Settings for wave photography
The gear you need and the settings for two kinds of seascape photography; the first where you freeze the waves mid-air and the second where you aim for those soft, blurred long exposures.
Freeze the action
Samuel Zeller, with permission
Settings and gear
Shutter speed 1/1000th or faster to freeze the spray. If you’re not shooting on manual mode, use shutter priority mode. Zoom in on your LCD to review your shots at 100%. If they are not as sharp as you want use a faster shutter speed. If you want a less frozen shot with a bit more blur to it, dial the shutter speed down a bit.
If you want a lower ISO you’ll need a wider aperture so your focus will need to be accurate; use manual focus unless your auto focus is very good. If the light is low you will probably end up with ISOs of 800 or higher, even with an aperture of f2.8.
Don’t put your self in danger (see the warnings box below). Use the longest lens you have (ideally 400mm or more and consider using a teleconverter to extend the reach even further).
With super-fast shutter speeds you won’t get any camera-shake benefit from using a tripod.
Jeremy Bishop, with permission
Tips
Big waves usually come with big winds and plenty of rain. You and your gear will get very wet. Protect your camera with a rain case or with a plastic bag. Keep a microfibre cloth as dry as you can and wipe your lens after every shot if needed. Check whether there is any sand on your lens before you wipe it; you don’t want to scratch your lens.
Look up regularly to check where the tide is. You don’t want to get cut off or have your gear swept away. It’s easy to lose track of time when there is lots of action to capture.
The best photographers know their subject inside out. It’s unlikely you’ll just turn up at a beach and find the best spot to shoot waves in the best weather conditions. Do your research, keep an eye on the forecast and pay attention to how the waves break. For big splashes you need a place for a big impact; sea walls, rocks, cliffs. Consider learning from the experts: Rachael Talibart runs seascape photography workshops.
If you have enough memory cards and batteries with you consider using burst-mode and fire off 7 or 8 shots with one press of the shutter button. You’ll have a lot of deleting to do when you get home but you increase your odds of getting the perfect wave.
Cloudy days don’t bring out the colour of the sea. You usually get more attractive shots early morning or late evening when the sun is hitting the water from the side. But big waves come in stormy conditions so you can’t always get ideal light.
Clean your gear when you get home. Gently shake any sand off. Let the camera dry out. Clean off any salt residue.
Blur the action
2.5 seconds, f5, ISO100, 24mm. Stokksnes, Iceland.
Settings and gear
To show the motion of waves coming in and out use a longer shutter speed: from 1 second up to about 6 seconds. Review on your LCD and adjust to control the amount of blur shown.
If you are shooting during the day you may find your images are over exposed at longer shutter speeds. Reduce your shutter speed, make sure you’re on your lowest ISO, choose a smaller aperture or wait for the light to drop. If you must shoot during the day you’ll need to use neutral density filters to reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor.
Use shutter speeds of 60 seconds and more along with a neutral density filter (or shoot in the evening) to blur the sea to complete smoothness. This technique can look a bit artificial so consider using a shorter shutter speed to hold some detail.
Check your histogram to make sure the white parts of the waves aren’t losing all detail; if they are, reduce your exposure.
You would usually want to use a wider angle lens for these kind of seascapes.
A tripod is essential.
You might consider using a graduated neutral density filter if the sky is very bright, to stop the sky over-exposing compared to the sea.
35 seconds, 6-stop neutral density filter, f11, ISO100, 24mm. Southwold Pier.
Tips
Watch what happens to the clouds when you use longer shutter speeds. You will lose the fluffy clouds and start to see the movement of the clouds across the sky.
Use Live View to preview the effect of a neutral density filter on the exposure, or use an app like the Lee Filters Exposure Guide.
If you want the waves to come all the way to the front of the shot you may need to stand your tripod in the sea. Only do this in very mild weather and keep one hand on your camera strap (attached to your camera). You don’t want to nudge the camera but you do want to be ready to catch it if the waves knock it over. Wash the salt off your tripod when you get home.
Safety warnings
Before you set out to shoot at the water’s edge, do your research. Know whether the tide is coming in or out. Know where the high tide mark will be and whether the beach is known for freak waves. Listen to weather warnings and pay attention to local signage. You don’t need to be a surf photographer out at sea to drown. People just like you and I die every year shooting waves from the beach:
Free beginner’s photo workshop
If all this talk of shutter speeds and ISOs is too much, try my free online beginner’s photography course. You’ll understand everything in the first 6 weeks and spend the rest of the course enjoying your camera and building your confidence. Join here and get started today:
