School may be back for the New Year now here in Victoria, but summer is still very much in the air and if your family is anything like mine, you’ll be making the most of it by hitting the beach on the weekends.

Or perhaps you’re in the Northern Hemisphere and dreaming of warmer weather by wrapping up warm and heading down to the beach to blow the cobwebs away (or even booking that spring break getaway!).

Either way, I’ve got you covered with some top tips for shooting at the beach!

I know the beach sounds like your camera’s worst nightmare…the water, the sand, the heat, the sunscreen, the watermelon covered sticky fingers, the full sun! But I promise, with a little care, you can make gorgeous images of your children and family with any type of camera you choose to bring.

I’m saying beach because that is where I live and where I go all the time, but all of these tips apply for any body of water - lakes, rivers, ponds, etc.

TOP TIPS FOR SHOOTING AT THE BEACH

1.PROTECT YOUR GEAR First things first, you need to make sure you camera and lens will be protected from the elements. I choose one lens for the day and put it on my camera before I head out (but if I wanted to swap lenses, I would do it in the car). I wrap my camera in it’s own towel for a bit of padding and then put it in it’s own waterproof bag with a lens pen thrown in, just in case it’s needed. And that’s it! Off it goes into the regular beach bag with everyone’s towels and clothes. I don’t bother with a special camera bag as I know the padding from the towel will protect my camera in case it gets bumped, and it’s sealed away in a protected bag from both water and sand (the towel acts as another layer of protection, just in case!). Everyone knows in advance that my camera is in the bag, so I’m the controller and handler of the bag for the day. My kids are also warned in advance not to splash me if I’m anywhere near them with my camera out.

When I’m ready to shoot, I carefully take it out, being mindful of not getting sand in the towel or the bag, and then I pop the towel back in and zip the bag back up keeping it sand free until I put the camera back. Once I’m done shooting and ready for a splash in the water myself, I reverse the process and carefully pack the camera away and back into the big bag it goes away from the sun, the heat, the sand and the water.

And most importantly, I ALWAYS wear my neck strap when shooting! After packing it so carefully, the last thing you want is to drop it in the water, in the sand, on rocks, etc. .

2. USE THE LINES When shooting at the beach, you have so many natural lines you can use to your advantage! Use the horizon line to ensure your images are straight, but watch that they aren’t cutting your subjects head off (you may need to squat down low or shoot down at your subject to avoid it!). Use the wave’s lines as leading lines leading the viewer in right to your subject. You can do the same with lines in the sand. Look for shapes the lines cause to create interesting compositions.

3. LOOK FOR REFLECTIONS When shooting near water, look for reflections. It’s a great way to add another layer of interest to your image. It’s easiest to find them in still, smooth water or wet sand. The lower you crouch down, the more reflection you’ll be able to see. And BONUS, you can find them no matter what time you're at the beach. They are there with the early morning light, the midday sun (perfect if you're enjoying the beach with your young family!) and are still around with the evening golden hour. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

4. CAPTURE THE ELEMENTS Just like you do with all the lines, use all the elements you find at the beach to your advantage and make your images stand out. Are you at the beach at midday? Capture shadows on the sand and water. Are there big waves? Capture them and the movement and bubbles they create. Is your kid skimming rocks on the water? Capture the ripples they create. Is the sun hitting the water in a magically beautiful way? Capture it. Is your kid chasing seagulls? Include them in your shot. Is your kid climbing rocks, running down the sand dunes, exploring rock pools, etc, etc, etc? Capture those elements!

5. INCLUDE THE DETAILS Details are such a great way to tell the whole story. Step back and include the crowds at the beach with you, or lack of crowds if you have the beach to yourself (lucky you!). Shoot the sandy hands, feet, legs. Shoot the beach umbrella or tent. Shoot the sand castles and beach toys. Capture the picnics and ice creams. Capture the walk down to the beach with everyone lugging their supplies for the day. Capture the kids wrapped up in towels at the end of the day.

6. CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE A very common way of shooting at the beach is to stand at the water’s edge and shoot straight towards the water. Although you can definitely get a good shot from this perspective, try mixing it up. Head into the water and spin around. Shoot at the shoreline, or get up close with your kids in the water. If you do head into the water, remember tip number one and PROTECT YOUR GEAR. Don’t go too deep, watch for big waves and slippery rocks, make sure you have your neck strap on, and when not shooting hold your camera up near your shoulder, just in case! Protecting your camera is super important, but you also don’t need to be afraid of a few drops of water (by drops I mean the odd small splash from a wave or child nearby, not submerging your camera!). Remember your camera has it’s own towel just for the purpose and you also have your lens pen if you need to wipe your lens.

Other ideas are shooting down at your subject, laying down in the sand and shooting low, shooting up, or use whatever is around you (remember tip number four, USE THE ELEMENTS). Use other people, the beach tent, umbrella, rocks, seagulls, etc to help frame your subject and get a different perspective.

8. FORGET ABOUT THE TIME OF DAY, WEATHER & SEASON We all love golden hour and it’s beautiful light, but when you’re going to the beach for the day with your family, you’re typically there during the day! Full sun, bright, harsh light and shadows are what photographers typically run from, but I really encourage you to still bring your camera out during the day. Not only will you be capturing your family’s memories (which is super duper important!), but you can also make really awesome photos…even at midday! Remember to CAPTURE THE ELEMENTS and use the harsh light, shadows and big blue sky to your advantage.

We are year round beach people so I bring my camera with me whatever the season or weather may be. Fog, clouds, wind and dark, grey skies are all wonderful to capture at the beach, as are kids dressed in puffer jackets and beanies (and BONUS, the beach is often A LOT quieter on these days!).

Hopefully these tips help with whatever camera you choose to bring on your next trip down the beach.

Have fun, experiment lots and enjoy the beach!

Jenny Rusby is a natural light, lifestyle and documentary photographer and specialised newborn photographer, maternity photographer and family photographer. She services all areas of Victoria, including inner Melbourne suburbs such as Richmond, Northcote, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Malvern East, South Melbourne, Elwood, as well as outer south eastern subrubs, bayside areas such as Morntington, Sorrento and Red Hill. She also services the west of Melbourne and will travel to Geelong and further on request.