Beach photos in the summer, don't want sunbathers in it.

WeLoveLilo05

Anyone have this problem?
We're getting married on 8/6, the ceremony starts @ 5:30 and cocktail hour begins immeditatly after (ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception is all in the same place). The owner of the venue highly recomended we take our pictures BEFORE the ceremony so we don't miss out on our cocktail hour, so I was thinking of going to the park and the beach beforehand and hoping the beach won't be as crowded at 4.
Anyone figure out a way to ensure I won't have people laying in sun behind me in my pics?
Any empty beach areas anyone know of?
We have a few that are the "surfer only" areas so not too many sunbathers so I was considering that.
Us, the park, the beach, and the venue are all in the same town so transportation time isn't too much of an issue.

Reilly626

Thats my anniversary!  What beach? Long Branch?  I always sit and watch the wedding/pics there as Im laying on the beach

diamondx423

What beach? Some are generally less crowded, aka not Belmar

WeLoveLilo05

Spring Lake
Theres the surfer area, but I was wondering if theres an area elsewhere where I may have more luck? Manasquan, Sea Girt, even if i have to go to Bradley Beach its not too far.
We are planning on doing them at the park also, I was thinking of going to Georgian Court to take some pictures instead, but thats more time that we dont really have. And even though I gradated from there I am not really sure what steps I'd have to take in order to take some pictures there.

GolfChick78

A couple of thoughts.

One is that I think you're photographer is mistaken in wanting to take pictures earlier instead of later.  The light on a beach is so much more beatiful later in the day as the sun gets lower.  Your choice and there are a lot of reasons to want to do portraits early; just thought I'd mention it.

Also, if you're worried about people in the background, go with the surfing spot.  It should be pretty easy for the photographer to clone those people out.  You should tell him that you expect this, but any pro would already plan to do it on their own.

felicia220

I got married 6/26 in long branch on the beach.  First, I agree with PP about doing pictures later, I understand if you don't want to miss your cocktail hour, but if you don't care one way or the other than I would do the pictures later.  

You also have to think about how strong the sun will be at that time.  Not only will it be very hot (getting sweaty before the ceremony is not something I would want to do)  but you will also have a lot of squinting eyes, the later it is the lass intense the sun will be.  As for sunbathers, you will just have to work around them.  

It would be great to find a beach where there is as few people as possible.  But when you are dealing with public places like that, it is just something you have to deal with.  

Our ceremony was on the beach, directly behind us towards the water was a couple who decided instead of moving over they would turn their chairs around and watch......yup they sat there and watched the entire ceremony front row.  The videographer avoided getting them in the shot and the photographer photo shopped them out of every picture they were in.  Now we laugh about it now, then my family was flipping out (H and I had no idea this was going on until after the ceremony)

USER876

A good photographer can work in just about any light.  The light earlier in the day or later in the day is more pleasing and allows for better posing options though.  However, in the summer, the "good light" is probably too early or too late for you (hour after sunrise or hour before sunset) so I wouldn't worry much about it.  You just want to avoid high noon.  When the sun is straight overhead it casts unpleasing shadows on the face, especially under the nose.

The photographer will probably face your backs to the sun, so later in the day, the backdrop will be the dunes, and earlier in the day backdrop will be the ocean.

As for a secluded beach, there is one in Keansburg by the rides that is typically dead.  I have done a few G&N shoots there and sometimes you don't even see one other person the whole time.  This location would be perfect.