| How to Take Beach Photos Posted: 30 Jun 2021 05:00 PM PDT Between the clear waves, colorful sunsets, and beautiful shoreline, beach photos are inspired. However, it's also a little challenging to get the lighting just right. You want your subjects to show up on a bright, sunny day, or be visible if you're photographing in the evening. Read a few of the most common questions that people have about capturing memorable beach shots. [Edit]What settings should I use for beach photography? - Use your camera's beach mode if you don't want to manually adjust the settings. If you don't feel comfortable adjusting shutter speed, flash, or ISO, look for the "beach mode" on your digital camera. When you choose this setting, the camera will automatically adjust the light sensitivity to balance out the sand and sun. This way, your subjects will be visible instead of too dark.[1]
- "Beach mode" might be listed as "snow mode" on your camera. You can use either setting when shooting at the beach.
- Play around with a higher shutter speed if you want to adjust the settings. If you want to control the effects of the waves, for instance, change your shutter speed. Make it faster, around 1/250 or 1/500, to freeze the waves, or set a slower speed, around 1/125 or 1/60, to get a misty, blurred effect.[2] When you have a fast shutter speed, you can set the aperture (f-stop) so it's really small and you'll get a focused shot.[3]
- If you want to adjust the aperture, remember that a larger aperture blurs more of the background. If you don't want the water to be in focus, for instance, try shooting at f/8 or f/11. This can make the waves blur together.
- Use a flash if you're taking portraits at the beach. If your subjects are in front of your light source, so if the sunrise or sunset is behind them, use your camera's flash. The light fills in their faces so you don't get shadows or a silhouette. The flash also balance out the exposure in the shot.[4]
- Taking a landscape shot? Skip the flash since you're trying to balance the light of the sand, water, and sky.
- If you stand too far away from your subject, the flash won't be very effective so read your camera's manual to find out how close to your subject you need to be.
[Edit]How can I take beach pictures with my phone? - Shoot in burst mode so you're more likely to get a good image. Sometimes camera phones aren't as responsive as digital cameras. To increase your chances of taking a great shot, set your camera phone to burst mode so it takes at least 3 photos every time you press the shutter button.[5]
- Your phone may take more than 3 photos in one burst. Read your manual to find out how many frames it will take with each shot.
- This setting is really useful if you're trying to photograph people as they move or act casually.
- Hold your phone right at the water's level to get a great beach reflection shot. Camera phones offer a little more flexibility when it comes to getting close to the beach. Support the bottom edge of your phone and lower it down to the water. Then, exhale while you press the capture button. This is a great way to get a unique landscape since you'll capture more of the water or sky.[6]
- This is a wonderful way to focus on details that are along the shoreline while capturing the waves or an amazing reflection.
[Edit]How do I take sunset photos at the beach? - Position your sunset so it's not in the center of the photo. If you put the horizon line with the setting sun in the center of your shot, it can look too forced or staged. Instead, frame your image so the sunset is off-center. This leads your viewer's eyes towards the sunset and makes for a much more interesting picture.[7]
- Think of your image like a grid that's divided into thirds. Photograph the sunset so it's not dead-center. Instead, it should be in the upper third or lower third of the frame, or to the right or left.
- Shoot from low down to capture more of the water or sand. To create a dramatic sunset shot, get down on the beach or set up a tripod so it's almost on the sand. Then, focus your camera on something that's in the foreground like a unique rock or piece of driftwood. You'll get the details of your subject with the beautiful sunset reflected in the water on the horizon.[8]
- Work quickly since the sun goes down quickly once it's reached the horizon.
- Skip the flash if you'd like to make a dramatic silhouette. For a more artistic shot, don't illuminate your subjects. By shooting without a flash, you'll create a dark silhouette that is really striking. Try this if you're photographing couples and want to create a sense of intimacy, for instance.[9]
- This works well if you don't want to focus on facial expressions or the subject's details.
[Edit]How can I take beach photos of myself? - Take a selfie! If you're walking alone on the beach and inspiration strikes, simply position yourself in front of the waves and point the camera directly at yourself. Let your finger push down slightly on the shutter to focus the shot before you take it. This way, you'll have a clear picture of yourself with the beach in the background.[10]
- For an easy shot that looks relaxed, stretch your feet out on the sand. Photograph your feet with the waves lapping against them. The image will look casual, but stylish.
