Beach pictures

Relax in our sunny collection of beach photos. You’ll find royalty-free images of stunning seaside sunsets, white sand beaches, clear blue oceans, powerful waves, beach pictures with people, starfish, conch shells, seashells, boats, and more.

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beachfront city at sunset

Beachfront City At Sunset


sunset skyscrapers by the sea

Sunset Skyscrapers By The Sea


single rock in shallow sea

Single Rock In Shallow Sea


a secluded beach surrounded by cliffs

A Secluded Beach Surrounded By Cliffs


aerial view of sea rolling into a rocky shore

Aerial View Of Sea Rolling Into A Rocky Shore


coral reef surrounding tropical beach

Coral Reef Surrounding Tropical Beach


umbrella studded beach overlooking teal waters

Umbrella Studded Beach Overlooking Teal Waters


skyscrapers at the beach

Skyscrapers At The Beach


buildings, beaches, and blue sea water

Buildings, Beaches, and Blue Sea Water


a city bridge illuminated at night

A City Bridge Illuminated At Night


ocean waves meet red sands aerial

Ocean Waves Meet Red Sands Aerial


man thinking on beach at dusk

Man Thinking On Beach At Dusk


colorful sunset reflected in textured beach sand

Colorful Sunset Reflected In Textured Beach Sand


colorful sunset reflected in wet sand

Colorful Sunset Reflected In Wet Sand


textured beach sands at sunset

Textured Beach Sands At Sunset


couple rides horseback on a sunset beach

Couple Rides Horseback On A Sunset Beach


small dog watches horses on the beach

Small Dog Watches Horses On The Beach


rocky shoreline and choppy water

Rocky Shoreline And Choppy Water


family taking photos by the sea

Family Taking Photos By The Sea


an aerial view of clear blue water by the shore

An Aerial View Of Clear Blue Water By The Shore


beach side moscow mule cocktails

Beach Side Moscow Mule Cocktails


foamy water crashing to shore

Foamy Water Crashing To Shore


overhead view of beach and water

Overhead View Of Beach And Water


woman standing on rocky outcropping by the sea

Woman Standing On Rocky Outcropping By The Sea


young man sits on the beach

Young Man Sits On The Beach


young man sat on fallen tree

Young Man Sat On Fallen Tree


women on the beach at sunset

Women On The Beach At Sunset


silhouette on ocean rock

Silhouette On Ocean Rock


bubbles and beach splash

Bubbles And Beach Splash


ocean whitecap waves

Ocean Whitecap Waves


blue and gold sunset sky

Blue And Gold Sunset Sky


swans underneath sunset

Swans Underneath Sunset


walking beside cool beach waves

Walking Beside Cool Beach Waves


woman and dog play on the beach

Woman And Dog Play On The Beach


abstract image of beach scene

Abstract Image Of Beach Scene


portrait image of contrast between sand and sea

Portrait Image Of Contrast Between Sand And Sea


contrast between sand and sea

Contrast Between Sand And Sea


vintage viewfinder on seaside pier

Vintage Viewfinder On Seaside Pier


clear blue water under full palm trees

Clear Blue Water Under Full Palm Trees


palm trees underneath the clear blue sky

Palm Trees Underneath The Clear Blue Sky


viewing machine looking into the distance

Viewing Machine Looking Into The Distance


old man making some new friends

Old Man Making Some New Friends


close up of the water coming into shore

Close Up Of The Water Coming Into Shore


water flowing underneath the shadowy pier

Water Flowing Underneath The Shadowy Pier


people enjoying a day at the beach in summer

People Enjoying A Day At The Beach In Summer


black and white people playing basketball near beach

Black And White People Playing Basketball Near Beach


black and white look to the trees

Black And White Look To The Trees


viewing machine stood on a boardwalk

Viewing Machine Stood On A Boardwalk


portrait image of sunny day at beach

Portrait Image Of Sunny Day At Beach


two parasols next to each other on a boardwalk

Two Parasols Next To Each Other On A Boardwalk


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Stunning Beach Pictures and Travel Photography

Travel photography is one of the most interesting genres of photographic journalism. As far as the subjects covered - the genre is one of the most open. Travel photographers are visual artists who specialize in capturing the essence of a time and place through the lens of a visitor observing a location and its culture.

From wide-shots of white sand beaches to action shots of intense weather patterns to serene photos of your personal tropical paradise complete with stunning shots of beach-fronts and surfs - travel photography is a truly diverse and fascinating art

Turning Your Vacation Photos into Art

The art of travel photography is so much more than simply snapping shots on location. Framing, timing, color and composition all have a significant role to play in truly capturing the character of your location.

Framing a Tropical Island

When photographers talk about “framing” an image they’re talking about using the objects around the subject you’re capturing to situate them and draw the viewer’s attention to them. Surrounding palm trees, rocks, branches and even doors or windows are great way to do this. You’ll want to be mindful of what surrounds your subject and use it to your advantage.

For example, maybe you’re on the ocean in the middle of the caribbean snapping shots of bottlenose dolphins bouncing up and down over the water. A stagnant shot of this scene would be great - but what might really put the photo over-the-edge would be managing to frame the dolphin against the backdrop of a tropical island or even the decor of the boat.

Colors of the Surf and the Ocean

Color is an important aspect in any photography - but in travel photography it’s especially important. Remember that the colors in your photographs can set the mood and convey the character of the location.

If you’re snapping shots of a tropical surf in Hawaii for example - it would make sense to use bright, saturated blues, yellows, and pinks. Whereas if you’re photographing the country-side of Scotland - more muted greys and soft greens would make more sense.

It’s no secret that colors opposite each other on the color wheel](https://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory) play well together - but with photographs of real scenes, you’re not able to alter the colours of objects (at least not until post-production). Similar to framing - finding the right colours to play off each other is about having an artistic eye and being able to spot scenes and compositions in real life that can play off each other.

When travelling - you want to keep an eye out for scenes with contrasting colours that you can incorporate into your shots. Beaches, surfs, islands, cities and nature reserves are great places to find colours that naturally play off of each other.