beach portraits?

[princessmommy]

I will be going to the beach in about two weeks (in Florida) and I really want to get some good shots of my little girl. I'm still pretty new to photography and don't know a whole lot about the different camera settings. I have a Canon Rebel Xsi with the 18-55mm kit lens, and I'm planning on getting a circular polarizer here in the next few days or so. My question is, will the lens I have allow me to get some good shots? Are there any specific settings I should use? Any and all help will be really appreciated! Thanks!

-Melissa

[Trader]

Hi Melissa and (early) welcome to Florida. Which beach will you be going to? You should be able to get some good shots with that lens especially if you have a willing model. Your best light is going to be in the early morning and early evening. Other than that the overhead sun is very harsh and not flattering to most subjects. We plan a lot of beach shoots to take place 6:00 to 8:00 PM this time of year. Hope that helps.

[bstockman]

I agree with the comment above....I have the same camera/lens that you do, and I live a mile away from the beach in South Florida, so I have had plenty of opportunities to shoot at the beach. There is so much you can do! Definitely do early morning/late evening shots....the sun is less harsh, which makes the lighting very nice. Have fun experimenting with different aspects of your camera and your surroundings. Most importantly, enjoy your time at the beach!

[princessmommy]

@Trader: Thanks! We will be just outside the Destin area. I'm not sure how cooperative my daughter will be (she'll be 11 months) but I'll probably get some cute shots nonetheless.

@bstockman: I definitely plan on having a fun time!

Thank you both for the tips on shooting times. I'm really looking forward to our trip.

[SusanH1970]

Hi there! Times have already been established, just wanted to put my .02 in about camera settings.

For portraits of your daughter, shoot in aperture priority mode (AV) and use the widest aperture you can on your camera. At 55mm (don't shoot at 18mm or you'll get a distorted pic, sort of a fish-eye look) with your kit lens, that would be F/5.6. Be sure and focus on her eyes!

If she's walking/running yet, you can get some action shots, as well. You'll want to use shutter priority mode for some of these (TV) and bump the shutter speed up.

If there's a great expanse of white/bright sand, you might want to bump up your exposure compensation a stop or so.

Hope this helps out! Feel free to ask any questions if you would like further explanation. Have a wonderful time!!!

[l.k.madison]

I DEFINITELY agree with the exposure compensation...

Here's another hint passed on by a pro... if you know how to do it, zoom in on her face/body, expose your shot, then zoom out and ignore your meter and click. She'll be exposed perfectly and you won't have to worry about the white from the sand freaking out your camera. If your beach happens to have a west coast, try to catch some sunsets over the beach and play with shadows.

That beach will throw your camera for a loop so be careful, BUT once you get the right setting, assuming the sun doesn't drastically set on you, keep your settings the same and watch your meters.

Don't forget to set your white balance, it'll save you some time in post.

And as per always, shoot in RAW - it's WAY more forgiving if you mess up.