CROOKED COMPOSITION
While it might sound like an obvious
error for a professional, the contrast
of vertical and horizontal lines in a
coastal scene can cause confusion. In
coastal scenes the horizon line is often
visible, making unlevel camera setups
challenging to hide.CLIPPING IN MOTION
When dealing with such wide
extremes of exposure, it is easy
to overlook small areas of missing
detail. In this case the reflectivity of
the water has not been accounted
for, resulting in unattractive blown
highlights on the surface.How long have you been a photographer? Tell
us a bit about yourself.
I only started around seven years back, so I’m
quite new to the industry, but I have a background
in arts so I suppose the roots for this have been
there for a long time. I am Latvian-born and movedLEVEL ALIGNMENT
Turn on the guides on your camera’s
rear LCD and use these to ensure the
horizon line is level. In addition, make
use of the virtual horizon or electronic
level to gauge the pitch and yaw angle
of the lens, in order to achieve a more
level composition.EVEN BRIGHTNESS
By using Spot metering, taking a
reading from the water’s surface and
using 1/3 stop of positive exposure
compensation, severe underexposure
is avoided, but highlight clipping is
prevented. Turn on highlight alerts or
the histogram to identify problem areas.to Ireland 15 years back. For the first few years, I
was travelling a lot in search of all the magical
landscapes – the west coast was occupying all my
evenings and weekends. Then, in the early stages
of Instagram emerging here in Ireland, I thought
other people might enjoy it too – locals andinternationals – and that’s how it all started. In
time, it made me create a wonderful community,
a network of friends, and I also got me to meet
my future wife!What do you find most challenging about
shooting coastal scenes and seascapes?
After all these years, having been to many places,
both popular and hidden gems, I think that it
has become challenging to find new locations
and bring something unique. However, I always
think that every location changes between days.
Joaquín Sorolla, a wonderful ‘master of light’
painter, used to start a painting, and if the day
would finish, he would wait as long as it took to
find the same light again to finish the painting (it’s
why some of his paintings are still unfinished). I
try to see the landscape with different eyes all
the time, and I quite enjoy that, but I guess all
other photographers are doing the same.How is your photographic approach
different when shooting coastal scenes to
shooting inland locations?
I suppose it’s about the composition more than
anything, and how inspired I am at the time of
shooting. I usually go to a location (it could be
coastal or inland) for a whole weekend and only
have one photo at the end of it, but I am still
very happy. I love to shoot coastal scenes with a
drone – it’s a bit like sitting on a cloud and then
looking down!To find more of Max Malloy’s photography, go
to ihaveadarksoul.comLeft
Creative context
One of the challenges
of coastal photography
is the flat nature of
the landscape. By
shooting down on a
subject, more depth
can be introduced while
© Max Malloyminimising distractionsx8 © Peter FenechCOASTAL LANDSCAPES
CROOKED COMPOSITION
While it might sound like an obvious
error for a professional, the contrast
of vertical and horizontal lines in a
coastal scene can cause confusion. In
coastal scenes the horizon line is often
visible, making unlevel camera setups
challenging to hide.
CLIPPINGINMOTION
Whendealingwithsuchwide
extremesofexposure,itiseasy
tooverlooksmallareasofmissing
detail.Inthiscasethereflectivityof
thewaterhasnotbeenaccounted
for,resultinginunattractiveblown
highlightsonthesurface.How long have you been a photographer? Tell
us a bit about yourself.
I only started around seven years back, so I’m
quite new to the industry, but I have a background
in arts so I suppose the roots for this have been
there for a long time. I am Latvian-born and moved
LEVEL ALIGNMENT
Turn on theguidesonyourcamera’s
rear LCD andusethesetoensurethe
horizon lineislevel.Inaddition,make
use of thevirtualhorizonorelectronic
level to gaugethepitchandyawangle
of the lens,inordertoachieveamore
level composition.EVENBRIGHTNESS
ByusingSpotmetering,takinga
readingfromthewater’ssurfaceand
using1/3stopofpositiveexposure
compensation,severeunderexposure
isavoided,buthighlightclippingis
prevented.Turnonhighlightalertsor
thehistogramtoidentifyproblemareas.to Ireland 15 years back. For the first few years, I
was travelling a lot in search of all the magical
landscapes – the west coast was occupying all my
evenings and weekends. Then, in the early stages
of Instagram emerging here in Ireland, I thought
other people might enjoy it too – locals andinternationals – and that’s how it all started. In
time, it made me create a wonderful community,
a network of friends, and I also got me to meet
my future wife!What do you find most challenging about
shooting coastal scenes and seascapes?
After all these years, having been to many places,
both popular and hidden gems, I think that it
has become challenging to find new locations
and bring something unique. However, I always
think that every location changes between days.
Joaquín Sorolla, a wonderful ‘master of light’
painter, used to start a painting, and if the day
would finish, he would wait as long as it took to
find the same light again to finish the painting (it’s
why some of his paintings are still unfinished). I
try to see the landscape with different eyes all
the time, and I quite enjoy that, but I guess all
other photographers are doing the same.How is your photographic approach
different when shooting coastal scenes to
shooting inland locations?
I suppose it’s about the composition more than
anything, and how inspired I am at the time of
shooting. I usually go to a location (it could be
coastal or inland) for a whole weekend and only
have one photo at the end of it, but I am still
very happy. I love to shoot coastal scenes with a
drone – it’s a bit like sitting on a cloud and then
looking down!To find more of Max Malloy’s photography, go
to ihaveadarksoul.comLeft
Creative context
One of the challenges
of coastal photography
is the flat nature of
the landscape. By
shooting down on a
subject, more depth
can be introduced while
© Max Malloyminimising distractionsx8 © Peter Fenech58A pAerreAfc 5Ath