10 Steps to Stunning Seascapes

Pro photographer Mark Bauer gives us his top tips and advice for capturing the coast in all its glory, with valuable composition, framing and kit advice

Learn how to successfully capture eye-catching

coastal scenes with these 10 essential steps

Most photographers are naturally drawn to water, especially the sea. Still water generates reflections, which can double the impact of compositions, and moving water is dynamic, creating a sense of drama; it can, in fact, be one of the clearest demonstrations of the raw power of nature. For most of us, the coast is probably the nearest we come to genuine wilderness.

The other great attraction is that the coast is constantly changing and never looks the same from one day to the next. Add to this the fact that seascapes don’t rely on perfect weather for success, and you can understand why they are such popular subjects for photographers.

The factors that make a good seascape are the same as for any outdoor photography and include choosing a suitable location, planning, light, a strong composition and solid technique. Of course, the difference between landscapes and seascapes is that with the latter there is constant motion in the form of waves. For successful seascapes, then, we need to understand how best to record this motion, the effects of different shutter speeds and how to manipulate exposure length with filtration.

Capture the coast