hey there!
Born and raised here on the Crystal Coast, the salt life is in our veins. We understand the environment of our beaches as well as the changes of shooting within the season. Summer is our PEAK season with tourism traffic and requests for beach portraits. During this blog we are going to give you honest tips on planning your Emerald Isle beach photo so that you can prepare for this experience:
1. Timing is Everything:
We believe the best light is at the sunset hour and we personally prefer blue hour for a statement piece. It gives a pop of color when the sky is just right. Shooting in harsh sunlight is not preferred, and while we understand that very young children may go to bed earlier, please know that there is no cover on the beach. This means facing direct sunlight (can produce a lot of eye squinting). If bedtime routines can be adjusted, do so.
2. Dress Comfortably!
Wear light, airy clothes that you can move in easily. Please leave shoes behind. Neutral colors work best to keep the focus on you and your family. I prefer to meet families at their home and/or rental to make it a short walk to the oceanfront.
3. Plan for wind!
Our beaches can be breezy. Secure loose hair with pins or a headband, and consider wearing clothes that won’t blow around too much. Understand that we will position you to counterbalance the wind and try to keep hair out of your face but there is no “magic” to remove 10-20 mph winds from shifting clothing or hair.
The beach may not be the best location if you don’t like the wind.
4. Bring a Bag -
Keep essentials in a bag, not in pockets. This includes phones, keys, and extra hair ties. You will not want the pocket bulge from wallets, phones, etc in your photos. This includes back pockets as well!
5. Relax and Have Fun!
The best photos come when you’re relaxed and enjoying the moment. Play, laugh, and be yourself. We’ll take care of capturing the moments you want and the unexpected ones you didn’t know you needed!
A final thought you may not have considered... Public access points are very crowded and not ideal for a beach photo experience. Beachgoers frequently walk between and behind poses making it less of a personal experience. We also have to consider wind direction and sunlight for positioning. When choosing a photographer for beach photos, look at a variety of examples of their work. While there are many photographers in our area, there are not many who know how to balance to conditions of the weather, positioning for wind and sun, and removing background distractions from your photos such as people, chairs, fishing rods, etc.
Are you looking for a professional photographer who can deliver and guide you through the process? We'd love to connect with you. Click here.
*If you have a loved one with autism, we do NOT recommend public access photos during peak season.
