Laguna Beach’s beautiful coastline has attracted tourists from all over the world, sparked popular TV shows, and remains one of Southern California’s most popular treasures along the Pacific Coast Highway. It’s easy to spend a day wandering the hidden beaches and winding pathways, enjoying the turquoise tint of its calm waters.
Photographing at the beach can sometimes be a tricky feat, since the sun can be extra glaring against the white sand. The most optimal times to achieve good lighting are during the early morning or towards sunset. However, not all of us can get up at the crack of dawn, and sometimes it’s nice to have an impromptu photoshoot in the afternoon. That’s where having access to particular camera settings come in handy.
With the Samsung SMART CAMERA NX mini, there are features to help you achieve that afternoon beach shot, while avoiding overexposure, and making the most of your lighting situation during times like dusk.
Here are three things you can do while shooting a beach scene during the afternoon:
- Focus on color. The Landscape Smart Filter on the NX mini takes pictures that emphasize the landscape and sky by increasing blue and green color saturation.
To shoot using this method set your camera in SMART MODE and select Landscape.
- Let the exposure guide you. When you shoot in PROGRAM MODE with the NX mini, your camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed and aperture value based on whichever exposure setting you choose. I suggest taking multiple shots using different exposures, and compare them to see which exposure value is ideal.
- Mix it up with black and white. Shooting in black and white puts more emphasis on the shapes and shadows of a scene. This is perfect for the afternoon when some colors can get drowned out by the light. You can change your shot to black and white using the Classic photo filter or during post processing.
To change your photo to black and white on the NX Mini, preview the photo you wish to edit and click MENU > Edit Image > Smart Filter > Classic
Ah, sunset! The time when a magical layer seems to be placed on every photo you take. A small time frame in which you can achieve the starkest shadows and a glow that creates drama and gives a sense of etherealness.
One of my favorite features of the NX mini is the Sunset Smart Filter, which emphasizes the sunset by making the colors even more intense. Below you can see the difference between a normal shot and a shot taken using the Sunset Smart Filter.
To shoot using this method set your camera in SMART MODE and select Sunset.
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