Just like the song goes, oh I do love to be beside the seaside. For photography fanatics like me, there is nothing better than capturing an amazing view with a camera and you can’t get much better than coastal landscapes. Whether in the UK or further afield, there are plenty of places you can find during your travel where you can get the most stunning pictures by the sea. I’ve been doing this for years now, so I thought it might be helpful if I explained what to take photos of whilst you’re there.
Bays, cliffs and islands
The colour of the water is a hypnotizing turquoise and the sky comes down to meet it in a bright blue wave. The land is dotted with olive groves and shrubs which gives it a fresh dark green hue, only disrupted by sandy tracks and grazing animals.
For that reason, I was in heaven when I was parked up on the coastal roads – they provide a brilliant vantage point, allowing you good angles for your photography. When you’re taking these shots, make sure to get plenty of land, sea and sky and you’ll get a beautiful image. Don’t worry if the weather isn’t perfect; your photograph will capture a moment in time, and there are many future moments for you to get the sunshine.
Sand and waves
When you actually get down to the shore, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to taking photographs. Sardinia is a good example as there are so many beaches that stretch on and on as far as the eye can see. It’s all about picking something in the distance to give your photo a backdrop, whilst incorporating the sand and the sea. A simple image of water and sky can look a bit boring, so these other subjects give your snap a little something extra.
For me, this photograph represents the calmness that surrounded me on my trip, even during the month of July. I’m also reminded about the heat of the day, and how refreshing the water was to swim in. Let your personality shine through what you capture on your camera.
Beach life
Each and every beach has its own characteristics. For example, when I went to Black Rock Sands in Porthmadog I was presented with a beach full of jellyfish one day and the next they were gone! That’s why it’s nice to capture things that change, and things that stay the same.
This next image provides the best of both worlds: the umbrellas are out every day, but the weather can fluctuate, especially out of the summer season. The sun has given me an afternoon shadow, but the thunder clouds show what has come before – perhaps the deserted sands also give a clue to this. Of course, there is plenty more you can capture on the beach including people playing, swimming and eating.