18 Beach Photo Ideas (Poses & Accessories Tips Included)

Looking for creative beach photo ideas to try this summer? Want your Instagram account or family album to be full of sunny and funny beach pictures? In this article, I will tell you about the most successful ideas for beach shots, recommend the most picturesque beaches, and provide tips about poses, accessories, clothes, etc.

First, selecting the right outfit, and accessories are crucial for planning your beach photoshoot. To make the preparation stage more efficient, I’ve created a detailed list of appropriate clothing items, and accessories for both sexes. 

To make sure that you look perfect in beach images, apply the sunscreen at minimum SPF 30, moisturize your skin, and exfoliate dead skin cells to achieve a perfectly smooth skin surface. As for a hairdo, doing light waves and a messy bun are the most successful options. But do not forget to use a UV-protectant leave-in conditioner to defend your hair from sun damage.

Another useful tip is to do light and water-resistant makeup to look nice and natural. Apply a bit of highlighter for a more glow and a tinted lip balm with SPF for lip care when turning all your summer photo ideas into life.

First, do some research to find the best locations for photography. For this, it is important to consider multiple factors like lighting, scenery, and accessibility.

Besides, it is important to check the weather forecast to choose the most appropriate day and lighting conditions for a photoshoot. In this case, such apps as Sun Surveyor or The Photographer's Ephemeris, which allow tracking the sun's position to take amazing shots either at sunrise or sunset, will come in handy.

In addition, you can also benefit from Tide Charts or the MSW Surf Forecast app to check the tide times and wave conditions and create the most optimal conditions for realizing various beach photoshoot ideas. Use these apps to plan every detail of your photoshoot to take advantage of each chance to capture breathtaking pics.

Furthermore, I’ve created a special table where I describe the most popular beaches, which are perfect for organizing a photo session. Here, you’ll find info about the pristine sands of Bora Bora in French Polynesia, as well as the picturesque cliffs of the Isle of Lewis in Scotland – each spot has something special to offer.

This couple photo idea allows capturing the unique summer vibe showcasing yourself in a relaxed pose with an exotic cocktail. This photo will be full of colors and have a fun mood.

Ideal hairdos at the beach are what you can forget about. Natural beach waves are preferable for such a photo shoot. With hair blowing in the air, your picture will look candid and romantic.

Adventurous people will be thrilled to capture the moment of jumping off from a cliff into the water. But keep in mind that this Instagram photo idea is not for amateurs and demands much preparation, as well as full compliance with safety measures. The area for jumping should be safe and there should be someone to take this amazing shot.

Even if you are not a professional surfer, you can try taking a cool pic with a surfboard. Head to the shore and shoot a relaxed photo with a beachy vibe.

Choose a location like a deserted beach with palm trees to add a tropical touch to your images. No matter whether you decide to stand or sit next to a palm tree, the mesmerizing views of the shooting spot will make your photo eye-catching and unique.

If you are looking for fun beach photo ideas, this one is definitely what you need. To realize it, you’ll need some props like a mermaid tail blanket or you can also try to transform your friend into this fantastic creature with a creative digital drawing.

The variety of props that can enhance your beach photos is really huge and includes bright beach umbrellas, oversized inflatable floats, exotic fruits, etc. Tinker with different compositions and accessories to define the most successful combination, which will make you look amazing.

Bring your shooting experience to a new level by using a drone to capture the beauty of the location from another perspective. With this accessory, you can discover interesting angles and create compositions that cannot be achieved when shooting from the ground. This device allows showcasing the beauty of the beach and the surrounding area.

Unleash your imagination and try to build intricate sculptures, patterns, and designs from sand. To realize this family photo idea, tinker with different tools and techniques like rakes, shells, and more to create original compositions.

Other photography ideas on beach include showcasing the collection of seashells in a visually attractive way, and arranging them in some patterns or designs. Do not be afraid of experimenting to create original and well-contrasting compositions.

To take cute beach pictures, consider organizing a beach picnic with all the appropriate accessories like blankets, cushions, and tasty snacks to create a cozy atmosphere. Focus on shooting the moments of sincere joy as well as the pleasure you get from communication with your nearest and dearest.

Underwater photography, which is ideal for shooting in shallow coastal waters, is a perfect genre for creating unique perspectives.

A waterproof camera or water-resistant housing is a must in this case, as you will need to submerge a device in water to capture marine life and exquisite views. Tinker with different angles and perspectives to take amazing underwater portraits.

Practicing yoga and meditation is one of the greatest beach photoshoot ideas for girls. Do some simple asanas or sit quietly with your eyes closed to relax while listening to the song of the sea. Such photos will create a peaceful mood and translate your inner calm.

Relaxing in a hammock under palm trees reading an interesting book or listening to music is a great pose to shoot amazing beach photo stills. A pic featuring yourself lying peacefully in the hammock with the ocean in the background will definitely look impressive.

Gather all your nearest and dearest around the fire telling engaging stories to realize this group photo idea. Tinker with long exposure shots to capture the beauty and spurts of flame.

Nowadays, social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have become increasingly popular, and people’s longe to produce visually appealing content has also grown.

So, shooting multiple pics and publishing them using a smartphone is a common practice today. Therefore, most likely, you are planning to conduct a beach photo session using your smartphone, so I also want to give you a guide with all the settings and modes that you benefit from.

Choose the right time. Early morning and late afternoons are the perfect times of the day for realizing your beach photo ideas. First, there are a few people on a beach during these times and the light is soft, which is ideal for enhancing the natural beauty of the sea and shoreline.

Consider your background. The area behind your subject should not have any distractions like people, trash, or umbrellas. To make the subject your focal point, the background should be as clean as possible.

Add movement. By adding motion to your smartphone photography, you can convey a special energy offered by the beach. Ask your model to perform any action like jumping, running, or twirling in the sand to create a lively and exciting atmosphere in your shot.

Try out different angles. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to add some spice to your composition and make it more visually appealing. If you want your model to appear larger, shoot from the ground level. By taking pics from above, you can benefit from the unique bird's-eye view.

Choose various props. Do not hesitate to include different props like beach balls, hats, sunglasses, or colorful beach towels to add a personal touch to your images and make them more stylish. Pick props that align with the theme and mood of your photoshoot.

Capture reflections. Find the reflections of the model or the surrounding object near the shoreline and capture them to add a special touch to a composition. Reflections make the image deeper and more visually interesting, so benefit from them.

Protect your gear. Sand and saltwater might have a destructive effect on your pricey shooting equipment. So, you should either have a water-resistant camera or get equipped with a watertight camera case to prevent damage.

Stay relaxed and amuse yourself. Most importantly, to take cute beach pictures, you should relax and get pleasure from the whole process. Such photoshoots are fun and relaxed, so capturing spontaneous moments and unleashing your creativity is the key to success. Have fun, experiment with props and ideas, shooting amazing pics featuring candid moments full of life and a beach vibe.

These tools are perfect for adding a romantic and warm atmosphere to your beach photos. Thanks to them, the color scheme of your pics will feature predominantly orange, yellow, and brown tones. It is possible to use any Lightroom sunset preset in every Lightroom version including Lightroom Mobile, Lightroom 4, 5, 6, and CC.