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Perfect Beach Exposures Every Time

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No more grey sand!

By Mason Resnick

May 29, 2011

The problem with beaches (or snowy landscapes, or any scene where there’s a lot of white or light colors) is that they mislead camera meters.

An automatically exposed image will be too dark. But you easily can trick your camera into getting the right exposure when the sun is bright and the sky is blue.

What you need: An SLR or any compact camera, as long as it has an exposure lock option.

If your camera has manual exposure mode:

STEP 1: METER THE SKY

1. Choose manual exposure if you've got it.
2. Aim at the sky, with your back to the sun. Make sure no land is showing and no clouds are in the viewfinder.
3. Take a reading off the sky. If your camera has an exposure lock option, aim at the sky as above, press the exposure lock.
4. Compose, focus, and shoot.

I do this whenever I shoot at the beach, and I get perfect exposures every time. Now you can, too!

STEP 2: COMPOSE & SHOOT!

About The Author

Mason Resnick is the editor of the Adorama Learning Center and a lifetime photography enthusiast.

> Learn more about Mason

> Find more articles by Mason

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17 readers rated this article. Average rating: 3.9 stars

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17 comments

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful

Might try this at Daytona Beach, FL in July

The camera that I'll be taking on my vacation with me is the Canon Powershot SX30 IS. It does have the exposure effect for 'beach' under the "scn" [scenic] setting. Of course, I'll only be able to apply this if we're actually on the beach itself. I always use the exposure effects that are under the "scn" setting and usually use the different options found within the "P" mode; if I want my photo to "pop", then I use the "vivid color" effect within the "P" mode. I also shoot in manual mode experimenting with the shutter & aperture values to see what the photo will look like, then can make adjustments accordingly. Unfortunately, my camera doesn't offer the shoot in "raw" mode, only shoots/records in jpeg.

by Jennie D in Yucaipa, CA USA on June 24, 2011

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful

what about people at the beach

can i get the people and the sky properly exposed using this method, and is there a trick for the fillin flash.

by david in miami on June 13, 2011

1 of 1 people found this comment helpful

correct exposure

meter off your hand, and add 1 fstop (the meter will read at zone V while your hand is a zone VI)...see Ansel Adams Zone system for further explanation

by killzen in florida on June 12, 2011

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful

Completely Incomplete Incompleteness

Great tip -- gotta try it.

by yobro in ny on June 7, 2011

4 of 4 people found this comment helpful

Exposure/Hand

I almost always shoot raw. The ability to adjust in photoshop, gives me the control and not the tech in the old film labs. Since the 70's I often have metered off my hands, off the street (great 18%) and occasionally a built in or hand held spot meter(to me not as good as the two aforementioned) Try it you'll like it.

by PK in Atlanta, GA on June 3, 2011

0 of 1 people found this comment helpful

re: Perfect Timing

The time to try this technique is now, before you go to Cancun. Otherwise you are just hoping that this will work. Don't rely on post processing - if you have overexposed you won't get anything in those white areas. Beaches, sand and snow are real challenges.

by photogrpahysnap in Florida on June 3, 2011

0 of 1 people found this comment helpful

WORKS!

I use this trick a lot.. Sometimes it won't work but for snow/sand try it. I carry a home made grey card that works too. Green grass and 13 to 18 percent grey cars are a favorite of mine too.. 9 times out of 10 I get good exposures. Nikon FM2. Ektar 100.

by BELOWZERO in OKLAHOMA on June 1, 2011

1 of 5 people found this comment helpful

@Response to Incompletes

Apologies if I got it wrong, but your comment makes it appear that you don't think RAW mode lends the "best image quality right out of the camera." In fact, it is the BEST way to get the best image from your camera. Metering and composition are exactly the same whether shooting in RAW or JPG. The difference is that if you find once you get back to your computer, that the shot is still not quite right, you can correct far more precisely with RAW than with JPG. Post processing your images doesn't mean you're a poor photographer. :)

by dlo_houston in Houston, Texas on May 31, 2011

0 of 3 people found this comment helpful

PERHAPS

some auto / P modes will RE FOCUS

by scottidee in West Palm Beach on May 29, 2011

2 of 4 people found this comment helpful

Remember your hands.

If you are trying to capture people that are not close, use the exposure lock on the reading from you hand in the same direction as the light will fall on the people.

by Colimer in Avalon, CA on May 29, 2011

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