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How to take beach pictures for instagram


How To Take Cool Beach Pictures During Your Vacation

Published May 9, 2022


Blue sky and white sandy beaches. What is there not to love about a beach vacation? The thing is, why doesn’t the photos you take reflect the actual scenery that you were so head over heels with? The sand doesn’t seem to be as white, the sky doesn’t seem to be as blue, the sunset over sea horizon doesn’t seem as majestic as when you were actually there witnessing it? Capturing the breathtaking beauty of the beach is a tricky task as the elements such as lights and space might surprisingly work against you.

Well, not to worry as the Lexis team have you covered with a few practical life hacks that will fix all of that! Keep reading as we will be sharing a couple of beach photography tricks, sharing the secret of how to take good beach pictures for Instagram.

 

1. Always have a focal point

One of the things that makes sea view so breathtaking is the miles and miles of unobstructed view filled with nothing but waves crashing onto the shore. As majestic as what the shutter of your brain takes in at the moment, the wide space in front of you may not make the best photograph. The photo may appear flat and uninteresting no matter how you attempt to capture the broad space and beauty of nature that is laid out right in front of you. Well with the right beach photography tricks, we can change that!
 

Make sure that every shot has a focal point. A focal point is something that draws the viewers’ attention, giving them a spot to focus on while providing context to the shot. It creates dimension and layers to your shot, telling a story and keeping things interesting for your viewers without you having to play narrator and explaining every single picture over and over again.  

 

 


This may be one of the simplest beach photography tricks in the book as all you need can be as simple as a branch, a seashell, a fairly attractive rock, a crab, or the silhouette of the person you love promenading on the white sandy beach. The next time you’re taking a nature shot on your beach vacation, remember this beach photography tip and try to focus on a focal point to see the difference!

 


2. Framing your focal point

 

The next beach photography trick helps to further enhance your composition and keep your viewers focused on your focal point. This extremely popular beach photography tip is called framing and is one of the most common compositional techniques that can produce an extremely powerful impact on the cool pictures you take at the beach.
 

 

   

To apply this awesome beach photography trick, all you need to do is find something you can use to frame your focal point. It can be a flock of birds, surrounding foliage, or even an old wooden frame (that you can bring alone just to literally get the perfect framing).

 

3. Take advantage of the Golden Hours


 

 

The beach is the absolute perfect place to enjoy the most majestic sunrise and sunset, making sunrise and sunset shots an absolute must for any beach vacation (given that you are able to rise before the sun does). With the sky in a rare shade of warm red and the light softer than the rest of the daytime shortly after the sun has risen and before it sets over the sea horizon, these are definitely the best times to take photos at the beach.

 

 

 

This beach photography tip is based on the fact that with dimmer lighting, the likelihood of any photo taken ending up overexposed is highly unlikely. That is why most seasoned photographers who’s worth their salt consider this period of time the most desirable time for nature photography. Another added advantage is that the beach would most likely be less crowded at these hours so you can have an entire beach to yourself, resulting in photos that are less cluttered.

 

4. Climb higher to get a high vantage point


 

 

Having an entire photo album of your beach vacation taken from water level can be… well, for a lack of a better word, boring. If you have some extra time on your hand, why not try capturing your subjects from a higher vantage point to give your shots a unique and richer composition. This beach photography trick will give your viewers a unique sense of point of view (POV). And no, you don’t always have to climb a steep hill or very far to obtain a higher vantage point.

 

 

The beauty of this beach photography trick is that you can simply step onto a big rock, a stool, or use a ladder. If you’re feeling inspired and adventurous, you can even climb on the shoulders of a friend, balance yourself on a tree branch, or even stand on your car to get the right vantage point.
 

Now that you’re well equipped with a few of the most powerful beach photography tricks and gained a better understanding on how to take good beach pictures to share on Instagram, don’t forget to apply them on your next visit to our water chalet in Lexis Port Dickson! We look forward to seeing more fabulous shares, so don’t forget to tag us at @lexisportdickson. Who knows your masterpiece might get featured in our next blog post on beach photography tips! Have fun experimenting with your new found photography wisdom!

10 Tips On How To Get The Perfect Beach Insta Pic

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10 Tips On How To Get The Perfect Beach Insta Pic

Lifestyle

Is there a better feeling than laying on the beach all day, taking pics, going home and seeing that you captured the most perfect beach insta pic? Taking the perfect picture at the beach can be difficult to accomplish but, lucky for you I have some tips! Over my many summers send at the beach I have got the hang of taking great beach pics for the gram! Sometimes the help of friends can be the key to taking the best photo.

