Some Things About Being A Tog - Part 2

The beach is the perfect location for all kinds of different types of Photography: macro, documentary, seascape, portrait and even wildlife. This blog is about helping you see what we as Photographers see when we go out there so you can get some of your creative juices flowing.

Some of you like looking at pics of Macro Photography and some dont have a clue what it is, i promise if you give it a try you will fall in love with it. The above image is an example of Macro Photography. Being at the beach gives you endless opportunities for Macro Photography and some Creative Abstracts. Some nice examples are Footprints in the sand, shells or some intersecting blades of grass.
For some kick ass macros its a good idea to have a shallow depth of field and a wide aperture. Just zoom in, hold steady, focus and take that image.



Coastlines presents you with a wonderful array of photographic possibilities ranging from people shots on a crowded summer beach to more landscape oriented shots with waves crashing, ragged cliff faces and moody skies.



Its no use going out there with your camera and you dont have a clue what you are going to shoot, i cant tell you how many people email me some holiday snaps they took and i have to comment on them, as you guys know im extremely honest and say things as i see them and thats exactly what those images are, happy snaps, i dont have anything against it because its your memories but one can only look at so many blue skies and water images before losing interest. You have to find a point of interest, that is maybe the single most important tip there is and not only for beach photography but for ALL kinds of photography. A point of interest draws people into the image leaving them with exactly the same thought as you had when you first saw that image.

It's also a good idea to add some reflections into your shots and large bodies of water is the perfect place to do that but beware, the reflection can make or break your image.



So you want to Photograph a sunrise? Well, here is how i do it, i promise it works, just give it a try.
Your alarm clock goes off, you open one eye to look at the time, uuuhg its 5am and suddenly you remember the reason for setting the damn thing so early so you groan for a minute and roll out of bed.You peak out the window, jip, still dark outside and you give another groan.

Then things start moving, you dress, you go to your gear, you have the little checklist in your mind of what you need.
Camera - Check
24-70mm Lens - Check
Tripod - Check
Shutter Release - Check
Okay you are good to go.

Now these are the settings i use for when doing some sunrise images.




Shutter Speed (TV) 20 seconds
The early morning light is soft and diffused, so you need a longer shutter speed to let in more light, otherwise your picture will be underexposed

ISO = 100
With a long shutter speed, you don’t need your sensor to be more sensitive to the light. And with a low ISO, you have a higher dynamic range for stronger intensity of color

White Balance - Shade
Morning light is cooler in colour tones. You can correct this with you White Balance, just shoot in shade till the sunlight feels golden and warm.

And there you go, that is how you shoot sunrise images.

Maybe the most fun about being a Photographer is the fact that you are a Director too, you get to shunt pretty girls around and they dont have a choice but to listen to you, any guy will agree with me that its FUN. But there are some rules to shunting people round left and right and making them do what you want them to do.
Rule number 1 is to Listen and Respect the client you are working with, sure they pay you but listen to them because they might have some cool ideas you never thought about, always be open to suggestions.

I dont care if your client is Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga you have to respect them and give them what they pay you for.

Just relax. If you are nervous or anxious about the shoot then your subject will feel that and they will shut down and then you can just as well pack up and go home.

Now, this is most probably the last blog i will do on photography, i just really need to blog about that Gaga woman again and vent something to feel more human, who knows, i may as well put Justin Bieber in there too.

Some more pics, hope you like it.