Table of Contents

1. Plan Your Seascape Photography
   1. Scout the Location in Advance
   2. Check the Weather Forcast
   3. Check the Swell and Tide
2. Find Your Focal Point and Compose Deliberately
3. The Best Time for Coastal Photography
   1. Master the Golden Hour (and Beyond)
   2. Daytime Seascape Photography
   3. Night Seascape Photography
4. Best Setting for Seascape Photography
   1. Embrace Long Exposure
   2. Aperture Setting
   3. ISO Setting
   4. Other Settings for Seascape Photography
5. Essential Gear
   1. Best Lens for Seascape Photography
   2. Utilize Filters for Enhanced Results
6. Capturing the Soul of the Sea

The ocean, in its vastness and constant motion, offers a captivating subject for photographers. From tranquil turquoise waters lapping gently at the shore to dramatic waves crashing against rugged cliffs, seascapes evoke a sense of awe and wonder. But capturing the true essence and beauty of the sea on camera requires more than just pointing and shooting. It demands an understanding of light, composition, and the ever-changing nature of the coastal environment.

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just starting out, these essential tips will help you elevate your seascape photography and create images that truly capture the spirit of the sea.

Plan Your Seascape Photography

Any great landscape photo requires extensive planning and good organization. With seascape photography, because more elements of nature, such as waves, storms, tides, etc., come into play, so planning is even more crucial.

Seascape photography can put the photographer in a more vulnerable position, so you should always plan to minimize the hazards. I’ve been a trauma nurse in Hawaii for 30 years and have seen too many preventable injuries and deaths. The ocean in Hawaii is something to be taken seriously.

Scout the Location in Advance

Seascape photography often overlooks the importance of scouting. You’ll be able to identify the most suitable compositions for your photographs and avoid unnecessary risks if you’re familiar with the location before you begin shooting.

If you intend to photograph at sunrise/sunset or at night in the ocean, it is advisable to first explore the chosen location for your coastal photography. Scouting will help eliminate many potential hazards, such as unexpected waves, exposed cliffs, slippery rocks, etc.

It is also a smart idea to leave your equipment in a safe place while you scout for seascape photos, such as in your car or on an elevated rock. There is no need to have your camera hanging off your neck while you explore.

When scouting close to the sea, consider the currents and the wind, which can make certain places particularly hazardous. Invest some time in a secure area to locate the most suitable places to head if danger arises and, above all else, never turn your back on the ocean! You could get into serious trouble if you are caught off guard by an unexpected wave.

Check the Weather Forcast

The beauty of the coast often comes hand-in-hand with unpredictable weather. Don’t be afraid to photograph in challenging conditions like mist, fog, or even during a storm (from a safe distance!). These conditions can create dramatic and atmospheric images that you wouldn’t capture on a sunny day.

However, safety should always be your top priority. Be aware of tides, strong currents, slippery rocks, and incoming waves. Never put yourself or your equipment in unnecessary danger.

Prior to taking landscape seascape photographs, you should check your local weather forecast and understand weather patterns to increase your chances of success and, most importantly, prevent unnecessary risks. The huge impact of the ocean on the weather is one of the key things to consider when taking coastal photographs.

The weather also plays an important role in the final look of your seascape photographs. It may be possible to capture dramatic scenes and huge waves during severe weather, but it’s not the same as a peaceful sunset on the beach.

The main things to look for in a weather forecast for seascape photography are:

• Cloud cover
• Cloud altitude
• Temperature
• Water temperature
• Dew point
• Thunderstorms

I take advantage of three resources to check and compare the weather forecast. Windy and Wunderground are free but a good, inexpensive third option is Planit! for Photographers.

Check the Swell and Tide

The best tip I can give you when planning your seascape photos is to always remember to check the tide and swell. With this simple task, you’ll avoid unnecessary risks and get the photos you want.

The shoreline changes drastically between tides, so you can see anything from peaceful sandy beaches to rocky cliffs hit by big waves in just a few hours.

There are also some places along the coast, such as tide pools and sea caves, that are only accessible at certain tides, and you don’t want to find yourself in a cave at high tide. Checking the tide well in advance will help you plan your ocean photos better and to make the most of your seascape photography sessions.