1. Pick The Right Location

The location of your picture will set the whole scene for the photo! Although the beach can be crowded, try to find a private spot on the beach so you feel more comfortable. The last thing you want is a whole family laying on the beach in the back of your photo. Try to find a spot with less people and a clean looking area of the beach. If there are palm trees in the area, stand close to one to get them in background. This will look so cute in a picture and really give it a beachy feel. You can even stand at the shore and get some of the ocean in the background. Keeping the photo simple is the best best fr a beach pic. Try to get a closer photo so the water or sand takes up the whole photo. This will look better on instagram and will make the photo look clean.

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2. Good Lighting

The beach can be a tricky spot to find the perfect lighting. We all love a sunny day at the beach, but make sure when you are taking a photo, the sun isn’t too much in your face. This will create shadows on your face and body that might not be complimenting. Try finding an area with that is a little bit more haded, of course not one where you will be too dark, but one with just the right amount of shade. This could be under some tress where the shade will make the lighting so perfect since the sun will still be shining through. It will not be super sunny and will also create a better overall scene for your photo.

3. Go At Sunset

It your are looking to get the most beautiful beach insta beach pic, I suggest you go around sunset! Sitting on the beach and watching the sunset is already so fun and you can make an even greater photo opt out of it! Take a blanket to sit on and have your friend take a photo of you with the sunset in the background. The lighting will be hitting you just right and create a kind of gold color scheme. This Is a great idea of you are looking to spice up your insta feed!

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4. Color Coordinate

If you want to get real technical with it, then try to color coordinate the photo. If you know the location of where you are going to take the picture, try to wear colors that will compliment it. Say you are taking a photo in front of the water, you can either match it with a blue bathing suit, or you can wear a brighter color that will stand out. White is also a good color that will match and stand out in most photos. Also you can plan which element of the photo you want to stand out by choosing colors carefully.

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5. Use Portrait Mode

If you are looking to get amazing quality photos from your iPhone, use portrait mode! This will focus on the main subject of the photo, then blur the background. This creates a cool new look for the photo. You could be standing in front of the water with portrait mode on and get a super quality beach insta pic! It’s definitely worth a try and will be sure to look great on your feed.

6. Take Candids

Candid photos sometimes end up being some on my favorite pictures. If you are at the beach with your friends have them take pictures of you while you are not posing. Maybe have them take pictures of you in the water or just walking along the shore. These can come out so good and capture a great moment.

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7. Have A Friend Join The Picture

You and tour bestie can take the best beach insta pics together! If you are with multiple people have on of your friends take the photo while you and someone else get in. Try running in the water together or doing a cute pose for the best pic! This will look so cute and you will love the results!

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8. Set Up A Blanket

Setting up a cute blanket can be a good scene for an insta pic! You can bring food and have a picnic with your friends. Setting up a cute picnic scene is a great way to to get a unique beach pic. You can even bring one wine and enjoy the evening on the beach! You can have your friends take a picture of you sitting on the blanket with the food and wine for an artsy and chic picture!

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9.

Wear a Sundress

If you want a boho styled photo at the beach, try wearing a sundress in the picture. Go towards the evening so that the lighting will be a little darker and won’t be during prime tanning hours. The wind will blow your dress creating an artsy and boho aesthetic. Have a friend take your picture walking along the water or in the sand and this will come out so good! A white sundress will look the best since it will match with all the colors in the photo!

10. Keep It Simple

The last thing you want is a photo with too much going on that will have the viewers distracted. The beach is a calming and relaxing place so try to keep your beach photos simple. Simple colors and aesthetically pleasing photos will grab the attention of others!

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These are all great tips on how to take the best beach insta pic! If you used some of these methods, let us know how the came out in the comments below!

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How to take a beautiful photo on Instagram: from theory to practice

You must have heard that Instagram* is a social network for visuals, and photos are of paramount importance here. Not without exceptions, but that's how it is. What to do if you want to conquer Instagram *, but you have never been a photographer? How to take cool photos on Instagram*? Don't be upset, believe in yourself and read this article!

Benefits of Instagram* for non-photographers

If you have long been attracted by the art of photography, but are frightened by the number of complex words, technical nuances and long processing, your time has come - Instagram* will solve problems and awaken dormant creative potential. After all, everyone can take cool photos on Instagram* and upload normal, high-quality content to their profile! nine0003

A phone is enough

You don't have to buy a big expensive camera to take cool photos for your Instagram account*. You can get by with a smartphone with a good camera.

Single photo format

By default, there are two types of photos on Instagram*: square and rectangular. This means you don't have to worry about cropping, weight, or photo size. The social network will think about it for you. Catch cool shots and upload to your account by publishing a post or story. nine0003

Read our blog about the nuances of uploading photos to Instagram* without cropping.

