Lighting at Beach

[R-V]

I will be going to the beach this next weekend. I want to take portraits in the sand dunes. I am going to carry my 20D, 28-135mm and my 70-200mm f2.8. I have to sets of reflectors 41" and 22". I am planning late afternoon time, a couple of hours before sunset.

I would like some thoughts on how to position my subjects (aka my daughters) in relationship to the sun. I want to know which way to face my daughters.

Thanks for any advise.

Rus

[JohnC]

If you have willing subjects and enough time, try a lot of different variations. But some things to start with:

sun behind the subject causing a rim light effect, use the reflectors to fill in the face.

Sun 3/4 around. Subject's face pointing between the sun and camera, reflectors to fill.

[R-V]

Thanks for the Help. I am going to go about an hour before Sun set and expiriment with the Sun behind my subjects. and turn them as the sun sets and let the sun light the from the back to the side. I will then use the reflectors to fill in the shadows.

If anyone has more Ideas keep them comming.

Thanks
Rus

[gwynemark]

You can also position the sun directly in front of them. Should not be entirely too bright at that time of day and you can get a beautiful blue sky behind them with the sun facing them. I love to shoot from a low angle up at kids in order to capture that sky behind them. Of course, this assumes there are no clouds. Then once the sun drops and the sky starts turning orange, turn them around and capture the sunset. Have fun.

Gwyne and Mark

[Songman45]

Originally Posted by R-V

I will be going to the beach this next weekend. I want to take portraits in the sand dunes. I am going to carry my 20D, 28-135mm and my 70-200mm f2.8. I have to sets of reflectors 41" and 22". I am planning late afternoon time, a couple of hours before sunset.

I would like some thoughts on how to position my subjects (aka my daughters) in relationship to the sun. I want to know which way to face my daughters.

Thanks for any advise.

Rus

It just occurred to me, your information indicates you are in Georgia and I assmume that means you are going to a Beach on the East Coast. Most of the advice is coming from people on the West. Not that it makes a hill of beans in difference. The sun doesn't set over the water on that coast, it rises over it. You'll get totally different looks turning your subjects back to the sun, you'll be shooting inland rather than seaward.

[gwynemark]

Good point Songman. That actually leads to great opportunity to shoot with the sun directly in front of your girls. You will have a nice light on them as well as the water behind them. Swweet if you ask me. If you so happen to be coming to the beach here in Florida which most of you Georgia folks do, then PM me and I will tell you the best locations and can even help you out if we have the time. We are in Destin.

[Retronaut]

You can actually make nice portraits in stronger-than-evening sun with a reflector. However, it can cause squinting and be hard on the eyes if you live with bright sun.

When it gets to sunset proper, you can face them into the sun (often somewhat to the side) and shoot with or without a reflector, and/or flash. At this time you can also get great shots with the sun behind them, usually just with a reflector.

[Jacco]

Originally Posted by Retronaut

You can actually make nice portraits in stronger-than-evening sun with a reflector. However, it can cause squinting and be hard on the eyes if you live with bright sun.

Exactly. Which is why fill-flash is going to be your friend, rather than your reflectors. Like you were advised on the other board, R-V, go manual, keep the sun at your subject's back or side, and set your flash to 1/4 or 1/8th power output to alleviate the shadows.