Chasing the Light: Capturing Sunsets Across Norfolk's Wetlands and Beaches.
Holkham bay, Norfolk. Nikon Z5 + Nikon 24-200mm.
Taking photos into the sun in Norfolk's wetlands, with its sprawling grasslands and lush reed beds, can create mesmerizing images, but it requires careful consideration of exposure, safety, and creative techniques to capture the scene at its best. Here's how to approach your shot:
Protecting Yourself and Your Gear
Protect Your Eyes: Never look directly at the sun through your camera's viewfinder, as it can damage your eyes. Instead, use the LCD screen to compose your shot. If you must use the viewfinder, wear protective sunglasses to reduce the glare.
Protect Your Sensor: The intense sunlight can focus concentrated light onto your camera's sensor, especially when using long lenses. Prolonged exposure could potentially damage your sensor. Consider using a ND (Neutral Density) filter or polarizer to protect the sensor and manage the light entering the lens.
Brent geese arriving at Wells-next-the-Sea. Nikon Z5 + Nikon Z 24 + 200mm.
Experimenting with Angles, Focal Lengths, and Apertures
Holkham beach. Nikon Z7 mk2 + Nikon 50mm 1.8s.
Try Different Angles: The light at sunrise or sunset can change dramatically, so experiment with shooting from various angles to capture how it falls on the grasslands and reeds. You can also try shooting low to the ground for a more immersive perspective, or from higher up for sweeping, panoramic shots of the wetlands.
Vary Your Focal Lengths: Wide-angle lenses are perfect for capturing expansive scenes with wide-open skies and vast reed beds, but don't be afraid to use a telephoto lens to zoom in on smaller details, like the texture of reeds backlit by the sun or birds in flight. A prime lens with a wide aperture (like f/1.8 or f/2.8) can help create beautiful background blur (bokeh) and isolate
subjects.Aperture Settings: If you want the whole landscape, including the distant reeds and grasslands, to be in focus, use a small aperture (like f/8 or f/11). For selective focus on a particular subject, such as a bird or plant in the foreground, use lider aperture (like f/2.8 or f/4) to achieve a shallow depth of field.
Golden hour across the grasslands. Nikon Z5 + Nikon Z 24 + 200mm.
Metering and Exposure
1. Metering Modes:
Spot Metering: Useful for isolating your subject (e.g., a bird in the reeds) from the bright sky, preventing overexposure.
Centre-Weighted Metering: Works well when the subject is in the center, and you want to balance the exposure of the subject and the sky.
Evaluative (Matrix) Metering: Ideal for evenly lit scenes, but double-check your settings to avoid blowing out highlights in the sunlit areas.
Brent Geese Arriving on Norfolk's Coast. Nikon Z5 + Nikon Z 24 + 200mm.
2. Graduated ND Filters: If you're shooting wide-angle scenes, a graduated ND filter helps balance the bright sky with the darker ground, particularly during golden hours when light contrast can be stark.
White Balance and RAW
Experiment with White Balance: Light can vary significantly at different times of the day, so try adjusting the white balance to suit the mood you're going for. Use Daylight for natural, warm tones, Cloudy to add warmth to overcast scenes, or Shade for a cooler, blue-tinted look. If you're unsure, it's a good idea to set your camera to Auto White Balance (AWB) and adjust in post-processing.
Shoot in RAW: Always shoot in RAW format to give yourself the flexibility to adjust exposure, white balance, and other settings in post-processing without losing image quality. RAW files retain more detail in highlights and shadows, giving you the best chance of recovering any clipped areas.
Holkham Bay just after sunset. Nikon Z7 mk2 + Nikon 50mm 1.8s.
Final Thoughts
By playing with different metering modes, angles, focal lengths, and apertures, you can capture the natural beauty of Norfolk's beaches, grasslands and reed beds from a variety of perspectives. Experimenting with white balance and shooting in RAW ensures that you have maximum flexibility in post-processing to refine your final image. With a bit of patience and creative exploration, you'll be able to photograph the wetlands in all their breathtaking glory while safeguarding your eyes and equipment.
