Hello everyone! I'm Manuela Ortega. @maorlan in social media. I'm a photographer by profession and hobby 😉 I dedicate myself to wedding, fashion, and event photography, but in my free time, I also enjoy photography. I like to experience new things, enjoy my Lensbaby lenses (Obscura and Sweet 50mm with composer pro II), and play with light. I declare myself a total fan of lares and silhouettes.

I live in the north of Spain, in the Basque country. I live close to the sea, so I would like to talk to you again about photography on the beach.
I am a fan of the sea, the shore, and the colors of the light during the sunset or the sunrise by the sea. I wanted to experiment. I tried to create in the same space and the same moment, different effects, atmospheres, and colors thanks to playing with the situation of the sunlight and interchanging the Sweet 50mm and OBSCURA lenses.

I want to show you how to adapt and make the most of the Lensbaby Sweet 50mm lens both on a beach at sunset in the afternoon and the morning.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

I will also show you some pics taken with OBSCURA LENS at the exact moment, in the same place, and it seems they are taken at another time. The light, the colors, and the atmosphere is completely different. This is also because, with this lens, you have to raise the ISO much higher, which can affect the final image's color. It also generates more grain which gives it that magical vintage look.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Obscura

To do the session in the morning, I managed to create two atmospheres. A warmer one, taking advantage of the golden sunrise and a cooler one, placing the model on the seashore.
It is best to go to the beach very early in the morning to take advantage of the sunrise and the golden light that it gives you and that there are not many people.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

I started with the "golden" photos because the sun doesn't wait ;)
Specifically, for these photos, I took advantage of the mountain behind to look for that flare that I always loved to capture, and that gives a magical air to photography.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

In this case, I focused very sharply on the model, and the enveloping atmosphere was achieved with the effect of the Sweet 50mm. I intended to make the model seem to be in a different world.

Just by turning around and looking towards the shore, it looks like we are in a completely different place. The model was wearing jeans and a blue and white sweater to match the sea, the foam of the waves, and the sky. I wanted to play with those colors and look for something more "minimal."

Morning Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

I like to capture the static image, which allows us to focus more on the play of colors and that ethereal atmosphere you get with the sweet 50mm.
But I always make the model move, in this case, jump, to get more dynamic images with that fleeting fluid touch that makes the photo look like a watercolor.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

Morning Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

I also had the opportunity to take some pictures with my Obscura lens. There was so much light that it was a marvel. The flare with the Obscura lens is very different from the Sweet 50mm. Obviously, because the aperture is smaller in the latter and the sun's rays come out in a star shape.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Obscura

The OBSCURA lens achieves a wonderful retro effect, and the photographs look like they were taken many decades ago. They have a vintage feel that I love.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Obscura

As you can see, they are pictures taken on the same beach, at the same time, with the same camera, and are developed with the same preset they look like completely different places and even look like pictures taken in different years ;) That is because of the magic of the OBSCURA lens.

Morning Time - Lensbaby Obscura

Now I completely changed the scenery. We went to another beach for sunset time. I looked for a place on the beach where the models could play with elements. I let the models play, and I adapted to them. Sunset photos are always calmer because you don't have to run so much, and there is more time to enjoy the sun until the end.

Sunset Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

Sunset Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

Sunset Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

I always look for the flares and play with the aperture to make them sharper (closing the aperture) or more diffuse (opening the aperture). In this case, sticks of tree trunks were brought by the sea due to the storm of the previous days. Love to search the sun between the sticks and catch that flare with the shape of a star.

Sunset Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

As a nice idea for different photos, I usually look for a flat area, free of elements, where I place the models and tell them to play at running and stealing the sticks of the trees they are holding. I get very low with the camera, and the result is these very special images in which it even looks like the children are playing in a desert on Mars. Then here comes into play the creativity of each one and the edition that we want to give.

Sunset Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

There are some pics in which you can appreciate a slight vignetting; in others, I like to completely silhouette the model.

Sunset Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

Sunset Time - Lensbaby Sweet 50

In short, to take advantage of the most beautiful light for photos on the beach, the ideal is to go very early in the morning or very late at sunset. Prepare the wardrobe and some entertainment for the kids, and the most important thing: Enjoy and play with the light of the sunrise, the sunset, the Lensbaby lenses, and the favorite hobby we have in common ;) Photography!!!

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