Things to take note of to ensure your seascape photography is a success

Seas have lured and mesmerized people since the time immemorial. You can’t deny the fact that there is some sort of eerie magnificence in the element of water, so beautiful yet dangerous, that has always inspired artists to create their masterpieces. No wonder, you as a photographer might feel an irresistible urge to capture the beauty of the picturesque grottos and your favorite bay. You also want to immortalize the playful dance of tides or the raging sea store devouring the coastline. But how to ensure that your efforts bring the best result possible? Let’s find out from today’s article.

Plan, plan, plan

Even if you have found an ideal seascape worth capturing, you want to thoroughly plan every step before you dive headfirst into this process. First things first, you should check the weather forecast to make sure no unfavorable weather conditions can ruin the effect of your photography. Still, there are situations where the inclement weather can play your hands and make your photos more atmospheric. So, don’t rush to cancel your photoshoot if clouds gather over the picturesque location you planned to shoot. You may want to reconsider the message you want to convey through your photo. Thus, instead of depicting a sunlit bay and tranquil turquoise waters patting the long stretch of golden sand, try to convey a sense of foreboding suggested by leaden clouds and tempestuous waves.

Another thing you want to consider when planning your seascape photoshoot is tides. Being aware of the low and high tides will help you understand whether you have chosen the exact place you want to see in your seascape image. What’s more, it will keep you safe.

Camera settings

It’s extremely important that you tweak your camera settings to ensure your seascape photography is a success. You should decide on the shutter speed if you’re planning on shooting the roll of the sea or speedy waves. Setting an appropriate aperture value on your camera will help your camera automatically select a shutter speed that will fit with the shooting conditions. If available, don’t forget to select a proper focus mode. Normally, photographers opt for AF-S when capturing still objects and go for AF-C when photographing fast-moving subjects.
Other settings you’ll want to check and tweak include white balance, which is of paramount importance as far as any kind of nature photo genre is concerned, color space, noise reduction, metering mode, image stabilization, etc.

Use a wide-angle lens

You won’t be able to fully immerse your viewers into the subject of your image unless you get as close to the subject of your photography as possible. And the easiest way to do this is with the help of a wide-angle lens.

A wide-angle lens is one that is equipped with a short focal length and a wide field of view. Due to this peculiarity, this type of lens enables your camera to capture much more of the scene than its short-lens counterpart would do. This makes a wide-angle lens a win-win solution for seascape photography.

Thus, if you opt for a wide-angle lens, you won’t miss out on the background information and other crucial details appearing in the background scene. This all will help create the effect of presence for your viewers and boost the aesthetic value of your seascape.

Tap into the power of a tripod

A tripod has long ceased to be a piece of equipment used by professional photographers only. Today both amateurs and seasoned photographers use a tripod to reduce camera movements and boost the quality of their pictures. In addition to stabilizing your camera, tripods can help hold camcorders and also serve as a light stand for all the necessary equipment. Tripods allow you to smoothly move your camera left to right and take professional-looking photos. What’s more, a tripod is the best fit for breath-taking close-ups.

Get inspired

If you want your fountain of ideas to never dry out, keep on searching for the sources which give you inspiration. Check out dedicated photography blogs, as well as websites featuring great stock video and photos that may inspire you to create similar masterpieces. But the surest way to stay overflowing with creative ideas is to search for new eye-catching locations. As you know, nature is the richest source of inspiration!