Tips, tutorials and discussion of photography, cameras and accessories.
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We are going on a family trip in a few weeks to the Outerbanks, NC and I want to take beach family photos for everyone.
I'd love to get some tips/advice on taking great photos to impress my family. Right now I have a Sony p&s but I'm crossing my fingers that I'll get a DSL before the trip. if not I'll bring my Canon Elan 7e and shoot film.
Can anyone help me out with settings etc?
I'd love to see some beach pics too :)
Thanks in advance!!
One of the photographers on the forum had told me awhile back that if you are trying to shoot the beach and the waves, you should lay down on the beach. As for the setting to use, need to know what kind of camera. That way people with that brnad can help you out.
If the sand is white open up 1&1/2 stops from the exposure reading. Light brown +0.5-1. Medium brown right on. Best bring a gray card(they're cheap) put it in the same light and meter off it. Note this requires either shooting in manual or knowing how to alter the program.
Thanks for the tips. I have a Sony cybershot and if it hasn't sold by then, I'll bring my Canon Elan 7e. It's about 5 years old if that helps :)
I have been taking pictures at the beach for more years than I can remember.

At this time I only have a P&S camera. It takes good pictures, but not great.

I don't worry about how the picture will turn out, when I get home I use PhotoShop to correct any thing that needs correcting.

Below is a picture I took a few days ago. In it you'll see sand, water, Catalina Island and a wonderful blue sky and clouds.

Russ

http://picasaweb.google.com/Russinator4 ... 3906350226

PS: There are several other beach pictures I took at this site.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Russinator43/PismoBeach
Ok, here what I will suggest on a sunny day.if the sand is reflecting heavy, you know this for the sand will look much brilliand than usual. I will use manual exposures of 250 sec at F16 to F22. If the camera is set to Aperture priority set it to F16 if to Shutter priority to F250 or 125.

I always shoot the beach in angle and include some sand or and a boat a person etc. on the foreground. More sand if that is what I want or more beach if that is what I whant to place the emphasis too. I do this if there are no good looking clauds. If there are clouds then that is a must for they create a better image always. What ever I do ALWAYS in an angle. Why in an angle? To create interest, beside 99% of the people stand square in front of the beach and click, i dont but that's me. just my 2 centavos, hope this help.
Shalom,
Don
A well conseived image is a poem written with light.
PSE6 - Lightroom - CS3 - Win-Vista -Epson 7800
Nikon D80 - D-700 - Canon G9
http://www.condeimaging.com
I just got the XSi 2 days ago so any tips for that are appreciated. Either beach related or in general :D
Thanks for the tips Don and Ijames.
I just got my Xsi 2 days ago also. I have been playing with all the different modes. Taking pictures of everything, looking at the histogram, changing setting over and over again. Trying to get myself out of the program mode but it is tuff. I will get a picture and setting perfect, then turn around and take another one and it is all wrong. It seems (and I know all cameras are the same way) that the different direction you shoot requires different setting. So back to program I went for the shots I really wanted. Yep, I am a chicken :chickendance: :chickendance:
Best advice I can give is practice, practice and more practice.
Suzi, there's nothing wrong with Program mode - it's my default when I'm in a hurry....which is much too often. There are two things you can do to make Program more effective/creative:

1. Make exposure compensation adjustments to complement the settings chosen by the camera. You have a convenient Aperture/Exposure compensation button near the upper right corner of the LCD that makes it a snap to change. When shooting in bright sunlight, I usually start with -1/3 stop set as an insurance against blown highlights. (See pp 75-78 of your User Manual)

2. Press the shutter halfway down and press the exposure lock button (asterisk button; upper right corner of the back of the camera), then use the main dial (just behind the shutter button) to change the combination of aperture and shutter speed. Useful if you want to change depth of field or shutter speed for action without moving to Av or Tv mode. (see page 56 of your manual)

Happy shooting!
Chuck
LR2/CS3/PSE6/Canon 450D, G10/Panasonic LX3
Thanks Chuck, I have just in the last few days dicovered that button. It is turning out to be my favorite button. I have decided that for the type of images that I favor(people on the fly) program works the best for me. Most times you don't get to take another shot. For things that don't move, I am actually getting into manual. I am so proud of me but it can be exasperating.
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