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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waves reaching the wet sand on shore

Waves Reaching The Wet Sand On Shore


woman stands on a beach wearing a striped swimsuit

Woman Stands On A Beach Wearing A Striped Swimsuit


tide rolls into a beach side city at sunset

Tide Rolls Into A Beach Side City At Sunset


birch trees looking out to water

Birch Trees Looking Out To Water


taking in the view of a lake and mountains

Taking In The View of A Lake And Mountains


sunsets on a beach with people swimming

Sunsets On A Beach With People Swimming


silhouette of a person with sunset behind them

Silhouette of A Person With Sunset Behind Them


overcast sky over beach path

Overcast Sky Over Beach Path


the back of a beach chair looking out to snow covered mountains

The Back Of A Beach Chair Looking Out To Snow Covered Mountains


clouds cascading over horizon on water

Clouds Cascading Over Horizon On Water


aerial view of busy beach

Aerial View Of Busy Beach


persons torso standing on a sandy beach

Persons Torso Standing On A Sandy Beach


sun sets in the distance and shines on the water

Sun Sets In The Distance And Shines On The Water


view of a town on a sandy beach near green trees

View of A Town On A Sandy Beach Near Green Trees


low tide rock formations

Low Tide Rock Formations


the tide rolls in on a sunny beach scene

The Tide Rolls In On A Sunny Beach Scene


sandy beach and sand dunes under deep blue sky

Sandy Beach And Sand Dunes Under Deep Blue Sky


person reads their novel sitting on a sandy beach

Person Reads Their Novel Sitting On A Sandy Beach


recently empty dock

Recently Empty Dock


empty lifeguarding station

Empty Lifeguarding Station


person sitting leans over to pick up a stone from the beach

Person Sitting Leans Over To Pick Up A Stone From The Beach


low tide seaside rocks

Low Tide Seaside Rocks


woman in a facemask takes a cellphone selfie

Woman In A Facemask Takes A Cellphone Selfie


people sit under orange umbrellas on a beach

People Sit Under Orange Umbrellas On A Beach


sandy beach and wavy ocean on a overcast day

Sandy Beach And Wavy Ocean On A Overcast Day


person stands on sandy beach looking out to the water

Person Stands On Sandy Beach Looking Out To The Water


wooden structure on the beach

Wooden Structure On The Beach


large round rocks scattered on a sandy beach

Large Round Rocks Scattered On A Sandy Beach


yellow and brown seaweed

Yellow And Brown Seaweed


sand dunes and beach watch tower

Sand Dunes And Beach Watch Tower


blackboard that reads beach day sticks out of a sandy beach

Blackboard That Reads Beach Day Sticks Out Of A Sandy Beach


person in one piece swimsuit smiles at the camera

Person In One Piece Swimsuit Smiles At The Camera


surfers take to the water

Surfers Take To The Water


lighthouse and crashing waves

Lighthouse And Crashing Waves


tide rolls in on a cloudy day

Tide Rolls In On A Cloudy Day


woman carrying log on beach in india

Woman Carrying Log On Beach In India


person holds a facemask out in front of them

Person Holds A Facemask Out In Front Of Them


following fence line to the shore

Following Fence Line To The Shore


vacation homes sit above the sea

Vacation Homes Sit Above The Sea


buildings of the city of sandavagur along a calm sandy beach

Buildings Of The City Of Sandavagur Along A Calm Sandy Beach


winding coastline on a sunny day

Winding Coastline On A Sunny Day


woman smiles and stands in front of sandy hills

Woman Smiles And Stands In Front Of Sandy Hills


city buildings casts shadows next to a public beach

City Buildings Casts Shadows Next To A Public Beach


sun soaked rocky beach

Sun Soaked Rocky Beach


person walks the beach while wearing a facemask

Person Walks The Beach While Wearing A Facemask


person in straw hat faces the water on a sandy beach

Person In Straw Hat Faces The Water On A Sandy Beach


two people walk the beach with a lighthouse in the distance

Two People Walk The Beach With A Lighthouse In The Distance


large sandy beach with white wavy water

Large Sandy Beach With White Wavy Water


sandy beach driftwood close up

Sandy Beach Driftwood Close Up


windy seaside walk

Windy Seaside Walk


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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.