- Set up a tripod so you can pose without getting a blurry image. If you've got the time and equipment, set up a sturdy tripod on the beach and attach your camera. This makes it easier to compose your shot and check that everything's in focus. Then, set the camera's timer so you can get in front of the lens before it takes the picture.[11]
- If you don't feel like scrambling to get in front of the camera before the timer goes off, attach a camera remote control. Then, just press on the control when you're ready to take the picture.
[Edit]What can I do to make my beach shots turn out great? - Choose an interesting subject. Sure, the water, sand, and sky can be beautiful, but if you really want your beach image or landscape to stand out, choose a unique subject. You could photograph people, creatures at the beach like nesting birds, starfish, or crabs, or things on the shore. Try photographing piers or boats, for instance.[12]
- Use reflections in your photography! The reflections from a tide pool or from water trapped in a rock can make for unusual beach photographs.
- Capture the details and textures of your subjects. Get close so you see the rough texture of driftwood, impressions in the sand, or foam on the edge of the water. If you're getting really close to something small, turn on your camera's macro setting to capture the most detail.
- Take your shots in the morning or late afternoon so you don't get harsh lighting. If you try to photograph in the middle of the day—typically between 10 am and 2 pm—you'll get glare from the sand and extreme shadows. To capture great shots with natural lighting, photograph when the sun is low in the sky—early in the morning or in the twilight.[13][14]
- The softer lighting will make it easier to capture details on the beach like the grains of sand, the waves lapping at the shore, and your subjects' faces.
- The hour before sunrise and after sunset is known as the golden hour. This is when the lighting is warm and golden. You won't get many shadows, but you'll get naturally gentle lighting.
- Make sure the horizon line is straight. The horizon line is one of the first things you'll notice about a beach shot if it's at an angle, especially if you've shot a sweeping landscape image. To ensure your horizon line is balanced, line it up with the bottom or top of the frame. If your camera has a digital level or grid, use the feature to line up the horizon line.[15]
- To use the digital level, look through your camera's viewfinder or monitor. You'll see a level gauge and it should turn green once the horizon is level.
- You don't need a special lens to take photos at the beach. In many cases, you can use your camera's zoom features to get close to something on the beach or pull back to get more of the waves or sky.
- Don't be afraid to get into the water! Sometimes, you can capture unique shots by walking right along the water's edge.
- Try to visit the beach during the off-season so you avoid crowds.
- Keep your shadow out of the shot!
[Edit]Warnings - Sand and salt water can damage your camera lenses so be really careful as you photograph on the beach.
[Edit]References __QAM__ |
| How to Refinish a Coffee Table Posted: 30 Jun 2021 09:00 AM PDT Refinishing a coffee table, whether it's a thrift-store find or a piece you've had for years, can bring it back to life so it looks great in your home. To refinish a coffee table, start by sanding off the old finish. Clean up all the wood dust from sanding so the bare wood surface is clean and ready for a new finish. After that, apply a new finish like furniture oil, wood stain, varnish, or paint that will give the coffee table the final look you want. It's up to you to decide if you want a natural-looking wood finish or a colorful, funky-chic paint job! [Edit]Sanding off the Old Finish - Pick an easy-to-clean area to work in or put down a drop sheet. You will be making a mess as you refinish the coffee table. Work outside or somewhere like a garage if you can, or put down a drop sheet, tarp, or plastic sheet to catch the dust from sanding and protect the floor from spills.
- If you don't have a good work area or some kind of drop sheet to use, you could put down 2-3 overlapping layers of newspaper or even create a drop sheet by taping some plastic garbage bags together.
- Clean the surface of the table with a mild soap and water solution. Mix 2-3 drops of gentle soap, such as a mild liquid dish detergent, into a cup or bowl of water. Soak a clean cloth in the soap solution and wring out excess water until it's not dripping. Rub down the entire coffee table with the damp cloth to clean off dust and grime.[1]
- It's important to clean off the surface very well so there are no grains of dirt that you might end up grinding into the wood as you sand.
- Remove the finish by sanding the coffee table with a coarse-grit sandpaper. Attach a sheet of coarse-grit sandpaper, like 40- or 60-grit sandpaper, to a sanding block or electric sander. Start sanding, going with the grain of the wood, until you remove all the finish and expose all the bare wood.[2]
- Wear a face mask and goggles whenever you're sanding to keep wood dust out of your mouth, nose, and eyes.
