Sunset Beach

DSLR Photography Long Exposure Lesson with Scott on Sunset Beach St. Petersburg

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Practicing long exposure photography - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/4 ISO 200 2sec tripod mounted with cable releaseNew DSLR Photography student, Scott, is a native of St. Petersburg.  He loves to photograph Florida's great twilight skies after the sun goes down.  He recently bought a Nikon D50 from a friend.  He has photography knowledge from the film days, but wanted to learn how to change the settings (and why) on a DSLR camera.  He was also trying to photograph twilight skies handheld!

The first thing I had Scott do is get his D50 onto his (headless) tripod.  Then I explained my progression for setting settings on my own camera:  aperture -> ISO -> white balance -> focus mode & points.  I told him to say goodbye to the presets on the D50's exposure dial and that we would only work with aperture priority and manual exposure the rest of the evening.  

Scott had a great enthusiasm for photography and photography knowledge.  He wisely had a notebook with him to write down the things I was going over with him.  As excited as he was about this preliminary stuff, his mind was about to really be blown . . .

Scott said he like to shoot well after sunset, and as mentioned before he was not using his tripod for this.  Plus he was not manually controlling the shutter.  So I had him setup his tripod mounted Nikon and compose the shot how he liked, then set his exposure to 10 seconds and put the shutter on the timer to reduce shake (since he had no remote).  He was amazed at how long 10 seconds felt and that it seemed like magic.  You can imagine what happened when we finally did 30 second exposures and even a bulb mode shot of 79 seconds!.

It felt great to be able to give Scott the tips he needed to be able to make the types of photographs he wanted to.  I look forward to seeing what he comes up with! 

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    • A Twilight Wedding on Sunset Beach Treasure Island Florida

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    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/8 ISO 400 1/80th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/2 power on light stand to frame leftI wonder if any wedding dress makers offer dresses made particularly for (hot) Florida beach weddings?  Many of the brides I photograph do a great job of getting around on loose sand in long flowing dresses, but I am sure glad to be wearing ultralight wicking materials rather than a highly non-breathable wedding dress.  Callie, as you will see, was still quite nimble despite the longish train of her wedding dress.

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/5.6 ISO 400 1/60th Nikon SB-800 Speedlight hotshoe mountedMost of the time for beach weddings I do not see the bride and groom until they are standing on the beach just before the ceremony.  They often come from out of state and do not hire me for any photography before the ceremony.  However, for Callie and Joey's wedding I got on the scene even before Callie donned her wedding dress so the above photograph shows the moment all the finishes touches to attire, hair and makeup were completed.  This also allowed me to get to know Callie a little before her wedding, which is a big plus for me as a photographer.  

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/5.6 ISO 400 1/60th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/2 power on light stand to frame leftNot only did Callie and Joey reserve photography time for before the beach wedding ceremony, but also for a time after sunset too.  No other beach bride from this summer has a portrait like the one above because no others reserved after sunset time for photography.  After the sun goes down, often the sky turns purple with hues of orange.  Add to that that Callie, shoeless, was willing to scramble up some jetties, all this enabled me to make basically the exact shot I pre-visioned.  

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/5 ISO 200 1/30th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/2 power on light stand to frame leftWe even had time for a few well after sunset portraits with Callie and her bridesmaids.  Again, this kind of photograph was a first for me this summer.  It was also a very fun series of shots to end the night on.  After the shot above, Callie and her friends put on their "silly faces" I believe they called them.  I will keep those shots offline though . . . thanks Callie and Joey for a very fun and creative evening of beach wedding photography.

    Tranquil Florida Wedding on Sunset Beach Treasure Island

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    I hope they do not mind the guest in their Sunset Beach wedding portrait!After many stormy evenings out on Pinellas County's Gulf of Mexico beaches, Maria and Michael's wedding night weather was tranquil, as was everything about their wedding.  On a week day evening Sunset Beach on Treasure Island is largely empty, save for shore birds and a passing dolphin or two.  

