, but it’s best to be early or late. As a portrait photographer, I choose to photograph my clients in the best light of the day, an hour or so before the sunset, aka the golden hour. The light is softer, creamier and the colors here in Panama City Beach are some of the best I’ve ever seen.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t shoot with my kids in full open sun at noon, either! You’re on vacation, try new things and have fun with what you capture.
3. COMPOSITION– Composition truly is an important part of photography, even when it’s just your own kiddos. There are lots of “rules” in the photography world (rule of 1/3’s, horizons, leading lines, don’t cut off limbs, etc) and although I tend to follow most of them, sometimes the best photos break the rules. It’s best to be mindful of them but don’t let them keep you in a box! Test your limits, break some rules and see what you come up with.