If you make it a rule that your profile will contain only Instagram photos*, that is, square ones, you can do the following:

No photoshop needed

In the case of an ordinary camera and an ordinary website (or social network), it takes effort to turn a simple photo into a beautiful photo. Pictures will have to be uploaded from the camera to a computer, deal with processing programs (Photoshop or similar), learn a lot of complex words, like “exposure” or “trimming”. It's easier with Instagram. nine0003

The application itself has a shooting function. You can edit brightness, contrast, saturation and other parameters in the application by moving your finger along the scale. Here, on Instagram*, there are many filters that are superimposed on the photo with a touch, even a child can handle it.

When standard photo editing tools are no longer enough, check out our articles for more applications:

  • photo and video editing for Instagram*;
  • top 25 services for working on Instagram*. nine0037

Tip: If you don't want to share a photo taken and edited with Instagram*, save it to your smartphone.

After applying the filters, click "Download"

Insta photography theory

When deciding how to take good photos on Instagram * on your phone, follow a few simple rules.

Daylight

Light from a chandelier and lamp makes the photo yellow and distorts colors, so if you are new to photography, shoot only in daylight - it is the most advantageous. Daylight doesn't mean sunny day, it's just daylight hours. In this light, the photo turns out “as if alive”: with natural colors and shadows. nine0003

You don't have to go outside to take a photo on Instagram* in daylight, you can also take pictures at home. If it's dark at home, get closer to the window, shoot on the windowsill, or set up a photo zone next to the window.

Compose

The social network is not an online store, and photos of items on an etched white background that look great in a store window on Instagram * usually do not arouse much interest. Here they love photos with details and textures that are interesting to consider. In this case, you can use a white background, but if it is a sheet or a blanket, the frame will become more interesting. In addition to them, you can use a special photophone. Backgrounds come in different textures and colors: under the tree, under the concrete, under the brick - choose any. nine0003

The photophone itself, of course, is not very interesting. To make it interesting, you need to put something on it. It can be postcards, books, magazines, cookies, flowers, travel magnets - all that junk that gathers dust on the shelves and it's a pity to throw it away.

But if you are thinking about creating an online store, read “How to take a professional photo for Instagram *”, “Hand-Made. How to make a selling photo of a product” on our blog.

Clean lens

It may be obvious and funny, but it is the smudged lens that often prevents you from taking normal photos on Instagram*. One day I decided that my phone was broken: all the photos turned out to be cloudy. A few hours separated me from buying a new phone, when I realized that I just needed to wipe the lens.

Wipe the lens. Always clean the lens.

Focus on

There may be more than one subject in the frame. The most clear should be the main one. To "catch the focus" it is enough to poke your finger into the desired object on the phone screen. nine0003

Take a lot of shots

Back when everything was shot with film cameras, every shot was worth its weight in gold. Now, in the digital age, we can click the shutter until our phone runs out of space. Then remove the excess and click again. This is good, because it is not always possible to "see the frames" the first time.

Tip: Take multiple shots at once. Swap items in places, add new ones, remove unnecessary ones. Then choose the best option and publish a post or story. nine0003

The practice of insta photography

In theory, everything is simple and clear, but in practice, accounts are full of trash pictures. Why? Because after the lecture it is necessary to work out seminars to consolidate the material. And if “just a photo” in stories is still somehow appropriate, then beautiful photos should always be taken for posts on Instagram *.

Find examples

Taste can be trained like a muscle. Perhaps now you don’t know what a “beautiful photograph” is, how to build a frame, how to lay out small things on a photo background. But there are many who know and post cool photos on Instagram* - find them! Subscribe to accounts that you like, whose style is close to you. Let their photos constantly flash in your feed. nine0003

Practice

You can't use other people's photos. But you can take your photos "based on". At first, this will help you to “fill your hand” and feel the insta-style in photography. Do not worry that you are repeating, because you are unlikely to get exactly the same photo.

Over time, you yourself will learn to invent and see shots, and the need for repetition will disappear by itself. Repetition is only needed at the very beginning while you are learning. I myself went through this, learning to photograph from other people's photographs. nine0003 Friend / foe

Gather the base and ideas

Among the pictures you view, there will most likely be those that you can hypothetically repeat for your profile. Surely you also have beautiful bedding, or a cool mug, or you can also lay out dry leaves in a book, or it’s interesting to gut a bouquet. If you like the frame and you understand that it is not difficult to recreate it, take a print screen and save the idea for creating a photo in the Instagram format*.

Change your angle.

