[Outis]

Do you have any good tips for taking pictures of crashing waves? I went to the beach last weekend to take some pictures, and I wasn't really happy with the results. I shot in burst mode, which was good at capturing the right moment in the breaking of the waves, but the framing felt really uninspiring, for the most part.

[shamer]

I have found that getting close and low to the shore is very important - it adds scale to the waves. Get down in the sand and shoot upwards but don't go to wide with your focal length or you'll diminish their apparent size too much.

Shooting them in profile with a long lens can also add drama, but you'll need to find vantage points along the shore to make that possible!

Shawn

[LensBeginner]

Do you have any good tips for taking pictures of crashing waves? I went to the beach last weekend to take some pictures, and I wasn't really happy with the results. I shot in burst mode, which was good at capturing the right moment in the breaking of the waves, but the framing felt really uninspiring, for the most part.

Shutter speed is an important component: you can either go very fast and freeze the water mid-air, or very slow (bring ND filters and shoot at sunrise or sunset) in order to get the effect of a sea of fog. Middle grounds usually produce "meh" pictures.
I'd also second shamer's suggestion of going closer.

[Matthew Saville]

Hey Otius!

As someone who was literally "born 'n raised" on beach photography living in Southern California, I'll try my hand at this...

The main thing is to decide what you want to go for, first. Sometimes capturing waves perfectly frozen in motion is awesome, and sometimes you want them completely smooth and blurry like a fog, ...and sometimes you're going for something in between. Once you've decided that, then, quite honestly, I usually don't use burst mode, I simply try and time my shots perfectly and maybe only click 1-3 shots at a time. Water, just like anything else, needs to be in the right place at the right time and each crashing wave only has a second or so where it's in the right spot....


I don't have EXIF for this image, but it's a good example of 1/250 or 1/500 sec.


This one was definitely 1/250 sec...


...Oppositely, here's what 30 sec. looks like.


...Another 30 sec. exposure. (I layered in another 1/2 sec. exposure for the couple, though)


...And here's what 154 sec. looks like!


So, that's the easy part. What about the in-between shutter speeds, where you want a wave to stay a wave, not just a whisp of white, ...but you still want it to blur? That's where it gets tricky. 1 sec, 1/3 sec, or that range seems to be my favorite:


This shot was 1/3 sec...


This shot was 7/10 sec.... (~1 stop slower than the previous image)


Lastly, in case you're wondering, what shutter speed can blur water, yet human beings can still hold still enough to NOT blur? The answer to that question, based on the caffeine intake of the human of course, is somewhere around 1/5 sec, give or take a stop or so depending on how close and how wide you are, and how good they are at holding still.

Hope this helps!
=Matt=

---------- Post added 11-01-14 at 09:46 AM ----------

I have found that getting close and low to the shore is very important - it adds scale to the waves. Get down in the sand and shoot upwards but don't go to wide with your focal length or you'll diminish their apparent size too much.

Shooting them in profile with a long lens can also add drama, but you'll need to find vantage points along the shore to make that possible!

Shawn

In my experience, emphasized perspective (low angle) can do some things, but composition and careful timing are definitely far more important to practice. Most of my favorite wave blur shots were taken between waist-height or eye-level, I think...

I do love shooting telephoto water blur shots, though, as they add a sense of mystery and excitement that most people don't think to do... :-)

=Matt=

[Hattifnatt]

Very useful info and nice pictures! will try it as soon as I get the chance

[psychdoc]

Waves look better when supported by other elements to make it interesting unless you are going for an abstract look

If you have a strong ND filter and a tripod, you can slow the waves down even in daytime. All you need is to look for something in foreground and background that is interesting with the waves being the middle. Most of the time the foreground is rocks or sand and the sky is the background, in which case the sky needs some clouds. Or you will need to minimize the sky. If there are sea stacks or piers etc you can use them too for interest.

First two were taken with ND filter in daytime, last one was just before sunrise

[stevebrot]

Do you have any good tips for taking pictures of crashing waves?

That is a huge question because there are so many answers depending on what you want the final product to look like. Here are a few bullet points:

• If water is in motion, chances are that some parts are moving faster than others. That property provides all kinds of interesting options.
• The same rules for photography in general apply to moving water. Composition and perspective rule the day.
• Fully frozen action by itself is cliche' and boring
• Fully blurred action by itself is cliche' and boring
• Use the transparent qualities of water to your advantage
• Don't ever turn your back to the sea! Work with an assistant so that you have warning to run when that really BIG wave comes.

It takes practice.


Steve

[Matthew Saville]

That is a huge question because there are so many answers depending on what you want the final product to look like. Here are a few bullet points:

• If water is in motion, chances are that some parts are moving faster than others. That property provides all kinds of interesting options.
• The same rules for photography in general apply to moving water. Composition and perspective rule the day.
• Fully frozen action by itself is cliche' and boring
• Fully blurred action by itself is cliche' and boring
• Use the transparent qualities of water to your advantage
• Don't ever turn your back to the sea! Work with an assistant so that you have warning to run when that really BIG wave comes.

It takes practice.


Steve

Wow, I can't believe I forgot that last point! I actually just retrieved my camera from service after getting splashed by a giant wave during a portrait session. So yeah, DO NOT turn your back on the sea! She is a fickle beast that can catch you off-guard in just a few seconds.

On that note, I'll also say that you should never put off getting any rubber gaskets on your camera replaced if they fall off. My "weather sealed" camera was no match for a wave, ...with its missing rubber cover of an electronic port, lol. So, cover them PC sync ports, battery grip ports, etc. etc.!!!!

=Matt=

[sergysergy]

nice effect guys

[Oldbayrunner]

On the other hand if you get tired of creamy water shots then action can be loads of fun.

[mikeSF]

wow, some great pics in here.

I shoot a bit at the ocean and never use burst, partly because on the 645D, it's 1 frame per sec, so there is NO burst, lol.
That said, i use mirror up mode and raise the mirror as the wave is coming in, then wait for it to pop fully before hitting the trigger.

As far as comps, walk around until you find some interesting water motion in your foreground. Images that imply motion are more dynamic.
when shooting longer exposures to capture streaks, you want to be shooting as the wave is receding.

Be careful! I shoot wide which often has me down in the water and a single big wave has on occasion knocked me off my feet.

a few examples:

BANG!

Martin's Rock

Pirates in Marin

[OrangeKx]

Good initial question and good stuff here!!

[Outis]

Thanks so much, guys!

As someone who was literally "born 'n raised" on beach photography living in Southern California, I'll try my hand at this...

Do you have any favorite spots? I lived in Santa Monica for three years, and I still go back fairly regularly. I'm trying to talk my fiance into a trip up the Pacific Coast Highway...

[psychdoc]

Do you have any favorite spots?...... I'm trying to talk my fiance into a trip up the Pacific Coast Highway...

Unless your fiance like to take photos, this would be a bad idea. Been there, done that and it did not go well...
Or if you do, get up early take your photos and be back at the hotel by the time your fiance is awake. Preferably with some chocolatized-coffee in hand

[LensBeginner]

Hey Otius!

As someone who was literally "born 'n raised" on beach photography living in Southern California, I'll try my hand at this...
*snip*
=Matt=

Wow, those are some killer shots!
I also like the colors, and especially like the first one... it's very original and that's a difficult thing to do in a subject like waves...
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