There are few better ways to forever preserve family memories than to capture a high-quality family portrait of your entire crew — and there are few better settings for doing just this than in the Myrtle Beach area. With its 60-plus miles of beautiful, white sand coastline running alongside the Atlantic Ocean’s calming blue waters, the Grand Strand offers a long list of great spots for snapping the perfect family photo.
When you and your family are ready to capture an image you’ll cherish for a lifetime, consider these five tips for upping your family portrait game:
Know what to wear — Coordinate all of the photo subjects’ outfits so that the colors complement one another. Everyone doesn’t need to wear the same color, rather they should wear colors in the same color family that work well together. Avoid busy patterns and prints — clothes with solid colors tend to look better in photos and reduce the risk of photo subjects wearing conflicting patterns that simply aren’t a good mix.
Ensure the right timing — For the best lighting possible, take your photos in the early morning or at dusk, as the sunlight is likely to be too bright for good photos at the in-between times closer to midday. Further, these times of day also tend to be a bit less crowded on the beach, and the temperatures also tend to be lower at these times, helping you and your photo crew to avoid getting sweaty.
Pursue optimal organization — Of course, the general rule of thumb for avoiding one subject blocking another is to have the taller subjects in the back, and the shorter subjects in the front. And, to make your photos more interesting, follow the rule of offset heads — which basically advises that you avoid lining up subjects’ heads either vertically or horizontally, as this makes the photo more visually appealing. All that said, try to catch the family having fun and looking natural, as portraits are more inviting when the subjects lively and comfortable.
Find the right location — Of course, the beach portrait is going to be taken on the beach, but there are a few things to look out for. Try to frame your shot such that leading lines draw the viewer’s eye to the subjects. One natural option in this case is to position your subjects such that the shoreline in the background leads to the people in the photo. Also, interesting background elements can include a sunset (of course), as well as common beach elements such aspiers, dunes, lifeguard stands, jetties or colorful beach houses. (For a distinctly Grand Strand photo, try arranging such that the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel or Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is seen in the background.) But try to avoid having too much going on in the background, as this can lead to busy backgrounds that distract from the photos’ subjects.
Share your shots — Once the shoot is in the books, be sure to share a few of your best images on your favorite social-networking sites such as Instagram or Facebook. To really set the scene, tag then with #myrtlebeach or #northbeachplantation.
Want to really take your family portrait to the next level? Consider hiring a professional photographer to capture the image. The Grand Strand is home to a number of professional photographers, most of whom are right at home taking photos on the beach. Two of the top beach-photography options in the Myrtle Beach area include Myrtle Beach Photographers and Pasha Belman.
After a day of making (and capturing) memories in the Grand Strand sands, head back to your comfortable accommodations and wide-ranging amenities at The Cottages at North Beach Plantation to rest up for more adventures in the Myrtle Beach area. Book your getaway to the Carolina coast today — and start planning a picture-perfect vacation with your family on the Carolina coast!