    The bride before her wedding, photo helped out by a timely wind gust

    All this was a relief to me not having to worry about having the wedding ceremony and time for photography cut short by an imposing thunderstorm.  The nearly empty beach also allowed me to choose backgrounds at will.  I could concentrate more on the lighting and composition.  I even had time to wait for the wind to catch Maria's dress.

    Maria continued my perfect streak of having nothing but utterly pleasant brides to photograph and work withI really like to have negative space in portraits when shooting them in either landscape or portrait orientation, especially when there are two people in the portrait.  Filling the frame is great for portraits as well, but when shooting on location at the beach, I think in a vast majority of the shots showing the beach as the background is best.  I could crop in on the above shot to create perhaps a more personal image, but then who would know they were at the beach?

    An increasingly requested shot -- couple facing the sea with backs to the camera

    Having the portrait subject not looking into the lens directly, or having the subject's face not visible at all is a shot I like to include in any portrait session to help create in the future a sense of wonder.  Not wonder in like Wizard of Oz wonder, but rather in making the subject wonder what they were thinking as they looked upon the vast sea, holding her/his wedded partner's hand for the first time.  If they can remember, how does it compare to the present?  

    Thanks to Maria and Michael for a calm, creative evening of photography.

    Martineau Candid Family Sunset Beach Portraits Florida

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    Nikon D80 with Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens @ f/2 ISO 200 1/1250th natural light (eyes not enhanced)

    The Martineau Family was visiting Florida from Pennsylvania . . . right in the middle of our stormiest stretch of weather.  However, once again I was able to finish the portrait session just before the rain started falling.  With three young children our time on Sunset Beach on Treasure Island was very fluid and fast moving.  We roved the length of the beach as both my Nikon D300 with Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens and Nikon D80 with Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens dangled around my neck allowing me to photograph those near to me and still capture the action happening a bit further away.

    Nikon D300 with Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/320th

    Due to the storm's approach Sunset Beach was fairly empty allowing nice clean backgrounds free of beach combers and looky-loos.  The Martineau children had free reign to run the shoreline.  I wonder if a lack of front teeth allows one to run faster or does it create wind resistance?

    Nikon D300 with Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/320th

    While the children did the running the parents did some of the heavy lifting.  I wonder, does a child notice the last time they were picked up by their father before they got too big to be picked up anymore?  Does the father think, "that was the last time I ever picked up my child."  Looks like there are plenty of years left of lifting though in this case.

    Nikon D300 with Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/400th

    No rest for the Martineau family that evening.  I encouraged them to be as active as possible (especially with dark clouds on the horizon).  I even asked them to run twice as the first time was not fast enough!  The faster you run, the more natural it looks.

    Nikon D80 with Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens @ f/2 ISO 200 1/1250thIn the end I was very pleased with the variety of shots I was able to make and the fact we all stayed dry the entire time, not taking into account any perspiration after such and active shoot!  Thanks again Martineau family for being so cooperative and not afraid to run! 

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    • Hebert Family Candid Florida Beach Portraits in Black & White

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    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens @ f/8 ISO 200 1/320th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight 1/2 power on light stand

    A majority of my photography jobs lately have taken place in the evening outside (or in "the environment" in photographer terms).  This has coincided exactly with the start of the subtropical thunderstorm patterns of west central Florida.  Thus, on top of all the other things I have on my mind as a photographer, nowadays the weather has become almost the dominant thought.  For my own shooting style, I do like the drama and dynamism a storm can bring to a photograph's background.  So artistically, I am very ok with them.  However, the logistics can get quite intense knowing when to continue a shoot, and when to run for cover!

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/8 ISO 400 1/320th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight handheld off camera 1/2 power

    As long as I am able to start shooting 30 minutes before the rain arrives, I have a very good sense for avoiding the rain.  Having lived in Florida since I was a boy, and spending most of that time outside, knowing if a storm on the horizon will pass or punish is an acquired skill.  With the Hebert family, we were at the far south end of Sunset Beach as a southerly storm closed in quickly.  I used my fastest shooting methods possible.  Got the shots I wanted to, then got everyone on the boardwalk back toward our cars in order to take cover if necessary, and if not then drop off all gear but what I can handhold and go back on the beach for a few final pre-storm shots.

