O
NE OF THE best things about
coastal photography is that a
beach never looks the same
from one visit to the next. Tide
height changes its look, mood
and character, ensuring that you have fresh
opportunities at every visit. Depending on
the location, tide height can vary by several
metres – the world’s biggest tidal range is
an extraordinary 16m in the Bay of Fundy,
Canada – therefore, from an aesthetic and
safety viewpoint, it is vital you understand
the different tidal changes before
embarking on any shoot by the coast.
The oceans rise and fall daily due to the
gravitational pull of the moon and sun onthe planet’s surface, as well as the rotation
of Earth and the moon phase. For example,
during a full moon – when the Earth, sun
and moon are aligned – higher and lower
tides occur, and change more rapidly. This is
known as a ‘spring’ tide. The following week,
the sun and moon are perpendicular and
thus create slightly lower than average high
tides and higher low tides, known as a ‘neap’.
While most locations work during any
tide, big sandy bays look great at low tide
when you can capture the enormity of the
beach as it stretches into the distance.
Whereas rocky beaches can look cluttered
at low tide. However, most scenes are best
shot during a receding tide as it's safer.Calculating tide times and heights is
simple now local tide tables are published
online. Try visiting http://www.ukho.gov.uk/
easytide or download an App like Ayetides
(www.Ayetides.com). In practice all tide
heights offer chances for great coastal
images, from far-reaching vistas to intimate
close-up studies of geology. The transition
phase also creates motion, reveals interest,
reflective pools and texture. There is plenty
of potential from tide to tide, which is why
we challenged reader Danny Berta, with
help from regular contributor Ross
Hoddinott, to spend the best part of a day
adapting images to the changing tide. Read
on to see how they fared...Dannyis a retiredmusicteacher
who also ran an equine
photography business for several
years. He has been a keen landscape
photographer for the past ten years
and recently moved to Devon to spend even
more time behind his camera.
Danny’s Kit: Nikon D850, 17-35mm, 28-70mm,
70-200mm, LEE Filters, Gitzo Systematic tripod,
Manfrotto 405 geared head, f-stop backpack.OUR READER: Danny Berta
Rossis basedin northCornwallandis
one of the UK’s best-known landscape
photographers and the author of several
photography books, including From
Dawn to Dusk – Mastering the Light in
Landscape Photography and runs many popular
workshops. http://www.rosshoddinott.co.uk
Ross’s kit: Nikon D850, 17-35mm, 24-70mm,
70-200mm, Lee Filters, Gitzo Systematic tripod and
Manfrotto 405 geared head, f-stop gear backpack.OUR EXPERT: Ross Hoddinott