All at sea

Photographing seascapes can produce beautiful images. Joseph Cheung shares some tips

Frame, snap and go. This is by far the easiest way to take seascape photos. This photo of a Sea Gypsy girl of Semporna is an example of a sea lifestyle.

Sometimes, what’s below the surface of the water is interesting.

The soft green coral adds beauty to the photo, adding an interesting point of view to the already beautiful surrounding. Apply polarised filter to reduce surface reflection. This is a place where you will find sharp edges from the rocks and corals. Take precautions to prevent injury when shooting in a place like this. Also, please take care of the fragile ecosystem of the area.

A low shutter speed at 1/10s, for instance, will add drama to your shots. Finding the right moment is important, especially during sunrise or sunset. A tripod is needed to avoid camera shake. Using filters such as ND, GND, RGND will be helpful.

Try taking reflection photos when the sea is calm, especially during sunrise or sunset. Be extra careful not to fall down or damage your gear when taking a reflection photo of the ocean as you need to get very low to get the effect.

The sea and cloud often give photographers a beautiful combination. However, I normally add a subject to make them more interesting. In this photo, a lone offshore facility is framed right in the middle of the ocean with beautiful cloud formation taken with a zoom lens at 100mm focal length. You can do a long exposure to make it more interesting like dramatic skies and calmer water.