    Nikon D80 Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8 @ f/4 ISO 500 natural lightWell, everything was timed perfectly as I was able to get all the shots the Hebert family requested and all the shots I personally wanted as well.  With all gear safely in the back of the Lexus and my drive away song queued, the rain fell.  Skills. 

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    • Stormy Rainbow Sunset Beach Florida Wedding

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    Rainbow on their wedding night! Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 250 1/125th strobist - Nikon SB-800 on light stand

    Storms were surrounding Sunset Beach on Treasure Island, Florida that evening.  They were rolling on from the west, and from the south, most unusual.  However, Lynda and David were to be married under the open sky right on the beach.  Fortunately, the ceremony was not a long one, and all we saw in the distance was a rainbow, not lightning.

    Sand pouring ceremony Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 250 1/125th Nikon SB-800 hotshoe mounted TTL modeLynda and David were a very elegant and polite couple.  Photographing them was a pleasure.  I was glad that David wore a dark blue jacket to contrast nightly with the white of Lynda's dress.  They ended their wedding ceremony by pouring sand into a heart shaped glass keepsake.  

    Lifting the bride! Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 250 1/125th strobist - Nikon SB-800 Speedlight on light standIn a way, I kind of prefer shooting on the beach with stormy skies rather than a pure sunset.  The former make for a dramatic backdrop and adds energy and dynamism to a shot.  Standing on the beach we can feel the surrounding energy too, and the slight element of danger.  Nevertheless, Lynda was willing to show off her quite good vertical leap.  We were able to get the above shot on just the third take.

    westward is peaceful Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 250 1/125th strobist - Nikon SB-800 Speedlight on light standYou may have noticed I used the same settings for all four shots: 

    • aperture - f/8
    • ISO - 250 (I confess this might be a mistake, probably meant ISO 200)
    • shutter speed - 1/125th
    • exposure - manual mode
    • strobe power - 1/2 (manual mode & off camera flash, save for one shot) 

    So if you find yourself shooting on a stormy evening on the beach facing westward, try giving those settings a try and post a link to your shots in the comments below.

    The storm?  Not a drop fell until I was already in my Lexus listening to Common take me home.

    Morning Wedding at Sunset Beach on Treasure Island

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    Lots of setup for this shot - Nikon D300 Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens @ f/4 ISO 200 1/500th strobist: SB-600 off camera @ 1/2 powerMost of the weddings I have been photographing lately have been on the beach at sunset.  This one was also on the beach, but in the late morning.  Even in May this mean we would feel the Florida sun's near full wrath.  I was of course clad in synthetic breathable materials, very breathable.  The bride, however, was in a beautiful but no doubt not breathable wedding dress.  So I made sure we made for what shade there was to get shots like the above, that both gave cover from the strong sun rays as well as softer light.  That shot also took a good amount of time to setup, making sure the hand placement was flattering, the strobe was coming in at the best angle, all while I was quite far away shooting with my Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens, at the full 200mm.  I wanted a shallow DoF (depth of field) for the shot requiring me to use a large aperture and long focal length.

    Braving the sun - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 1/500th strobist: SB-600 on light stand to left 1/2 powerThe sky was very blue that morning and the sea, BP oil free still, very green.  One is usually always pressed for time when doing the formal shots after the wedding ceremony, all the more so when guests are under threat of melting.  The bride, Cathie, and her maid-of-honor were the only two in full wedding attire.  I tried to work as fast as I could to get the shots they wanted of the two of them together.  We were in direct sunlight for the above shot, no diffuser.  

    Gulf of Mexico backdrop - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 1/640th SB-600 hot shoe mounted in TTL modeIn the end everyone survived, though perhaps a pound or two lighter.  The wedding reception was to be at Ft. Desoto Park, where I am sure Cathie was happy to finally be out of wedding dress!