Tag Archives: beach
Beach Wedding in the Outer Banks
Christine and Mike’s wedding took place on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Their July wedding ceremony was at Our Lady of the Seas and was followed by a reception on the waterfront at the Inn on Pamlico Sound. Both settings provided beautiful locations for the wedding. The couple had a youthful energy that really shines in the photographs.
Look for a separate blog post on the beach portrait session with Christine and Mike at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
A picture is worth a thousand words, here is Mike and Christine’s wedding story.
Beach Portrait Session: Capturing the Colors of the Sea
Subject: Mark and Beth by the sea in Hatteras on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
This beach portrait is a glimpse into the casual, intimate life of the couple. Mark and Beth are avid ocean athletes and are passionate about the sea and all the life and mysteries within. The lines of the photo are clean and non-traditional and work powerfully together. The colors really capture that feeling of a great summer beach memory.
As a professional photographer, the mid-day sun can be a real challenge. Often, powerful lights are required to ‘overpower’ the sun’s bright light. More practically, a type of diffuser is used to block some of the sun’s direct light. The diffusers come in many different shapes and configurations. I have to admit this is the first time I have used a beach umbrella as a diffuser. Not only does it serve to help manage the bright sun, it also serves as a visual element adding to the photograph’s overall composition.
Cape Hatteras Sunrise Photography
After waking early and taking a peek at the water, I saw a beautiful morning coming to light. Realizing that there was no chance of of me going back to sleep I grabbed my camera gear and drove to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The morning sun was already above the horizon and just burning off the thin layer of fog that settled over night.
Most photographers in this area have their shot of the lighthouse and I have seen quite a few that are nice. I have shot the lighthouse on a couple of occasions, and find myself coming back to it from time to time. This morning I decided the light would make for nice photography.
This past weekend hosted a surf fishing contest, which ended yesterday, and a few fishermen were still in the area working for a big catch in the surf.
Photographing Flat Day on Hatteras
For the most part, our travels to Hatteras Island involve chasing after a promising wind forecast, or a hopeful swell. For us, the activities on the island mostly revolve around getting blown around by the wind or tossed around by the waves. Or, both.
Today was one of the days where you are able to catch up on work or projects or just laze around. Me, I had to go into work for a couple of hours today. After getting away from work, I made some stops by to see friends and take it easy and snap some photographs.
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- Cape Hatteras photography
The beauty of the island is glaringly apparent when the elements are at rest and I actually take time to slow down and soak up the incredible scenery. I had hoped to catch the clean waves before they dropped off, but managed to get sidetracked before I could make it back home to pick up my wetsuit and surfboard.
Since I had my camera with me, I took time to capture some shots of the island in all of it’s glory.
As the sun set Kim and I went for a short paddle board session on the sound. The water is crystal clear and quite cold – we have had constant northern winds for the past two weeks.
I also managed to get a few shots for an ongoing project I am working on.
Aloha.
Beach Wedding Bridal Portraits
So whenever I get a chance to shoot portraits on the beach I like to try many different poses as long as the bride is up to it and comfortable. Most brides are open to a photographer’s createive ideas, and working with a relaxed bride always makes my job easier. Then, if the other factors fall into place the shoot goes that much better.
With these shots, the light was just about perfect and the setting was ideal. I hardly used fill flash on these, except for a few that I was working to make the bride really stand off from the background, since the evening sunset provided a wonderful warm glow. I have been wanting to shoot in the sea oats that grow in the dunes on Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I have had ideas swirling around that I finally got to test.
I was very happy with the results after this shoot. Wedding photography can be a little stressful at times and keeping the bride (and photographer) relaxed is important. When you do get one that is at ease, the job goes much smoother.
Working on more weddings in the Outer Banks I am excited to see what opportunities I can create with the endless beauty of the area.
Aloha.
Kite boarding in Cape Hatteras
After a long wait for ridable wind, it seemed like a long wait, more like a couple of days, the wind picked up and people were on the water getting their fix. While waiting (and hoping) for the wind to build a little bit more, I took my camera into the shallow waters of Kite Point in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to shoot a couple girls that were throwing some nice moves. Not having a water housing for my camera(s) limits my shooting abilities near and around water. So I continiue to work in knee to waist deep water praying that nothing bad happens.
Tropical Storm Danny
With our latest storm sitting right off the coast here in Cape Hatteras, the expectations for severe weather have actually waned just a bit. Orignially, the storm predictions estimated the disturbance progressing into as high as a Category 2 hurricaine with chances of a direct hit to the Outer Banks areas. Things are still moody and rough, but not severe.
The storm has failed to strengthen into any appreciable threat. Unless you plan to enter the water. Of course, as wind/water junkies we (Kim, myself, and most of our friends) we fully intent to enter the water. All of the current warnings are for moderate to high rip current threat. The wind will not get much over 40mph and the storm swell is somewhere around 10 feet. Perfect conditions for ‘playing in the water’.
About the only rideable location for the SE winds today was the ‘point’ of Cape Hatteras. Yes. The little tip of land where the sandbar makes an almost 90 degree turn to the west and creates a south-facing shore. With the storm swell and wind direction kiters and wind surfers alike were taking advantage of what little riding there was. The waves were very disorganized and sloppy. Part of me was itching to get wet and ride the waves, but the other 99% of me was not in much of a hurry to get out there.
I was happy hanging out on the beach with my cameras and friends to watch as most of the kiters eventually slipped further and further downwind until they walked back up the beach. Besides, I’m saving my energy.
With the wind direction predicted tomorrow it should make for nice surfing. So it is off to bed for me… I need my rest. I haven’t been this tired for this many days since performing long range patrols as a young Marine.
Aloha.
Gone Surfing…
Yeah, many of my friends and family have wondered where I ran off to recently. No blog posts. No emails. Not even a text message from me. Well, I have been stranded on a small island.
That isn’t exactly true, but close… I took a job in Cape Hatteras, NC. As most who know me know I like to play, a lot, and Kim and I do much of our playing on the sandbar known as Cape Hatteras.
As the story goes, I have been coming to this island for 40 years now. It started with me at 6 months old and my parents kayaking from island to island freely camping. I don’t know all the details, but the story suggests that I (as in all of us) almost didn’t make it back due to typical storm conditions for around here. Since then, learning to surf here as a young Marine helped solidify my bond with this area. Kiteboarding has taken over and now I have the opportunity to spend even more time here for my career.
I was lucky enough to find a position with a local kiteboarding company, REAL Watersports in Waves, NC, who has crossed over into surfing and stand up paddle boarding. The atmosphere, the people, and the mission of the company make it a great place to work and make part of my life. As a long-time surfer and now kiteboarder this is an awesome way to continue (and further) my career – and yes, have a teeny bit of fun while I’m at it.
Since taking the job on July 16th I have spent a lot of time on the water as well as behind my desk. The job is demanding but the rewards are commiserate. The job description is Technology Manager. A new direction for my career. A lot of things are new to me and I am enjoying the challenge of learning new areas of the Information Technology industry. I will primarily be working from Richmond, VA but during the beginning I am spending a lot of my time ramping up at the office.
So my lifelong dream of becoming a surf bum is finally being realized. Kim and I have a ‘cozy’ little camper parked at a marina where things feel just like home. It is a bit tough sometimes with Kim being back and forth between Richmond. However, as I start to work from Richmond more we should be able to develop a manageable schedule.
To date, things have been a little hectic for Kim and I. Setting up some sort of domicile on the island, taking the new job, being apart, keeping our house in Richmond going, meeting new friends. It all adds up. Luckily, at the end of the day we have each other and get to go surfing, or kiteboarding, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, or having a sushi picnic on the beach enjoying a beautiful sunset.
Thanks and much love to Kim for being the amazing wife I am still wondering how I deserve. She has done so much to make this happen. Always supportive of me, and enjoying the lifestyle we built for ourselves as much as I do.
Aloha.
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