Unusual tools of the trade: How a bucket can improve your seascape photography

 

 

We've featured Karl Taylor's videos on numerous occasions, including his tips for making exhibition-quality prints and how to quickly dial in your exposure at night with simple math. In a new video, Taylor has tips and tricks for capturing seascape images.

His first tip applies to many different kinds of photography: Arrive early. There'll be plenty of time to capture great images, but you don't want to be wasting any of the best light scurrying around looking for compositions. Get there early, have a look around and plan ahead. Seascape photography poses the additional challenge of dealing with tides and changing wave conditions, so experience will go a long way in being able to picture how a composition will change as you wait for the best light, but looking ahead to tide charts helps too. Bringing along a compass and knowing in which direction the sun will set is very helpful too because depending on the season, it can vary quite dramatically.

What sort of gear do you need? A tripod, polarizer filter and a graduated neutral density filter are all excellent tools to have on hand. Regarding the tripod, having one that can get really low is an excellent idea. Taylor has another interesting piece of gear he likes to use for seascape shots, too... a bucket. Why? To wet down dry rocks to give them a nice sheen, of course. Check out the rest of his seascape tips and tricks in the video below.

To see more from Karl Taylor, visit his website and YouTube channel. And the next time you're headed to the coast for some seascape photography, don't leave your bucket at home!

(Seen via DIY Photography)