1
Choose the right optic Your lens
selection will depend on the intensity of
the sunlight – if it is visible in the scene itself a
wide-angle lens will suffice, but if the sun is out
of the frame a longer lens is needed. A wide
aperture is also required.4
Find a base exposure It’s important
to avoid too many blown highlights or
blacked shadows, although some clipping near
the sun is acceptable. Change the metering
mode to Partial and measure from foreground
highlights to create a bright image, while keeping
the tonality mostly in range.2
Select your angle Aim the camera
so that the sun is positioned to one side of
the frame, or just out of shot, illuminating the
scene from an angle. Be sure that you consider
your safety and do not look directly at the sun
through the viewfinder.5
Arrange composition It is critical to
retain a strong subject in your image, so
check that your choice of angle compliments the
scene elements. The attraction of this effect is
that the soft lighting contrasts with sharp coastal
features, so look for framing that subtly balances
these opposing textures.3
Set the aperture Set an aperture
of around f/5.6 to begin, incrementally
opening up towards the maximum – f/2.8 or
wider – to balance of depth of field and flare.
The wider lens opening gives the light a less
defined shape, for the washed-out effect.6
Adjust exposure Use exposure
compensation to brighten or darken the
image. A brighter exposure will emphasise the
washed-out style, but this can be at the expense
of colour saturation. Use negative compensation
to boost colour strength and prevent widespread
highlight clipping.Use flare creatively Introduce attractive washes of light and colour for an airy, back-lit atmosphere
x7 © Peter FenechCOASTAL LANDSCAPES
1
ChoosetherightopticYourlens
selectionwilldependontheintensityof
thesunlight–ifitisvisibleinthesceneitselfa
wide-anglelenswillsuffice,butifthesunisout
oftheframealongerlensisneeded.Awide
apertureisalsorequired.4
FindabaseexposureIt’simportant
toavoidtoomanyblownhighlightsor
blackedshadows,althoughsomeclippingnear
thesunisacceptable.Changethemetering
modetoPartialandmeasurefromforeground
highlightstocreateabrightimage,whilekeeping
thetonalitymostlyinrange.2
SelectyourangleAimthecamera
sothatthesunispositionedtoonesideof
theframe,orjustoutofshot,illuminatingthe
scenefromanangle.Besurethatyouconsider
yoursafetyanddonotlookdirectlyatthesun
throughtheviewfinder.5
ArrangecompositionItiscriticalto
retainastrongsubjectinyourimage,so
checkthatyourchoiceofanglecomplimentsthe
sceneelements.Theattractionofthiseffectis
thatthesoftlightingcontrastswithsharpcoastal
features,solookforframingthatsubtlybalances
theseopposingtextures.3
SettheapertureSetanaperture
ofaroundf/5.6tobegin,incrementally
openinguptowardsthemaximum–f/2.8or
wider–tobalanceofdepthoffieldandflare.
Thewiderlensopeninggivesthelightaless
definedshape,forthewashed-outeffect.6
AdjustexposureUseexposure
compensationtobrightenordarkenthe
image. A brighterexposurewillemphasisethe
washed-outstyle,butthiscanbeattheexpense
of colour saturation.Usenegativecompensation
to boost colourstrengthandpreventwidespread
highlight clipping.Use flare creatively Introduce attractive washes of light and colour for anairy,back-litatmosphere
x7 © Peter FenechCOASTAL LANDSCAPES