Water adopts a magical quality within the landscape. Whether it takes the form of a glassy lake, a bubbling stream or a tumbling waterfall, its fluidity adds a sense of energy and contrast of tone. Of all the bodies of water a photographer may encounter, the ocean is an undisputed favourite. In addition to all the characteristics above, the sea introduces a sense of finality to the landscape – a compositional full stop. For the same reason that it’s often a therapeutic experience to stand on a seashore and gaze out to the horizon, capturing this boundary within a photograph provides a unique imbalance of detail, which can be used to focus the attention of the viewer.
There are of course challenges with this. It is all too easy to create images that are detail-heavy in one area and lack interest in others. Furthermore, exposure can be tricky when scenes feature a large expanse of reflective material, meaning we need to adjust our usual workflow to compensate for brightness hotspots. With all of this in mind, it is possible to use the natural rhythm of the coastal environment to shoot an unrivalled variety of patterns, textures and colourful abstracts.
Over the next few pages, we dive into the pro secrets for seaside masterpieces, exploring the best subjects and where to find them. We’ll practise exposing in challenging light, showing movement in a scene and mastering the distribution of texture and detail. Let’s head to the coast!
Work with texture
Natural patterns give your shots extra impact
Denne historien er fra Issue 251-utgaven av Digital Photographer.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 251-utgaven av Digital Photographer.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Apply a stylised detail enhancement
Give your photos a movie aesthetic with the bleach bypass effect in Photoshop
Sony FE 16-25mm f/2.8 G
Matthew Richards investigates this lightweight wide-angle zoom lens with a unique focal range
Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR
This lens offers everything from wide-angle to super-telephoto reach, says Matthew Richards
Novo Helix T50 Carbon Fibre Tripod
Adam Waring discovers an unfeasibly small yet feature-packed travel tripod
OM System OM-1 Mark II
James Artaius finds the OM-1 Mark II has features that you wish your camera did
How do I get into events photography?
Jules Renahan, owner of Jules Renahan Photography and co-founder of PhotoHound, tells us what to expect when photographing events
Career advice
This issue, Claire Gillo looks at the logistics behind running a photography business and talks to an events photographer
My dream photo kit
With help from used camera gear specialists MPB, we've created an expert photographer's fantasy camera kitbag
Create wet plate portraits
Recreate the collodion process for enhanced detail
Fine-tune colour and saturation
Use Lightroom's extensive controls to enhance individual colours in your shots