Reading the Waves
Whenever I arrive at a new stretch of coastline, I rarely unpack the camera straight away. Instead, I spend a few minutes simply watching. Watching the waves. Watching the water find its way through the rocks. Trying to understand the rhythm of the place before I even think about making a photograph.
This image was taken at Friendly Beaches while scouting locations for a new Coastal Long Exposure Workshop. The granite boulders immediately caught my attention, but I knew they weren't really the subject. The water was.
The question wasn't where to put the tripod, it was when to press the shutter.
Rather than taking dozens of frames and hoping one worked, I sat quietly and watched the sea. I wanted to know whether the stronger composition happened as the waves pushed into the shoreline or as the water retreated back towards the ocean. I watched how the channels filled, how long it took the water to reach the foreground, and where it naturally flowed around the rocks. Eventually, the movement became predictable.
With a 6-stop ND filter fitted, I settled on 24mm, f/10 and a shutter speed of 1.6 seconds. Long enough to create those flowing ribbons of water, while still holding enough texture to show the energy of the surf.
Once I understood the timing, the camera became almost secondary. I switched to continuous shooting and began each sequence just as an incoming wave reached the first line of granite. By the time the water arrived where I wanted it, the shutter was already recording the movement.
A second exposure was made using a 15-stop ND filter to soften the clouds, although I eventually decided to crop most of the sky from the final composition. The image was stronger when the attention stayed on the foreground and the movement of the water.
What I enjoy about coastal photography is that it rewards patience. The sea isn't random, it has rhythm.
And the more time you spend watching, the more that rhythm begins to reveal itself.
Sometimes the most productive part of a photography session happens before you've even pressed the shutter.
馃摲 Photography Notes
Photography Settings
- Focal Length: 24mm
- Aperture: f/10
- Shutter Speed: 1.6 sec
- Filter: 6-stop ND
- Additional Exposure: 15-stop ND for cloud movement
- Technique: Continuous shooting timed to incoming waves
Tips & Techniques
Observe before you photograph
The camera should come out after you've spent time understanding the scene, not before.
Learn the rhythm
Waves aren't completely unpredictable. Watch several sets before deciding when to press the shutter.
Time matters more than luck
Rather than reacting to the water, anticipate where it will be when the shutter is open.
Match the shutter speed to the story
A moderate long exposure can preserve movement and energy while still creating beautiful flow through the scene.
Be prepared to change your plan
Just because you've captured extra elements, like a dramatic sky, doesn't mean they belong in the final photograph. Keep only what strengthens the composition.
Many photographers think long exposure photography is all about filters. It isn't.
Filters simply give you the opportunity - the real skill lies in observation.
Learning to read water, understand timing, and anticipate movement will improve your photography far more than buying another piece of equipment.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is stand still, slow down, and let the landscape tell you when it's ready.
Workshops & Photography Lessons
If you'd like to learn long exposure photography on Tasmania's spectacular coastline, I offer small-group coastal photography workshops as well as one-on-one photography lessons tailored to your experience.
Together you'll learn how to read the sea, choose stronger compositions, work confidently with filters, and create long exposure images that capture both the movement and the mood of the coast.
Photography isn't just about reacting to the landscape - it's about learning to anticipate it.
Keep an eye out for our new Coastal Long Exposure Workshop Coming Soon!!
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