Classic clifftops

Plan and carry out a coastal photography trip with filters

Adam Waring shows how filters and playing with composition and can improve your coastal scenes weeping coastlines and craggy cliffs make for dramatic photographic subjects. Many of the general landscape photo rules remain relevant for coastal shots, but seaside scenes benefit from more detailed planning. This is because coastal locations are constantly changing, both over the course of a day and across the seasons. For example, tides transform the mood and composition of shots, and spring flowers inject striking colours into otherwise drab cliff-faces.

Arriving in the right place at the right time for that money shot is easier said than done. Online or OS maps will help you scout out potential new shooting grounds. Apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris will help you to determine which direction the sunrise and sunset will fall at your chosen vantage point. Lighting is key for this type of shoot, but you can still get dynamic results, even when the sun ain’t shining!

Another challenge is to come up with a composition that leads the viewer’s eye into the frame. The rule of thirds is cliché for a reason, so use it if you’re struggling to frame a shot.

In this project we’ll share our best advice for kit and settings, then you can tailor the tips to suit. Why not revisit your favourite shooting spots throughout the year and see how the clifftops transform?

Seaside scenes benefit from detailed planning because they are constantly changing, both over the course of a day and across seasons