Yay, It’s Beach season! I love shooting at the beach, simply because, it's where I've grown up, right here at the beautiful Jersey Shore. There's nothing quite like shooting subjects at the beach. However, there is definitely a downside to doing so. Which leads me to write this blog post.

Often this time of year I'll get clients requesting beach shoots. They see how soft and romantic the setting looks in my finished photos. Yet while they have this beautiful picturesque vision in their heads, I assure you getting that perfect shot is it’s anything but...

Let’s start with the wind. Sure some days you get lucky with little to no wind, but other days it’s like walking into a wind tunnel. Those beautiful tussled curls you spent an hour perfecting, have now become a matted tangled mess. 

Then we get to the sand. Normally toward the end of my shoots, I will bring my clients closer to the water where there is a high probability that they will get wet. Before I can even get my camera and everything angled everything correctly, a wave or two will have come close to knocking the client to the sand. Something I obviously never want to happen but sometimes it does. Now, this is all before I even begin to shoot, at which point, the subject is usually FULL of sand everywhere possible. That is never a good feeling.

Lastly, we will talk about getting soaked. While I always prepare my clients that they will be getting wet, nothing can quite prepare you for when you are fully clothed in hair and makeup and you are about to get drenched.

Which now brings me to my bloopers. I guess there is the first one for everything right?

Last Friday, I was finishing up the last few shots of the night. I saw a jetty that looked beautiful, but the tide was quickly coming in. As I set my client up against the jetty, looking BEAUTIFUL, trying to aim for a shot where the water splashing against the rock behind her. Well, boy, did we get it..... Let’s just say, my poor client was SOAKED head to toe. We both could not stop laughing. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard with a client during a session. Although she was soaked, I did get “the shot” and then some. She was such a trooper.

So here it is, what you do not always see, is what is involved in getting that one perfect shot. Timing, patients and ONE big wave are sometimes all you need. If you are lucky enough, you will get some photos you can laugh about years to come.

Thank you, Rachelle, here are your infamous beach bloopers!