Things can change from calm to a storm in an instant
The ocean is a dynamic environment. For anyone who has spent time on boats, this is something that’s always in the back of your mind. Things can change from calm to a storm even more quickly in the warm summer months, when the ocean surface temperatures are in the 80’s and even 90’s Fahrenheit.
I enjoy this photo because it takes you into a “weather window”, a brief period of time when the seas are calm and quiet, before the storm hits. This photo is from the Florida Keys. The photo was taken midday, and there is some sunlight behind me helping to light up the water. You are able to see the reef structure through the water (darker areas are reef and lighter areas are sand).
In the distance, dark skies approach, creating a wild color contrast. In a few minutes, the waters will turn violent as winds pick up. Heavy rains from the storm will start, and any chance of taking a photo like this will be gone. That’s why I love “weather” photography, it’s temporary. It requires being in the right place at the right time, which sometimes is just luck. In this case, I used to work on boats, so I had opportunity stacked in my favor.
However, there are some challenges to shooting a good weather photo while at sea. One of the most basic challenges when shooting at sea is lining up the horizon. It sounds simple, and is simple, when the seas are flat. However, if you have a long shutter speed, the rocking of the boat will make for a blurry photo. Usually when shooting at sea, there is a lot of ambient light available because you not only have the skylight, but also the reflection light coming off the water. However, if you are shooting in a dimly lit environment, like the storm caused in this photo, you are challenged to get a sharp image, a level image, and a properly exposed image.
There are challenges to shooting a storm while at sea
Photo Advice
My advice is to shoot a lot. It is rare to get a “keeper” photo after just a couple shots. To get a photo you are proud of, it’s safety in numbers. In this case, I took a ton of photos that were throw outs. Some of these were photos where the horizon was not level, others photos where I got distracting light glares off the water. There is something satisfying when you find the photo where the lighting, framing, clouds, and sharpness all come together to give you a photo you can look at and take you back to that moment that calm before the storm.
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