How to produce images that take advantage of a
location’s environmental characteristics
Shoot creative coasts
As with other landscape images, coastal
scenes are an often-photographed subject,
so it is easy to assume there is little room to
produce images that stand out as truly unique.
It’s true that there is a limited number of
elements the photographer is able to control
in a coastal landscape – namely lighting,
composition and timing (with reference to low
and high tides) – which can lead us to adopt
a fairly procedural approach to each shot. In
many cases we arrive on location, set up our
tripod, attach an ND filter and begin shooting.
While this may produce attractive images, the
fruits of such a formula are photos that are
overly standardised in nature and serve as
little more than records of a particular location.
If we are to aim for something a little
more creative, we have to produce images
that are less literal in their representation of
the landscape or play to the most attractive
elements of the scene, such as movement
or depth. We must therefore make these the
focus of each shot.
To start the creative process, first consider
focal length choice, as this has a strong
influence on viewer attention. How the sceneis cropped in-camera controls the balance of
foreground and background elements, which
can be used to emphasise a particular part of
the wider environment. This can be effective
when shooting in a well-photographed
location, where it seems all of the best angles
for capturing a wider view have already been
studied many times. Selecting a longer lens
and isolating an attractive rock, sea stack or
pool to lend it greater dominance will provide
a surprising, new perspective on the more
recognisable elements. In this case we can
use the familiarity of the location to viewers
to our advantage – we can easily produce
unexpected framing.
Next, try varying your position relative to
the sun to alter the balance and distribution
of highlights and shadows within the frame
boundaries. This is where multiple visits to
a coastal location are advantageous – often
there are limits to where we can position our
camera, due to the flat nature of beaches
and presence of cliffs behind us. Visiting in
different seasons will place the sun in different
positions, allowing experimentation with
lighting direction.Right
Desaturated
backlight
Using the correct
combination of aperture,
exposure and angle, a low
sun can introduce colour
and atmosphere, even if
it’s not directly visible1
Attach filter
Screw in the
circular filter using
the lens thread.
Variable NDs can be
expensive, so you can
use stepping rings to adapt a larger model to
smaller lenses. In this case a 77mm filter was
adapted to a 67mm thread.2
Set lowest
strength
One advantage of the
variable ND is that
darkening can be set
for composition. Move
the outer ring to the minimum position in
order to compose your image.3
Set aperture
Rotate the filter
ring to cut between
3 and 4 stops of light.
This will lengthen
the exposure to
introduce some motion in waves without
stripping all surface detail – a problem with
‘Big Stopper’ filters.4
Increase
filtration
Turn the filter to the
maximum setting for
the full ND factor, to
provide an exposure
of several seconds. This will allow slower-
moving clouds to be blurred. These two
images can then be merged in software.Introduce
differential motion
Use a variable ND filter to control
long exposure effectsPlay to the most
attractive elements
Above
Go against
convention
Consider breaking
convention and working
additional subject matter
in. Here the figure adds
interest with the coastal
scene a backdropx4 © Peter Fenech© Max MalloyHowtoproduceimagesthat take advantage of a
location’senvironmentalcharacteristics
Shoot creative coasts
Aswithotherlandscapeimages,coastal
scenesareanoften-photographedsubject,
soitiseasytoassumethereislittleroomto
produceimagesthatstandoutastrulyunique.
It’struethatthereisalimitednumberof
elementsthephotographerisabletocontrol
inacoastallandscape–namelylighting,
compositionandtiming(withreferencetolow
andhightides)–whichcanleadustoadopt
afairlyproceduralapproachtoeachshot.In
manycaseswearriveonlocation,setupour
tripod,attachanNDfilterandbeginshooting.
Whilethismayproduceattractiveimages,the
fruitsofsuchaformulaarephotosthatare
overlystandardisedinnatureandserveas
littlemorethanrecordsofaparticularlocation.
Ifwearetoaimforsomethingalittle
morecreative,wehavetoproduceimages
thatarelessliteralintheirrepresentationof
thelandscapeorplaytothemostattractive
elementsofthescene,suchasmovement
ordepth.Wemustthereforemakethesethe
focusofeachshot.
Tostartthecreativeprocess,firstconsider
focallengthchoice,asthishasastrong
influenceonviewerattention.Howthesceneiscropped in-camera controls the balance of
foreground and background elements, which
can be used to emphasise a particular part of
the wider environment. This can be effective
when shooting in a well-photographed
location, where it seems all of the best angles
for capturing a wider view have already been
studied many times. Selecting a longer lens
and isolating an attractive rock, sea stack or
pool to lend it greater dominance will provide
asurprising, new perspective on the more
recognisable elements. In this case we can
use the familiarity of the location to viewers
toour advantage – we can easily produce
unexpected framing.
Next, try varying your position relative to
the sun to alter the balance and distribution
ofhighlights and shadows within the frame
boundaries. This is where multiple visits to
acoastal location are advantageous – often
there are limits to where we can position our
camera, due to the flat nature of beaches
and presence of cliffs behind us. Visiting in
different seasons will place the sun in different
positions, allowing experimentation with
lighting direction.Right
Desaturated
backlight
Usingthecorrect
combinationofaperture,
exposureandangle,alow
suncanintroducecolour
andatmosphere,evenif
it’snotdirectlyvisible1
Attachfilter
Screwinthe
circularfilterusing
thelensthread.
VariableNDscanbe
expensive,soyoucan
usesteppingringstoadaptalargermodelto
smallerlenses.Inthiscasea77mmfilterwas
adaptedtoa67mmthread.2
Setlowest
strength
Oneadvantageofthe
variableNDisthat
darkeningcanbeset
forcomposition.Move
theouterringtotheminimumpositionin
ordertocomposeyourimage.3
Setaperture
Rotatethefilter
ringtocutbetween
3 and 4 stopsoflight.
Thiswilllengthen
theexposureto
introducesomemotioninwaveswithout
strippingallsurfacedetail–aproblemwith
‘BigStopper’filters.
4
Increase
filtration
Turnthefiltertothe
maximumsettingfor
thefullNDfactor,to
provideanexposure
ofseveralseconds.Thiswillallowslower-
movingcloudstobeblurred.Thesetwo
imagescanthenbemergedinsoftware.Introduce
differential motion
UseavariableNDfiltertocontrol
longexposureeffectsPlaytothemost
attractiveelements
Above
Goagainst
convention
Considerbreaking
conventionandworking
additionalsubjectmatter
in.Herethefigureadds
interestwiththecoastal
sceneabackdropx4 © Peter Fenech© Max Malloy