Photographing a seascape with crashing waves along the shore and the movement of the water can be a challenge for a landscape photographer. This video provides several tips on capturing dramatic images from the seashore with an ultrawide lens.
Seascapes are constantly changing, as the light of sunrise or sunset moves quickly and the water moves through the scene. As a landscape photographer photographing these scenes, there is a lot to consider, from composition, to camera settings, to stabilizing your tripod on the soft sand shores.
In this video, Michael Shainblum tries out his new ultra-wide angle lens, the Sony 12-24mm f/4, to demonstrate capturing dramatic seascapes. He works through his whole process of capturing these images, from working through compositions to the camera settings he uses and when he does and doesn’t use exposure bracketing or focus stacking.
At the end of the video, Shainblum shares several recent seashore images from other outings. He also shares some helpful tips on cleaning your camera and even your tripod after a photography session at the seashore.
I appreciated that Shainblum really worked and talked through his images and compositions, identifying what he thought worked and what didn’t. It is easy to think professional photographers just walk up, click the shutter, and get the image they want, but they work the scene to get those stunning images.
First I must say BRAVO for all you do when out capturing beach and surf and using a second camera to record your experience. And also the very good Astro Milky Way you included. The one thing I hope everyone noticed was the cracks on the rear screen for I put a protective screen over every one of my cameras and a Sony A1 so it is rather new also. Your images are AWESOME great playtime!
I am on the east coast so I have to use a driftwood beach for subjects and I mainly do Milky Ways but I also am out for blue and golden hours. Before the FE 12-24mm f/4 I used the APS-C lens E 10-18mm (15-27mm) but in Full Frame mode at 12mm, just for info. The rear filters I have also but the Clear Night filter helps in daytime also for blue skies and tan sand and deep blue ocean even pointing toward the sun. The positive about the rear filters is with a ultra wide lens is sometimes you get that blue hump if using a filter up front or doing a pano.
When on the beach at sunrise I do bracketing 5 @ +/- 2EV and like I have driftwood as subjects so not to have them as just silhouettes when all blended you get sharp clear shade/dark side even in blue hour getting stars above or even a Milky Way during sunrise. A main reason is the sun, if a single capture and the any part of the sun is above the horizon it will be big a blown out. With bracketing you get a small pinpoint sun and better detail of the clouds. Also depending on the post software you can have many results to choose from for you can choose the first image of all 5 to blend with all and get still water or the last of all five blended with all 5 and get bleared surf. Just info not saying anything bad. Also the Sony's can do handheld no tripod needed, but it is good to have something to hold onto.
Using tripod mine was an aluminum bought in '11, Use tennis balls on the legs (free at any tennis court) then the clear trash can bags over the legs and for the upper part there are clear raincoat covers like 2 for from $4 to $8, I keep 3 in my photo vest back pockets also great when in desert country for keeping sand dust off camera for less cleaning after a capture time. I am proud you took the lens off to show everyone the back filter holder but salt air leaves small particles not seen. The back of a lens with just a small dust particle will be a big blob in post not able to be cloned out, so a clear rear lens is very important if you go from f/11 to f/16, just info.
1. clear night filter in Back filter holder forgot to take out on a scouting mission.
2. using the E 10-18mm in full frame at 12mm '15 before any 12mm available
3. no silhouettes during blue hour, Voigtlander HELIAR-HYPER WIDE 10mm F5.6 f/16 .5 secs
4. A reason to bracket to get small sun and clarity on dark side. FE 16-15mm f/22 ISO 50 and detail in the sand a pirate in the sand only seen in post.
Some great tips on trying to protect the tripod. I know some frequent seashore photographers take plastic lids for under their tripod feet as well (and works in the snow too!)
Very good teaching video how to photograpy seascapes. I alway some issues to get the fore ground composition. By the way if you are not focus stacked the images, where to do focus on the scene. The mountain or midway with f11 and f16? I normally focus midway and I am not sure whether this is best if no focus stack.
Regarding focusing, a rough rule of thumb for landscape photography is putting your focus point about a 1/3 of the way in the scene. That helps keep items in the foreground and background in acceptable focus. There are nuances and different lenses, apertures, focal distance can come into play as well.
You can search more on hyperfocal distance and find other articles and videos dedicated to focusing and approaches to focusing.
thank you noted your reply!