As part of coastal photography, it is also important to consider the swell. In oceanography, swell refers to a set of waves generated by distant weather events. The three most critical things to ensure before you dive in are:

• Swell height: Swell height is the size of the wave size which is relative to the swell period. During severe weather, such as hurricanes or storms, there are huge waves, and, as you can imagine, it can be dangerous to be near the coast.
• Swell period: The period between waves is the swell period. Typically, the larger the swell, the longer the interval between waves, or the period will be.
• Swell direction: Swell direction indicates which direction the swell is coming from. It is critical to check the spots where the waves will break and the areas that will be more protected.

I utilize two resources to analyze the swell and tide before heading out to do any seascape photography:

• Windy: In addition to providing weather forecasts, Windy analyses local tide stations for swell and tide forecasts. Because of their graphics and maps, it’s extremely easy to use and understand.
• Local surf forecast and webcams: Surfers need to check the swell information constantly, so the local surf forecast on surf-forecast.com or surfline.com should be consulted. Also, don’t forget to check the local webcams if there are any; they will give you an idea of the weather and conditions.

Find Your Focal Point and Compose Deliberately

A strong composition is crucial for engaging the viewer and telling a story with your seascape images. Consider these elements:

• The Horizon Line: Decide where to place the horizon – higher or lower in the frame – to emphasize either the sky or the foreground. A general guideline is the rule of thirds, but don’t be afraid to experiment.
• Leading Lines: Utilize natural elements like beaches, rocks, piers, or breaking waves to draw the viewer’s eye into the scene.
• Foreground Interest: Include interesting elements in the foreground, such as shells, pebbles, seaweed-covered rocks, or driftwood, to add depth and context to your image.
• Rule of Thirds: Imagine dividing your frame into nine equal sections with two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing key elements along these lines or at their intersections can create a more balanced and visually appealing composition.
• Negative Space: Don’t be afraid to leave empty space in your frame. This can draw attention to your main subject and create a sense of vastness or solitude.

The Best Time for Coastal Photography

Master the Golden Hour (and Beyond)

Light is the lifeblood of photography, and this is especially true for seascapes. The soft, warm light of sunrise and sunset, often called the “golden hours,” casts a magical glow on the water and landscape, bringing out vibrant colors and creating dramatic shadows. Get to your location well before sunrise or stay long after sunset to take advantage of the beautiful hues and atmospheric conditions.

But don’t limit yourself to just these times. Overcast days can diffuse the light beautifully, reducing harsh shadows and revealing subtle details in the water and sky. Even midday sun, when managed correctly (perhaps with a neutral density filter – see below), can create stunning contrasts and sparkling reflections.

Although seascapes can be photographed at any time, there are certain times that are better suited for ocean landscape photography of any type.

Sunrise & Sunset Ocean Photography

One of the best times to do ocean landscape photography is during the “golden hour”, that time of day shortly after sunrise or before sunset. It’s that magical time when your photograph of beautiful seascapes will be painted with golden sunlight.

As the sun rises or sets, the change of light allows you to shoot different seascapes — capturing the seas flow through long exposure photography or freezing the motion of the breaking waves using a fast shutter speed.

Daytime Seascape Photography

Even though you can easily photograph the sea during the day, the harsh light creates challenging conditions and can seriously impair the quality of your photographs. If daytime photography is your only option, try photographing seascapes during overcast days. To add a romantic feel to your seascapes, use lens filters to smooth out the texture of the water.

Night Seascape Photography

It can be pretty intimidating to take pictures of the coast at night. Being in the water in the middle of the night with the continuous roaring surf may not be for everyone. However, photographing the sea at night is an otherworldly experience. Photographing the beach in a starry sky or under soft moonlight is one of the most magical experiences you may ever have.

For more information about improving your night photography skills, check out the guides on how to photograph the Milky Way and how to take long exposures at night.

Best Setting for Seascape Photography

It is imperative to know the basic camera settings and the basics of photography, just like in any other type of photography. Setting up the settings for seascape photography can be tricky, as there are no “general rules” and you have to adjust them according to the final image you want to create.