- If there are any hard-to-reach areas, such as engraved legs or sides of the coffee table, fold up a piece of sandpaper into a small square and sand those areas by hand.
- If your sandpaper stops removing the finish at any point, stop sanding and feel the sandpaper with your fingers. If it is smooth, it has worn out and you need to replace it with a fresh sheet.
- Wipe down the entire coffee table with a clean cloth to remove the wood dust. Use a tack cloth or other clean, soft cloth to wipe away all the dust from sanding. This will allow you to better see the exposed wood and continue with sanding and preparing the surface for a new finish.[3]
- A tack cloth is a cloth specifically made for cleaning up wood dust. You can purchase one at a home improvement center, a woodworking supply shop, or online. If you don't have one, something like a microfiber cloth or an old cut-up T-shirt will work.
- You could also use a vacuum with a hose attachment to suck up the dust.
- If you notice any spots where there is still paint, varnish, or stain showing after you wipe away the dust, go back over them with the coarse-grit sandpaper until the wood is bare.
- Smooth the bare wood surface by sanding it again with fine-grit sandpaper. Put a sheet of fine-grit sandpaper, like 120- or 240-grit sandpaper, on your sanding block or electric sander. Sand down the entire coffee table, going with the grain, until it is completely smooth.[4]
- Stop sanding periodically and run a hand over the whole coffee table to feel for rough spots. Keep sanding and feeling the table until it feels like it has a uniform smoothness.
- Clean off the coffee table with mineral spirits to get rid of fine wood dust. Wipe off the loose dust with your tack cloth or other soft cloth. Dampen a rag with mineral spirits and wipe down the entire coffee table to clean it and prepare it for finishing.[5]
- Wear a face mask when you apply mineral spirits so you don't inhale the fumes. If you are working inside, open up any doors and windows you can to ventilate the space.
- Mineral spirits are also known as mineral turps or mineral turpentine. The liquid is very similar to paint thinner, which you can use as a substitute if that's all you have.
[Edit]Applying a New Finish - Finish the coffee table with furniture oil if you like the natural look of the wood. Apply a natural furniture oil, like tung oil, teak oil, or Danish oil, to a clean cloth. Rub the oil into the coffee table with the cloth, going with the grain, until you have applied oil to all the bare wood. Let the coffee table dry overnight, then apply another coat of oil if you want to bring out the colors of the wood more.[6]
- Furniture oil will soak into the wood to protect it. You can apply it as often as you want to enrich the finish of the coffee table and keep the wood protected.
- Furniture oil enhances the natural colors of the wood without drastically altering the color. Depending on how much oil you apply, it can slightly darken the wood.
- Stain the coffee table if you want a darker or different-colored wood finish. Apply a coat of the wood stain of your choice with a paintbrush using long, smooth strokes and going with the grain. Wipe off any excess stain with a clean cloth, then let the stain dry for as long as the instructions on the packaging recommend.[7]
- Since you are applying stain to bare wood, the wood will absorb it very easily. If you don't want the finish to be too dark, wipe off excess stain right away.
- If you want the finish to be darker, you can apply 1-2 additional coats of stain after the first coat dries, wiping off excess stain after each coat. Make sure to let the second coat dry before you apply a third.
- Varnish the coffee table if you want a clear protective finish. Use a paintbrush to apply a polyurethane or polycrylic wood varnish of your choice. Go with the grain and use long, straight strokes to apply an even coat all over the coffee table. Let the stain dry for as long as the manufacturer's instructions recommend, then apply another coat if you want added protection or more shine.[8]
- Varnish is a transparent protective finish for wood. It comes in matte, semi-gloss, and glossy varieties, so you can choose whether you want the coffee table to look more natural or shiny.
- You can also apply a coat of varnish on top of a wood stain if you want to make the table glossier and give it an extra protective layer.
