Summer conjures up memories spent on the beach and in the water — but taking photographs on, in, or near the water presents a number of unique challenges. From dealing with the current to balancing on a floating dock, photographers need to be prepared when shooting near the water. This week, we’re featuring five photographers who captured incredible portraits on the water. Find inspiration in these images from Sally Schechner Gonzalez, Izabella Borycka, Lauren Dean, Alecia Asselin, and Jennifer Beckton.

Sally Schechner Gonzalez, Sally SG Photo

One of the challenges of taking photos in the ocean, Sally Schechner Gonzalez of Sally SG Photo explains, is respecting and staying away from the current. For this particular shot, with a couple who made the photo session part of a road trip, the water happened to be perfectly calm right at sunrise. The photographer used the Sony a7 IV and Sony 35mm f1.4 GM lens.

“The ocean represents freedom, beauty, strength, and delicateness all at the same time — just like a relationship, which is something I find beautiful,” she says. “When I take photos of couples at the beach, I love when they interact with each other and the water at the same time. It’s truly magical to me, and I’ve noticed how free and comfortable they feel when surrounded by it — all while focusing on each other. My goal is to capture the connection between two people in love.”

Izabella Borycka, iborycka.photo

Inspired by the contrast between the dark, rugged landscape and the soft curves of the human form, Izabella Borycka of iborycka.photo wanted to capture a mix of mystery and beauty in one image. The contrast between the skin tones and the rock with the model’s face partially obscured by shadows accomplishes that feel. Borycka captured the photograph with a Sony a7 IV and a Sony 35mm f1.8 lens.

“Shooting by the ocean was tough due to the harsh conditions and cold wind,” she says. “The wind made it difficult to keep the camera steady and also made it challenging for the model to pose comfortably.”

Lauren Dean, The Deans Photography

Lauren Dean of The Deans Photography asked this mother-to-be to imagine the moment she meets her daughter for the first time when a flock of seagulls happened to fly by. The result is an image that conveys both a sense of peace and a connection to nature. The photographer explained that she worked to brainstorm ideas and locations with the client for several days ahead of time. She captured the shot with the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and a 50mm lens.

“This specific location is a high traffic boating area,” Dean explains. “It was really important to not only portray the photo to look like we were on a remote island, but I also wanted my client to feel comfortable as she was partially nude. Additionally, I coordinated the timing of the sunset with the calm side of the island to avoid wind. Balancing time, location, and privacy were key elements in bringing this vision to life.”

Alecia Asselin, Alecia Patrick

For this image, Alecia Asselin of Alecia Patrick wanted to create an image that both conveyed a sense of place and a feeling of intimacy among the newlyweds. The couple takes center stage while the mountains and lake convey a sense of location. Asselin took the image with a Canon EOS R6 and the Canon RF 28-70mm f2.0 lens.

“The first challenge was stability,” Asselin explains. “Initially, I wanted the reflection to be pristine in the background, but the couple was engaging with each other and shaking the boat back and forth causing ripples in the water. For our style of photography, their connection was far more important than perfectly still water, so I left that expectation to the side and focused on the magic that was happening between them. The second challenge was my footing on the dock, I often get caught up in the moment with our couples, losing myself a bit in composition and engaging with them. In this particular instance, I had to really tune into my own footing as I was shooting from a floating dock that tended to bob with any movement!” 

Jennifer Beckton, Jennifer Georgette Photography

When this couple asked to go on a dory for their engagement session, Jennifer Beckton of Jennifer Georgette Photography knew she had to take the couple where the Newfoundland landscape looked beautiful from the water. The couple’s expression, the fog, and the background mix together to create an emotional engagement image. She captured the shot with the Canon 5D Mark IV and a Sigma 35mm Art lens with a Tiffen Black Pro Mist filter.

“There were a few challenges with working on the water,” Beckton says. “We had to work around the weather for the session and ended up starting at 5 am when the water was the calmest that day. Most of the session, we went pretty slow, but when we went fast, I had to deal with a lot of mist over the lens. But it did make for some dreamy photos.”

Dig into our Photos of the Day Archives for even more timeless photos, eye-catching portraits and wedding photos. Submit your wedding, editorial, documentary and other interesting imagery (up to five images at a time) to: [email protected].

[Read: Make Engagement Photography Magic at Lake Como]