I’m sure everyone has heard about the severe flooding we had in SC in October 2015. Myrtle Beach wasn’t hit as hard as some areas, but we still had flooding in many locations. You might have heard me complain that in Myrtle Beach State Park, they are incredibly particular about photographers getting anywhere near the dunes. They don’t have to worry about it anymore because many of the dunes’ front slopes are completely gone. The dunes are now just cliffs with the roots of sea oats sticking out of the sides. The water must have been so high that it washed half of them away. I was shocked when I went for my first engagement session below and saw the condition of the park. All my favorite spots by the dunes are gone, and I imagine the beach is like this in most locations. After looking around, I’ve realized there are still a few areas in the park where the dunes are intact. I need to take clients down further away from the pier. It will involve a lot more walking. I hope they will do some beach renourishment soon and repair the dunes. If they don’t, I will find some new favorite spots. It’s just going to be a little more difficult.
As you can see from the two engagement sessions below, we still found plenty of locations to get some great shots. The couples just had to walk around with me and be more patient. The sky seems clearer when it starts to cool down in the fall. I guess the lower humidity makes the air less hazy. By the way, for photographers, Lightroom has a Dehaze control. If you haven’t played around with it yet, it can make some fantastic improvements to hazy images.
Some of my favorite sunsets are when it starts to get colder, and it’s also so much less crowded at the park. For the second couple below, I even did pictures of them lying together on the pier with almost no one in the background, which is impossible in the summer. I know it’s silly, but there is also an oversized chair on the park pier, and I’ve been standing up on a nearby bench and getting cute pictures of the couple sitting together in the chair. I hope you enjoy the images below!
