One of the most beautiful spots in Michigan is the lake shore along Lake Michigan. The crashing blue waves, warm sand beaches and orange-pink sunsets are a stunning backdrop for any photo shoot. Here are some tips and suggestions to make the most out of your boudoir beach shoot on the lake shore.
Top 5 Tips for a Beach Boudoir Photo Shoot
TIP #1: Scout Your Location
The most important thing when planning your photo shoot is to know where you are going to take photos. Having a vision in mind for the concept and styling will help you decide on your location. Are you looking for large areas of sandy beaches? Do you want to incorporate some of the green grass that grows along the lake shore? Or maybe more of the forests and trees? Some of the eroding sand areas make for awesome backdrops that remind you of the desert. Don’t forget the amazing lighthouses and piers that dot the Michigan lake shore all the way into the Upper Peninsula!
A second important part of planning your location is knowing where you can change outfits. You can do an entire photo shoot in just one outfit, but having multiple options with different backdrops will give you more variety in your photos! If you’re not able to find a place to change outfits at your chosen location, you can also use layers to create different looks and styles. A lacy cover-up, knit sweater, white shirt or even a flowing kimono-style robe are amazing options for layering.
TIP #2: To Makeup or Not to Makeup?
Should you wear makeup to your photo shoot? If you’re not planning on going into the water at all, then you can wear your normal daily makeup or even go bare-faced and beautiful. If you’re planning on entering the lake for photos and want to wear makeup, I suggest waterproof makeup. Waterproof mascara and a light waterproof lip tint are beautifully natural looking. False eyelashes are also a wonderful option. Be aware if you’re taking photos in direct sunlight that overly large lashes can cast long shadows on your face!
TIP #3: The Best Time of Day for Beach Boudoir
What is the best time of day to do your photo shoot? Honestly it really depends on your artistic vision! Sunset photos are absolutely gorgeous on Lake Michigan because of the stunning pink-orange sunsets that set behind the blue horizon. If you’re wanting more saturated colors of the sand and bright blues in the water, you would be better off taking photos at midday with the sun high in the sky. If you want to avoid any harsh shadows and work with soft, diffused light, you’d be best to schedule early in the morning or on an overcast day where the clouds create a beautiful softbox in the sky.
TIP #4: The Best Gear to Bring
My best tip for the gear to bring on a beach boudoir shoot is to KEEP IT SIMPLE! Don’t overly pack your bags! For one thing, sand gets EVERYWHERE. It’s a huge pain to clean all of your lenses and camera bodies after a beach shoot so keep your gear to a minimum. You also don’t want to chance anything falling into the water and getting destroyed. I suggest keeping it (at most!) to a couple of lenses, a backup camera body and a speedlight or small battery operated strobe.
A reflector is also a great tool to get the light right where you want it. Reflectors are a must have for a beach shoot. The inner diffusion material is great for keeping the bright sunlight off the subject’s face and the white, silver and gold sides are perfect for bouncing light right where you need it. I mostly use the white and silver sides but the gold side can be great for emphasizing a tan or at sunset.
TIP #5: Bring an Assistant
My last (and best!) tip is to bring an assistant! If you’re able to have someone tag along to help you during your shoot, I highly recommend it. An assistant is so helpful for holding your reflector or hanging onto your extra gear as you get near the shore line. I’ve nearly lost a number of cameras to those unexpected waves that come up and knock you over into the water! If you’re bringing a strobe along, an assistant is a must for helping you schlep your gear through miles of hot sand and holding onto your lightstand to prevent it getting knocked over by high winds.
Did you find these 5 tips helpful? Are you going to use these tips when planning your next beach boudoir shoot? What other suggestions do you have for someone planning their beach boudoir photo shoot?
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