Beach Day Smile
Canon EOS 6D Mark II
Aperture 56/10 ISO 100 Shutter 1/125 Focal Length 48/1 
Seaside Heights, New Jersey, US
Sep, 2023Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
After a few hours on the beach in Island Beach State Park, my daughter and I took a walk on the Seaside Heights boardwalk (New Jersey) where this photo was taken.Time
This was taken early afternoon in September 2021. It was the only chance we had that year to make it to the shore. It's one of our traditions when my daughter comes to New Jersey in the summer and this year, like the previous, was a challenge to go anywhere. In this photo, we stopped to eat at one of the boardwalk seafood places, something we enjoy when down in Seaside.Lighting
We were seated under the awning of the food stand, which helped balance the bright afternoon sun.Equipment
This image was shot handheld on a Canon EOS 6D Mark II with an EF24-105mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM lens.Inspiration
It was a beautiful day at the beach and we were both happy to have made it there right before the summer ended. I brought my camera along to capture all the sights and colors we had been missing during COVID. My daughter was especially happy since earlier in the week, it was looking as though we weren't going to make it before she had to return home to Virginia. Sitting down to some Jersey clams on the half shell and freshly squeezed lemonade really brought out her smile.Editing
The original raw image had some distracting elements from the food stand, including a large black and white umbrella right over my daughter's head. So I cropped the image to just catch her smiling face and the hat. I also raised the shadows and added some warmth to the overall image. A few slight adjustments to her skin tone and eyes and this is the result.In my camera bag
Back in 2021, I always had my Canon 6D Mark II with me and the EF24-105mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. I also carried a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens and a Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L. At the end of 2021, I invested in a Canon R5 with the RF 24-105mm F4 L lens and an EF to RF lens adapter, which is what I am using now. The body stabilization was what attracted me to the R5 to help with some wrist issues I've developed. The R5 has been great but some of my best photos were taken with the 6D.Feedback
For this image, the only advice I have is to LOVE what you are shooting, whether it is a person, the moment, the view or the mood. When I feel the connection, I'm in the moment and that's when I find I've captured something special.
