The sea has so many different styles of photography that can be conducted with it that if you live near an ocean, it can be a brilliant source of both imagery and practice. In this video, one photographer sets out to capture huge waves crashing into a lighthouse.
As a photographer, I have a mixed relationship with the sea. I love to photograph the water in action, surfing, long exposures, and so on, but I also tend to take too many risks and nearly lose my equipment every time. Photographing the sea, particularly if it's rough, takes preparation and care, but as you can see in this video, can reward you with some stunning, print-worthy images.
I have photographed the sea or conducted shoots involving the sea a fair few times, from surf competitions in Costa Rica to long exposures of the tide down in Devon, England. I have never had the chance to photograph true stormy seas, but it's certainly on my list. However, the one opportunity I had to photograph reasonably rough waters, I got caught in the trap many do: I believed I knew how hard the waves were hitting and got as close as I could. The term "rogue wave" will become familiar to you if you make the same mistake I did, as will the perils of getting salt water into electronics.
Have you ever had the chance to photograph large waves or stormy seas? Share you results in the comment section below.