- Paint the coffee table if you want it to be a totally different color. Apply a layer of primer to the wood using a paintbrush and let it dry for 1 hour. Paint over the primer using a paint of your choice, working with the grain and using long, even strokes. Let the paint dry for 4-8 hours, then add a second coat if you can still see any of the primer through the paint.[9][10]
- Flip your coffee table upside-down when you paint it to ensure you paint the insides of the legs.[11]
- You can use either oil-based or latex-based paint for the coffee table. Keep in mind that oil-based paints take up to 8 hours to dry, while latex-based paints only take about 4. Latex-based paint is easier to clean up after, as you can just rinse out your paintbrush with water. Oil-based paint requires paint thinner to clean up.
- You could use 2 different shades of paint to give the coffee table a 2-tone finish. For example, you could paint the top of the table a dark blue color and paint the legs and sides a slightly lighter shade of blue.
[Edit]Warnings - Wear a face mask when you are using mineral spirits to clean the table so you don't inhale any fumes.
- Wear a face mask and goggles when sanding the coffee table to keep wood dust out of your mouth, nose, and eyes.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Drop sheets
- Mild liquid soap
- Clean cloths
- Coarse-grit sandpaper
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Sanding block or electric sander
- Mineral spirits
- Furniture oil, stain, varnish, or paint and primer
- Paintbrush
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Repair Laminate Flooring Posted: 30 Jun 2021 01:00 AM PDT Whether your laminate flooring has minor chips and scratches or water-damaged boards, repairing it is a project you can do yourself with the right tools and technique. To fix minor damage, all you need is a laminate floor repair kit with putty to fix big chips or a floor repair marker to hide small scratches.[1] To replace a board, remove the surrounding boards or cut out the damaged board before laying a new one in place. [Edit]Repairing Minor Chips and Scratches - Clean the damaged area to remove any dirt from the chip or scratch.[2] Wipe the damaged part of the floor with a clean, damp cloth. Let the floor dry completely before you proceed.[3]
- This method works for minor chips and scratches that can be repaired with putty or a marker specifically made to repair laminate flooring.[4] For example, if you drop a knife and it leaves a small cut in the floor, you can easily repair the damage with a laminate floor repair kit.
- Buy a laminate floor repair kit that closely matches the color of your floor.[5] Get laminate floor repair putty for larger chip repairs or a floor repair marker for smaller scratches. Take an extra piece of flooring with you to the home improvement store, if you have one, to find the closest color.[6]
- You can mix multiple colors of putty together to get a matching color if you can't find one close enough.
- Disguise small scratches with a floor repair marker. Take off the cap of the marker and carefully color in the scratches. Let the marker dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour.[7]
- Add more coats of the marker after it dries if the scratch is still visible.
- Fill in large chips using putty.[8] Scoop out a bit of putty on a putty knife and spread it into the chipped area. Use the putty knife to smooth it out so it's level with the rest of the board, then let it dry for 1 hour.[9]
- If the chip is particularly deep, then apply several thin coats of the putty until it is even with the floor.
- Wipe around the area with a clean, dry cloth to remove extra marker or putty. Carefully wipe around the repaired area to remove any marker or filler that got on the undamaged flooring. If you used putty, be sure to do this before it dries.[10]
- Use a cleaning solvent designed for laminate flooring if you need something stronger.
[Edit]Replacing Damaged Boards Near the Edges - Remove any baseboards, thresholds, or molding from around the area. Start at the side closest to the damaged board or boards. Carefully pry away baseboards and molding from the wall and pry thresholds up from any doorways with a pry bar.[11][12]
- This method works when the damaged boards are close enough to the edge of the floor that it is possible to remove a small number of surrounding boards to get to the damaged boards and replace them.
- Try your best not to damage any of the pieces that you pry away so that you can replace them afterward.
- Lift out the boards starting with the ones closest to the edge. Insert a pry bar under the boards at their seams and press down on the end of it like a lever to pop the joints loose. Work from the edge where you removed baseboards and molding in towards the site of the damage until you can remove the damaged boards.[13]
- Set aside the boards that are still good, in the order you removed them, so that you can replace them afterward.
- Replace the damaged board with a new one. Line up the tongue and groove of the new board the same way as those of the board you removed were lined up. Snap the new piece into position.[14][15]
- Save the damaged board so that you can use it for future repairs. For example, if you need to match the color to repair scratches and chips, you can take it with you to the home improvement store when you go looking for the repair kit.
