Today I was out to take some shots at the beach, was looking for stones that would obstruct the waves and create exciting movements. Today was the first day in about a week where there wasn’t a cloudy sky.
The water was much higher today then usual. Perhaps due to the close to full moon we have now ?
I used my main body, the 1D Mark IV, with the EF 16-35mm F4L IS lens. I used tripod of course, and I used the Lee Little Stopper and 0.9ND grad filter.
The most used setup today was wide apart legs to get a low angle, and at the same time a much more stable tripod. In my opinion a low angle for the camera towards the subject is very important. And since I often emphasise on the foreground in the shot, the angle towards it is important.
![tripod_low](https://hegdalphotography.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/img_5242.jpg?w=700)
To me it is also important to get close to what I am shooting. In other words if the foreground is supposed to be some rocks I need to move my camera close to them and the sea so I do not have unnecessary beach to cut away.
![Camera on tripod with filters attached in front of lens.](https://hegdalphotography.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/img_5240.jpg?w=700)
I try to capture the colors, the mood and atmosphere. I believe it is important to freeze the “chaos” that we see, where everything moves all the time and to move it into a setting where we experience the movements and how they as a greater collective of things move along. The best way I think to achieve this is to use long exposures.
![](http://landscapes.hegdal.net/Landscapes/i-GgCHZKP/0/XL/HH2D9302-2-XL.jpg)
![](http://landscapes.hegdal.net/Landscapes/i-rNxJhL7/0/XL/HH2D9286-2-XL.jpg)
![](http://landscapes.hegdal.net/Landscapes/i-fmgqcH7/0/XL/HH2D9299-2-XL.jpg)
I am very happy with the results I had this day. I have been able to increase my portfolio with some superb landscape shots – and that doesn’t happen everyday. And I have been better friends with my new lens.