The following are some helpful general seascape settings you can use for most ocean photos:

Embrace Long Exposure

One of the most powerful techniques for seascape photography is using long exposures. By keeping your camera’s shutter open for several seconds (or even minutes), you can transform the movement of water into silky smooth textures or ethereal-looking fog. This technique works particularly well for:

• Smoothing out choppy water: Create a sense of tranquility and calm by eliminating any textures on the water. Using a shutter speed of at least 10 seconds creates a silky effect giving an ethereal and dreamy atmosphere in your seascape images.
• Blurring the movement of waves: Emphasize the power and energy of the ocean by preserving the details of the water while capturing motion. A shutter speed between 1/4 second and 1 second is ideal. This results in dynamic images with more of a painting-like quality.
• Capturing the motion of clouds: Adding a sense of dynamism to the sky.

To achieve long exposures, you’ll need a tripod to keep your camera perfectly still and often a Neutral Density (ND) filter to reduce the amount of light entering your lens.

Aperture Setting

Seascape photographers aim to capture a large depth of field so that all elements of their images are in focus. You can achieve this by using a wide-angle lens and an aperture between f/8 and f/11. The smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field. However, keep in mind that optical diffraction kicks in above f/16, and other side effects, such as the presence of water drops and spray, are more visible when shooting through small apertures.

In contrast, you can use a wide aperture to draw attention to elements in your ocean photos. This will leave the rest of the landscape out of focus while still leaving the eye naturally drawn to the subject.

Remember, you will also need a fast aperture, between f2.8 and f/5.6, to capture as much light as you can if you are planning on taking photos of the night sky.

Please check the guide to photography aperture if you are interested in mastering aperture for seascape photography.

ISO Setting

For seascape photography, the optimal ISO would be the “base ISO” of your camera, which will greatly enhance the quality of the image and reduce the digital noise. Setting the ISO on a camera for seascape photography is a very similar process to setting the ISO on a camera for general landscape photography.

When it’s low light, such as before dawn or after dusk, you may need to raise the ISO so you can keep a slow shutter speed.

When shooting nighttime seascapes, don’t hesitate to use an ISO setting as high as your camera allows within the limits of your equipment. See the Milky Way guide for more on this. Any noise reduction software can be used to eliminate digital noise from your image if you end up with a noisy one. When I encounter these situations, I use Topaz Denoise AI.

Other Settings for Seascape Photography

To make ocean photographs like a pro, you should not just focus on the basic settings for seascape photography, but also remember these general camera settings:

• Use RAW files for post-production so you can get the most out of your image files.
• Use auto white balance to capture seascape panoramas and nighttime photos.
• Using the Matrix/Evaluative/Multi-metering mode will yield the highest quality results.
• In the guide to focusing, we explain how to focus correctly on seascapes.
• The burst mode works well for capturing seascape action.

Essential Gear

While we’ve discussed the settings needed to master the art of photographing seascapes, we now need to discuss what gear one needs to capture the most impressive ocean scenes possible.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a camera gear for seascape photography. While there are a few additional things to consider, the gear is generally very similar to the equipment used for travel photography.

Best Lens for Seascape Photography

The most appropriate lens to use for seascape photography depends on the subject that you plan on phot

Utilize Filters for Enhanced Results

Lens filters are invaluable tools when photographing seascapes, especially with long exposures. Here are a few essential filters you will want to include in your kit:

• Neutral Density (ND) Filters: As mentioned earlier, these darken the entire image evenly, allowing for longer shutter speeds in bright light. They come in various strengths (stops) depending on how much light you need to reduce. In my opinion, you should always have a series of 3, 6, and 10-stop ND filters in your bag.
• Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filters: These filters are dark on one half and clear on the other, with a gradual transition in between. They are perfect for balancing the exposure between a bright sky and a darker foreground, preventing blown-out highlights in the sky.
• Polarizing Filters: These filters reduce reflections from non-metallic surfaces like water and wet rocks, enhance colors (especially blues and greens), and cut through haze. A polarizing filter can dramatically improve the clarity and vibrancy of your seascape images by removing unwanted glare.

Usually, I will not recommend gradient filters because they can produce side effects such as darkening unwanted parts of your photo. Similar results can be achieved in post-processing.

Capturing the Soul of the Sea

Seascape photography is more than just documenting a pretty view. It’s about capturing the ever-changing mood and energy of the ocean, the drama of the coastline, and the timeless beauty of the natural world. By applying these tips and developing your own creative eye, you can create stunning images that transport viewers to the edge of the sea and evoke the powerful emotions it inspires. So grab your camera, embrace the elements, and start your own visual journey along the shore.