take your models to the beach
a teeny tiny tutorial on sitting on wet pebbly sand throwing sand and water at your precioussssssssss
Beaches are some of my favorite places. I have leapt the waves, backpacked five miles with a fifty pound pack to a primitive campsite, kayaked, ridden, snorkeled and scuba dived in their vicinity. Assateague Island is a favorite, land of the wild ponies, been going there since 1972, last year Misty (of Chincoteague, the pony from Marguerite Henry's book) was alive.
I am near the Chesapeake Bay, and Delaware Bay, and they are often destinations when I can't get all the way to Assateague. The Chesapeake is our country's biggest estuary, about 200 miles long. The Delaware Bay is smaller, but hosts the largest population of horseshoe crabs in the world. In May and June, they come up out of the depths to lay their eggs at high tide, fueling the migrations of shorebirds like red knots.
This June, like many other times, a friend and I took a few days on the Delaware Bay beaches: Slaughter Beach (history isn't sure, but probably someone's last name). Bowers Beach, and Cape Henlopen. In September, we made a pilgrimage to Assateague, camping at Tom's Cove Campground on Chincoteague. I took a small herd with me.
CAMERAS: Samsung Galaxy S24 phone (Android) and a old but good Nikon Coolpix B500. The phone was in a clear waterproof (and sandproof) phone bag on the beach. It had a lanyard with a piece of pool noodle to float it if it fell in the water (that's how it goes kayaking). I also have a "faux pro", a small action cam (Akaso V50 Elite) which is half the price of a Go-Pro.
The characters and horses are part of my story cycle of Hawk circle farm and the ELF...
I am near the Chesapeake Bay, and Delaware Bay, and they are often destinations when I can't get all the way to Assateague. The Chesapeake is our country's biggest estuary, about 200 miles long. The Delaware Bay is smaller, but hosts the largest population of horseshoe crabs in the world. In May and June, they come up out of the depths to lay their eggs at high tide, fueling the migrations of shorebirds like red knots.
This June, like many other times, a friend and I took a few days on the Delaware Bay beaches: Slaughter Beach (history isn't sure, but probably someone's last name). Bowers Beach, and Cape Henlopen. In September, we made a pilgrimage to Assateague, camping at Tom's Cove Campground on Chincoteague. I took a small herd with me.
CAMERAS: Samsung Galaxy S24 phone (Android) and a old but good Nikon Coolpix B500. The phone was in a clear waterproof (and sandproof) phone bag on the beach. It had a lanyard with a piece of pool noodle to float it if it fell in the water (that's how it goes kayaking). I also have a "faux pro", a small action cam (Akaso V50 Elite) which is half the price of a Go-Pro.
The characters and horses are part of my story cycle of Hawk circle farm and the ELF...
Bran and Skimmer in Tom's Cove. Skimmer (named for the bird) is a vintage Chris Hess sculpted Breyeer classic scale polo pony. She stands in nicely as a Chincoteague pony.
Welcome to Hawk Circle Farm, and the E.L.F.
Somewhere, in the place in south central Pennsylvania, where the forested hills flatten into farming valleys, and the Susquehanna rolls down to the Chesapeake Bay and then to the sea, is Hawk Circle, one outpost of the Earth Life Foundation's never ending quest to...
...no no, not hunt orcs on moonless nights.
To educate, legislate, and make the world thrive for future generations. "One of many dot-orgs vying for your tax-deductible donations".
The wildlife experts, endangered species caretakers, rehabbers, content creators, horsemen, writers, photographers, and educators are just a little... older, and weirder, than most.
They are the fae; the elves, dwarves, fauns, centaurs, merfolk, selkies, kelpies and others only remembered now in legend, but tasked with connecting their younger siblings, humans, with the natural world.
For this expedition:
...no no, not hunt orcs on moonless nights.
To educate, legislate, and make the world thrive for future generations. "One of many dot-orgs vying for your tax-deductible donations".
The wildlife experts, endangered species caretakers, rehabbers, content creators, horsemen, writers, photographers, and educators are just a little... older, and weirder, than most.
