Stormy seas

Get spectacular and dramatic shots at the coast by following Rachael Talibart’s top shooting tips

Rachael is a professional photographer specialising in the coast. She is best known for her critically acclaimed Sirens portfolio, featuring stormy seas named after mythical beings.

Rachael owns f11 Workshops, providing photography and printing workshops in the South of England, and she leads tours for Ocean Capture.

Find out more at her website www.rachaeltalibart.com, and www.f11workshops.com.

Know your tides

Understand how the tides affect your location. Some subjects are only accessible at low tide and others need water around them to be photogenic. It’s also important for your safety, especially on stormy days. Tide times and heights change daily. I use the Nautide app.

Planning

Nothing beats local knowledge so don’t wait for the best storm of the year before checking out your chosen beach. Local conditions may make or break your trip. For example, there’s little point in shooting a gale blowing from the north on a south-facing beach backed by high cliffs.

Get low

With fast shutter speeds, camera shake is less of an issue, but when the wind is gusting at 70mph-plus, holding a long lens steady can still be challenging even at 1/1000sec and your tripod will probably be useless. Try lying down on the beach instead – it’s often a better point of view.

Protect your gear

Use a lens hood to keep spray off your lens and UV filters, as salt spray scratches. For cleaning on the go, I use Lee Filters spray and Rosco disposable lens tissues. If the spray is really heavy or it’s raining, then cover your camera. Try to avoid shooting into the wind.

Protect yourself

Photographing a stormy sea is exhilarating but please stay safe. Familiarity with your location will help but never underestimate the sea’s capacity to surprise. Don’t get too close. Use a longer focal length or simply reject the composition if you can’t do it safely. No photo is worth your life.