The simplest thing you can do. What is the point? You are asked to take a picture of a person. You take your smartphone, stand in front of it and press the button. Do not do like this.

Squat or stand up so that your faces are at the same level to prevent the person in the photo from turning out to be short-legged. For the next shot, climb somewhere higher and take a picture from above. Squat down and take a picture from below. Come closer and again from below. Take a photo from the side. Go behind the tree and take a couple more shots through the leaves. This is called changing perspective. nine0003 lissa.zn and _lsvln_ just put a smartphone in an unusual place for shooting, and the result was not “just a photo”

When you look at cool pictures on social networks, not necessarily people, think for a second where was the photographer at the time of the shoot. And how would the frame turn out if the photo was taken in a standard way, from a height of human growth.

You can't say better about the importance of the angle.

The technique is also suitable for subject shooting. You can take a beautiful photo of a mug on a table on Instagram* from a dozen angles: from the side, placing the smartphone on the table, just from the side, from the side of the handle, from the top in the center, slightly tilting the smartphone from above, and so on. nine0003

Reflection.

Also an easy trick. Look for reflections: in shop windows, in puddles, in mirrors, in sunglasses, and even in broken glass, if you're not superstitious.

irenaponaroshku and kristikut are experimenting while relaxing on the beach and taking Instagram photos* for posts and stories

Get deeper.

Cool trees, flowers, grass, children's climbing frames? Don't stand in the background, go inside if possible. nine0003 akmaral_bekmaganbetova and analim_oni were not afraid to go deep into the thickets

Seasonal photos.

There is something beautiful in every season. If you get stuck with ideas, remember what is now, what will not be later, and take a picture with it. In winter, it is snow, snowmen, a fairytale forest, garlands in the city and cool shop windows, snow fun. In the fall ... yes, you yourself will continue this list better than me!

In spring nature wakes up and photographer.victoria28 takes a photo with everything that woke up, filling the feed with spring content

Focus on one subject .

Often, seeing something cool, we take and take a photo thoughtlessly. Tip: Your shots will look more professional if only a small part of the beauty is in focus, and the rest goes into the background.

An example from my dacha. Pay attention to the grid - the main object is better placed along the lines or at the intersection points of the lines. The eye is so pleasing

A part of myself.

The picture will attract more attention if you shoot not just an interesting street or forest, but insert a part of yourself into the frame. Let it be your legs, or a hand with a hat or ice cream, it doesn't matter.

There is a story hidden behind such shots...

Film life .

When you blog and look for footage, walk the streets of the city and take a closer look at your surroundings. We all often hurry somewhere, and do not notice many interesting things. You can also ask to take a picture of you "in the crowd." Here you are going somewhere, or sitting on a bench thinking, and people, bicycles, cars are hurrying around. Just make sure the focus is on you. nine0003 Tip: if it's difficult, imagine that you are a reportage photographer, and your task as a newspaper editor is to capture the life of the city :-)

Natural frames .

Arches, a large mesh fence, an art object, even an inflatable swimming ring can become a kind of photo frame.

When shooting outdoors, just think about what could serve as a frame for a photo, and most likely, you will quickly find the right one. v.olga3 and krutikova_yana found ideas for Instagram photos*

Repeating objects, symmetry .

A row of identical cars, a long fence, even identical white sneakers lined up - all this attracts attention with its repetitions. The same with symmetry: the eye automatically begins to look for inconsistencies in ideality, and you have earned attention to your photo.

monika0305 sees symmetry in architecture, red_apple_photo in nature. When there is no symmetry around, create it yourself like ya.shedow

Use shadow .

Difficult but interesting technique. An ugly shadow will spoil even a beautiful shot. Do you want chic? Train your eyesight and repeat like a pro.

little_studio and irenaponaroshku and their shadow games

Funny shots .

The main rule is not to overwork. Such shots are best done by people with a good sense of humor. nine0003 Which of the “fu, not funny” photos do you think?

Selfie stick and tripod .

The tripod helps you avoid hand shake when taking pictures and take selfies without help. And with the help of a selfie stick, you can get breathtaking and amazing shots.

What is strength, brother? In stick, selfie stick

Camera zoom .

Do not use the zoom on the smartphone, it is better to approach the object yourself. In a smartphone, the zoom is not the zoom of a professional camera. It will ruin the photo quality. nine0003

As you can see, everything can be learned if you really want to. And Instagram itself is ready to teach you this. Your task is only to find what you like, remember and practice a lot.