They are the fae; the elves, dwarves, fauns, centaurs, merfolk, selkies, kelpies and others only remembered now in legend, but tasked with connecting their younger siblings, humans, with the natural world.
For this expedition:
- Jon Ahearn: (the blond). Hawk Circle naturalist, educator, wild cat expert. His people are the Sidhe (Tuatha deDannan), the elves of Irish legend. His partner is Marshhawk (Marcia Hawkes) Hawk Circle's human raptor rehabber. He cares deeply about wilderness and wild things... he's a good educator but sometimes finds it hard to connect with humans. 7" action figure, customized Toy Biz Legolas from the LOTR films. Customized paint, and shirt; rashguard sleeves from 12" doll stockings, vetwrap shirt.
- George “Geordi” Liu (in blue) Hawk Circle intern/trainer/martial artist. Half elf. 7” action figure; Shang Chi (Marvel), Liu for Charles Liu (physicist) and Simu Liu (actor), George for Takei (ST:ToS), Geordi for Star Trek: Next Generation. Customized shirt and helmet; vetwrap is my friend.
- Grace Liu: Geordi’s half sister. Elven. 7” action figure from Marvel’s Shang Chi. Hawk Circle South, marine bio specialty.
- High Tide: Breyer classic scale (1/12) clearware and silver pattern "sea horse"
- Axial Fire: Breyer CollectA classic scale. Red/flaxen Arabian stallion (genetic red=sorrel or chestnut). Named by Bran, sailor of wind and sea, his name is a reference to sea battles, cannon fire that goes from bow to stern rather than broadside. "Axe" for his ability to axe the competition in any endurance or competitive trail ride. Geordi's buddy. Saddle and bridle customized by me. Bitless bridle of vetwrap and a twisty tie from a model box. Yarn reins.
- Toothless, because.
- Smol blond kid.
- random smol ded blue crab, immortalized as long as the interwebs last...
- Bran and Skimmer: the dark silver haired Ravenkin of the Alfar of the Northern Realm and one fast pony who has one speed.
- Night Sea Journey: black and white Chincoteague Pony mare. Mold is dun and white mustang. Looks like a fading sunbleached black.
- Ace’s Gala: shiny black, actually looks like Ace, refined, was Morgan?
- Spirit of the Sea Buckskin cantering, stallion or gelding, was Spirit, realistic
- Red Sky at Night red bay foal, standing
- Sandbar buckskin foal, trotting
- Island Girl buckskin mare, walking
- Skimmer red bay polo pony galloping
- On the surf side, be aware of blowing sea spray and sand. Not good for cameras, use an umbrealla or better yet, a waterproof case.
- In the cove, I found a line of very silty bottom, the horses (and my beach chair) sank. You can't tell because the water is all you see in the pics, but they were standing in several inches of silt and about one inch of water. Later the tide came up onto more solid sand. Marshes are like that.
- Beware the swash zone. Setting your precious near the incoming swash might get them grabbed and sucked out to sea. It happened to Toothless. Fortunately he washed back in on the next wave.
- Don't forget the hoofprints. Did your ponies teleport in?
start here
- Have beach survival gear. Shade, hat, sunscreen, bug spray and clothing if the wind is off the land, especially if it's a bay beach. But even a barrier island can have a buggy beach in the evening if the wind is a land breeze. Drinks, snacks, shoes (sand can be vicious hot). Mask, fins (cause maybe you'll be able to see your feet), boogie boards, skim boards, surfboards. Wetsuit (it was 67F on the summer solstice at Cape Henlopen). Towels: to dry, to lay on, to brush sand off everything. Beach chair, or stadium seat. Mat or towel to sit on to take pics: could be an old car mat or piece of carpet. Stadium seats serve double duty: unfold into their right angle (L shape) pose to sit in with back support, or fold up and sit on flat.
- Tote your characters safely. I have used big plastic bins, or small backpacks. In either case, I wrap each horse and character IN TERRYCLOTH TOWELS. Even if they get sandy or muddy the towels will protect them from being scratched. You can carry a paintbrush to remove sand and dirt.