- Return all the boards you removed to their places. Work in reverse order as when you removed them, starting with the boards that surround the replacement board. Line up the tongues and grooves, then slide or gently tap them back into place with a hammer if there is a lot of friction.[16][17]
- If you use a hammer to tap any boards into place, use the damaged board you removed as a buffer between the hammer and the good boards to prevent damaging them.
- Tack any baseboards, molding, or thresholds back in place. Line up the baseboards, molding, and thresholds in the same order you removed them to reinstall them around the edges of the floor. Gently tack them back into place with baseboard nails and a hammer using the same nails and holes as before.[18]
- Use new baseboard nails if any of them got damaged when you pried them out earlier on.
[Edit]Replacing a Board in the Middle of the Flooring - Draw a cut line in from each corner of the board and a rectangle in the middle. Mark a line along a straight edge with a pen or pencil in from each corner of the board diagonally towards the center. Connect the inner ends of the lines with straight lines to make a rectangle that you can cut out from the center of the board.[19]
- This method works to replace a single damaged board in the middle of your laminate flooring, where it would be too difficult to replace by removing surrounding boards starting from an edge.
- Drill a relief hole at the ends of each relief cut line. Use a drill bit to make a relief hole at the inner ends of the lines you marked for the cut lines. Make another set of holes in from the outer ends of the relief lines.
- Make 8 relief holes in total so that you can cut in 2 phases—1 to remove the center section and 1 to remove the sides.
- Cut out the center of the board with a circular saw. Set the depth of the saw a bit deeper than the depth of the flooring. Lift the blade guard and plunge the saw into the board, starting at 1 of the inner relief holes. Cut from hole to hole in a rectangular pattern to connect the inner section of relief holes you made and remove the center section.[20]
- You will be left with the edges of the damaged board still connected to the good boards around them.
- Cut from the center to the outside of the relief holes. Cut with your circular saw from the middle diagonally out along the remaining cut lines. Stop when you reach the relief holes.[21]
- This will separate the remaining edges of the board at the corners so you can remove them.
- Remove the edge pieces from the surrounding boards. Pry up each side where it is connected to a surrounding board with your hands or pliers if they are stuck. Discard these pieces.[22]
- If there is any glue on the tongues of surrounding boards, then scrape it off with a flathead screwdriver before installing the replacement board.
- Remove the grooves from your replacement board. Your replacement board will have 2 tongues and 2 grooves. Carefully cut off the tongues and bottom lips of the grooves with a utility knife so that you will be able to drop the new board into place.[23]
- To cut off the bottom lips of the grooves, sick the blade of the knife inside the grooves and cut them off from the inside.
- Make several passes with the utility knife to score the parts you are cutting off, then snap them off with pliers.
- Apply floor glue to the edges of the replacement board. Put a bead of floor glue along the edges where you cut off the tongues and underneath the top half of the grooves where you cut off the bottom lips.[24]
- You can get floor glue at a home improvement center or flooring store if you don't have any.
- Fit the board into place. Match the top half of the grooves on your new board with the tongues on the surrounding boards. The board will now fall into place because you removed the tongues from the new board.[25]
- If the board is not fitting right, then use your utility knife to shave off any rough parts until it drops nicely into place.
- Use a damp cloth to remove any excess glue. Wipe away any glue that squeezes out of the seams. Use a damp cloth so that you don't spread it around on the surrounding boards.[26]
- Keep the cloth handy so you can wipe again after you weigh down the board if any more glue squeezes out.
- Weigh down the repaired area for 24 hours. Stack some heavy books or another heavy object on top of the newly-fitted board to help the seams adhere together. Keep the weight on the board for 24 hours to ensure the glue is completely dry.[27]
- Check if any more glue squeezed out of the seams after you placed weight on the board, and wipe it away with a damp cloth.
- If you use something that could scratch the laminate, like a brick, place a towel underneath to protect it.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Repairing Minor Chips and Scratches - Laminate repair kit
- Damp cloth
- Dry cloth
- Putty knife
[Edit]Replacing Damaged Boards Near the Edges - Replacement laminate floor board
- Pry bar
- Hammer
- Baseboard nails
[Edit]Replacing Boards in the Middle of the Flooring - Drill
- Circular saw
- Replacement laminate floor board
- Utility knife
- Flathead screwdriver
- Floor glue
- Pen or pencil
- Straight edge
- Damp cloth
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