Cool shots for you!

tips and tricks for capturing the perfect summer pictures

Travelers aren't the only ones under "beach hypnosis". Today, more and more photographers are drawn to the relaxing adventure of shooting at the water's edge - a real escape from the hustle and bustle of life, like a separate world floating before your eyes, where people from all over the world gather in one big paradise. nine0003

Digital camera beaches offer some great opportunities as they are places of natural beauty, color and interesting lighting. However, shooting on the beach also comes with a host of challenges, including potential camera damage, privacy concerns, and the challenge of making large open spaces interesting.

Tips and tricks for taking photos on the beach

As an enthusiastic photographer, you need to know how to capture beaches in a way that encourages people to visit them. You need to try not only to give an idea of ​​what the beach looks like, but also how it differs from all others. Consider a few recommendations.

  • Find good focal points before shooting

Some people say that beach photos always look the same - the same floating heads or people sunbathing, which ends up looking rather dull and even dull. nine0003

Be especially careful to look for focal points that can grab the viewer's attention and interest. For example, instead of taking pictures of sunbathers, why not take a picture of footprints in the sand or a person collecting shells? This way you will not only show a creative eye for photography, but also immerse viewers in the world of summer details: show, for example, how fine and white the sand is on this beach.

However, it is equally important to show the beach in its entirety and from different angles. A good example would be a shot that gives the viewer a view of the entire beach. The main focus of this shot is the beach and only the beach. If there are people at the location, there should be a minimum number of them in the frame, and, in addition, they should not be the center of attention. The photo should show the area and what kind of sand and water is on this beach. nine0003

Another example is a picture of travelers or a group of people interacting and communicating with their surroundings. In this case, the photograph must be unstaged. The purpose of beach images is to inspire people to visit the place in the picture. This can be, for example, a picture of a couple walking along the beach at sunset, or, again, people sunbathing in the sun.

You should also pay attention to pictures showing what people do during their holidays - playing volleyball, kayaking, a little boy with his kite, and someone who is riding a jet ski in the meantime. nine0003

  • Shoot one or more overviews

Before you take overviews, first ask yourself what you as a viewer would like to know. What facilities does the beach have? Is the sand fine and white? Or maybe it sparkles like diamonds? Is the water cool and crystal clear? Are there sunbeds and umbrellas for sunbathing? Where is the best place to watch the sunset? The purpose of such photographs is to help correctly define people's expectations.

  • Shoot during the golden hour

If ​​you want a magical yellow/orange/gold effect for your beach photos, shoot during the golden hour - minutes after sunrise or one hour before sunset. This soft, warm light is easier to work with, especially when the alternative is midday sun. You should also consider the fact that there will be fewer people at this time of day, and you will find that it is easier for you to choose an angle and get interesting effects of shadows and colors - especially in the evening when the light turns golden. nine0003

  • Shutter speed important

A faster shutter speed will stop motion and therefore show water without blur. It all depends, of course, how fast the waves are moving, but usually it is from 1/20 of a second or faster.

  • Use a flash or anything that reflects light

If you want to eliminate shadows on the faces of people in the frame (especially when they are wearing hats and glasses), use a flash when shooting. This will make your subject well exposed, the shadows will be removed and you will get the desired effect. nine0003

The best time to use this technique is when shooting in the sun. Experiment with a few photos before taking the final one to see which effect looks best. If you don't have a flash, you can use a reflector or something to help diffuse the sunlight.

When shooting with the flash set to full power, your subjects may look blurry and artificial. If they look overexposed and you can't reduce the amount of flash, try moving away from the subject a little and zooming in to get a tighter framing but less flash exposure. As usual - you need to experiment. nine0003

  • Use filters

Use UV and polarizing filters. Ultraviolet will help correct unwanted bluish tint, as well as filter out UV radiation. UV filters can also reduce atmospheric haze (bluish cast). However, the visual impact they have is small.

  • Follow the horizon

One of the most common problems in beach photography comes from working in wide open spaces with a long and often continuous horizon line. Do your best to keep the horizon perpendicular to the frame. Also consider placing the horizon off-center, as centered horizons can make the photo look split in half. nine0003

  • Exposure bracketing

Another challenge when shooting at the beach in the middle of summer is that it can be incredibly bright and the camera can underexpose shots if you're shooting in auto mode. It is worth mastering the manual shooting mode on the beach and experimenting with different exposure levels. You can often get better results if you look at the exposure the camera is offering you and then increase it by one stop or even two. Of course, it all depends on the situation - brightly lit landscapes are usually very complex, especially they have shady areas and brightly lit ones. Sometimes it's important to figure out which area you want to get a good exposure and focus on that, as getting it right is often impossible. nine0003

  • Spot metering

If your camera supports spot metering, you can overcome some of the above exposure problems.

Learn more