- Protect your cameras. Clear bag for the phone (cheap). You can use a waterproof camera bag or case, a faux pro (I have an Akaso V50 Elite which is a fraction the price of a go-pro). Or just be careful with your camera and keep it out of the waves and blowing sand. An umbrella (the kind you carry for rain) is great to keep blowing sand and spray off the camera, to shade the digital screen, or to throw shade on a too bright subject. I have a drybox to put the camera in when I'm not using it. A drybag (as for kayaking) works too.
- Have tide tables: know whether those waves are coming IN or going OUT. I once set a small Toothless dragon down in the swash zone and a big one came in, grabbed him, and swept him out to sea. fortunately he came back in on the next wave.
- Have a weather report: afternoon thunderstorms can come up suddenly. Know where to go quickly, and be sure you can gather up your stuff fast. Keep you bin handy and just throw stuff in!
- Backpack or wagon to haul stuff.
- A rake can smooth out the sand where you want to photograph. giant prints aren't cool, and really, was Fenrir here?
- An unbreakable sturdy cup for throwing water.
- A seat for yourself. Beware, in mud, sand and silt it might sink, tossing you into Tom's Cove... I've used foldy chairs, old car mats, bits of carpet, 5 gallon buckets, garden stools.
- Dowel rods. Chopsticks. Those wooden skewers you get at the grocery store for cooking. You can stick them in dirt, sand or the bottom of the stream/cove/etc out of sight to hold up your horses or characters. You can use doll stands too but they tend to be harder to hide in nature, and harder to stand up. dowels just stab into the ground.
- Pipe cleaners or vetwrap to fasten dolls to dowels. Vetwrap has the advantage of looking like a belt or other clothing.
have a splash
A rider in the swash zone (where the thin part of the wave comes up and washes back out again) is a good pic. A horse standing or walking won't kick up a splash, But one in trotting or cantering pose should be kicking up water to look realistic. Breyer's classic scale (1/12) High Tide is cantering on the right lead. His mane and tail are designed like a breaking wave, the clearware body lets light through, and the silver pattern is like a splash or wavefoam. He's fun to play with, not only with water, but with how the light comes through or bounces off him.
A child proportioned doll (like this Barbie kid) has shorter legs and a big head. High Tide looks like a small pony here. In the earlier pics, with 7" action figures, he looks like a small horse of 14.2 hands or so.
A child proportioned doll (like this Barbie kid) has shorter legs and a big head. High Tide looks like a small pony here. In the earlier pics, with 7" action figures, he looks like a small horse of 14.2 hands or so.
- Sit on the ground, or on a mat. If you're on a low chair, you'll have to lean over pretty far to get the camera at eye level. Yes, EYE LEVEL to the horse, more or less. Higher and you've got a drone shot, or your model will look like... well, a model.
- Just fling it: You can fling sand with your hand, but you'll need a sturdy cup to fling water. Aim at the feet. You can also fling small pebbles to get splashes.
- Have your camera on video or continuous (sport) mode. You can capture a still from a video but the quality is usually better on most continuous modes... which shoot a short burst of pics. I discovered I could do a short video on the phone, and capture one frame as a still.
- You'll have to fling with one hand, and shoot with the other. It's fun. You can try to get a friend to fling... or put the camera on a tripod with a cable release or cheese shutter (say cheese and shoot). Good thing it's digital, you'll burn a gazillion pics to get a couple good ones.
- Prop your hand: Even with a phone camera, you can stuff a dowel into the sand, and prop your phone hand on it while shooting a video clip. It will help keep your characters in frame.
- Stay low: Use either a very short tripod, or balance the camera on your leg, foot, a pad. EYE LEVEL to the models!
- Try not to get your hand, foot, cup, whatever in the pic. If you do, hey you have more in that continuous burst.
- Water has scale! 1/12 and up (1/9, 1/6, 1/3) will work fine with splashing water, but smaller horses and riders will look like they are being attacked by the Flying Jello Monster. You can experiment with a spray bottle that does a mist or fine spray.
dirt, with derps
Geordi on Axial Fire. Geordi is a 6" action figure from Shang Chi (Marvel), Bran and Jon are 7" Toy Biz action figures (customized) from LOTR. Axe is a Collect-A, so taller than the classic Breyer scale. Jon and Bran are both on classic Breyer horses. Geordi looks like he's on a typical Arabian. Bran and Jon look like they are on smaller Chincoteague Ponies.
