Six ways to shoot… At the beach

1 Move the camera!

Intentional camera movement is a great technique at the beach. The simplified shapes of the land, sea and sky can create interesting effects when you show your shutter speed right down and move deliberately move your camera during the exposure. Expect hit-and-miss results – but the hits can be spectacular.

2 Wave action

The constant ebb and flow of the tide gives you lots of potential for slow-shutter-speed images. Use a tripod and shoot with a cable release to keep the camera still, then time the waves coming in or receding. Shutter speeds of between 1/15 sec and several minutes can be worth trying.

3 Patterns

Beaches were made for abstract imagery lovers. Everything from water patterns in the sand to texture on the rocks can be found when exploring the coastline. Use a short telephoto lens to compose tight details, and explore your angles to find the most effective framing.

4 People

Beach candids can make wonderful images, and there’s always something happening down at the beach, from people kite-surfing to walking the dog or even exercising a horse. Throw in a bit of atmospheric sea mist, and you might get something special.

5 Wildlife

Depending on the time of year, beaches offer ample wildlife opportunities. You’ll need a telephoto lens of around 300mm for animals such as seals, both to keep you safe and make sure they aren’t disturbed. Shoot from a low position to create impact, and include plenty of the environment as a backdrop.

6 Black and white

The simplicity of a beach landscape is perfect for turning into artistic monochromatic prints. Shoot early or late to get long shadows to define forms, and look for strong shapes and contrast in the scene.