Sand pretty much works with any scale. You can fling it with one hand while operating the camera with the other.
You will get a gazillion pics of meteor showers, Attack of the Giant Dune Beast, Earth Bending 101, and other wonders.
The trick is to do a L O T of pics... some will be good.
Sand pretty much works with any scale. You can fling it with one hand while operating the camera with the other.
You will get a gazillion pics of meteor showers, Attack of the Giant Dune Beast, Earth Bending 101, and other wonders.
The trick is to do a L O T of pics... some will be good.
Jon (blond) and Bran (silver) are both customized from the same Toy Biz LOTR Legolas, with some vetwrap, paint, and in Bran's case, real wool for the hair. Appearance by a friend's RC truck. The sand in this case was wet, so flung slightly more clumpy than if it was dry. In pictures, it generally works best if water is level (or it pours off the edge, snortchuckle), but sometimes I leave it tilted to look like a fast snapshot, adds to the speed and action.
This part of the beach had a lot of broken shells in the mix. Looks rocky. Be aware of your ground and background.
This part of the beach had a lot of broken shells in the mix. Looks rocky. Be aware of your ground and background.
your focus needs more focus
In the old days, I learned on an SLR film camera, with one lens, F-stops and manual shutter speed.
By adjusting those things, you adjusted your depth of field: how much of your pic was in focus.
With the phone, I got some interesting shallow depth of field: Jon's legs, compass and half the horse were in sharp focus, then things got progressively softer as you went back. This can be a neat effect, making the viewer focus on the parts of the pic that are in, well, focus. It can also give the effect of making your models seem life sized.
Sometimes though, you want the whole thing in focus. Play with your specific camera's settings to figure out how to change this.
Above is a set of gradually increasing depth of field.
BE AWARE of your character's focus. The camera shouldn't be focusing on the background. You can wave something flat in front of/against your character (grey card, leaf, map) to get the camera to focus if it goobers. Most cameras have a "press the shutter halfway to focus" feature. Be sure it's focusing on the subject.
By adjusting those things, you adjusted your depth of field: how much of your pic was in focus.
With the phone, I got some interesting shallow depth of field: Jon's legs, compass and half the horse were in sharp focus, then things got progressively softer as you went back. This can be a neat effect, making the viewer focus on the parts of the pic that are in, well, focus. It can also give the effect of making your models seem life sized.
Sometimes though, you want the whole thing in focus. Play with your specific camera's settings to figure out how to change this.
Above is a set of gradually increasing depth of field.
BE AWARE of your character's focus. The camera shouldn't be focusing on the background. You can wave something flat in front of/against your character (grey card, leaf, map) to get the camera to focus if it goobers. Most cameras have a "press the shutter halfway to focus" feature. Be sure it's focusing on the subject.
more derps
Is your horizon straight? Water seeks its own level... when you look out at a seascape, water is level. The only exceptions are when you're looking at a place where water is bordering land, then it follws those shapes. Water on the "line where the sky meets the sea" is straight and level. You can fix this in an editing program like Photohop or say screwit and let it be Wild Action Cam and lend a sense of action to the scene.
Once more, water has scale, and sometimes it looks like Attacc of the Jello Monster...
Also, has your rider fallen off the screen? (a couple of these have horse and rider falling out of frame...).
Once more, water has scale, and sometimes it looks like Attacc of the Jello Monster...
Also, has your rider fallen off the screen? (a couple of these have horse and rider falling out of frame...).
magic hour lighting
Many beaches are where it's flat. The sun goes down down down, or comes up out of the sea, giving you that Magic Hour Lighting, all red and gold and warmth, with cool blue shadows.
Play with how light falls on your model: the whole thing lit with sunfire? Or some of it in shadow, or all in shadow with a warm sky behind.
This works really well with a red based horse.
Play with how light falls on your model: the whole thing lit with sunfire? Or some of it in shadow, or all in shadow with a warm sky behind.
This works really well with a red based horse.
some water FX I think you will like
Remember, this is fun. experiment. Play. And send a kid you know out with a camera and an action figure.
