SILKY SMOOTH

Landscape pro Stu Meech takes advantage of overcast conditions by turning a drab seascape into a minimalist long exposure

- Stu Meech

CAMERA Nikon D750 LENS 24-120mm f/4 EXPOSURE 123 secs, f/5.6, ISO100

I shot this minimalist seascape at Southbourne Beach in Dorset in southern England on a cold winter’s afternoon, just before sunset. The overcast sky matched the sea pretty well, so the conditions were ripe for a simple, minimalist composition. I used a long exposure to smooth out the clouds and sea, to further blend them together, while adding a little motion into the photo.

1 PLAY THE FRAME GAME

Composition is one of the most important factors when capturing a photograph. Even with an interesting subject, a poor composition can lead to a weak image. Minimalism is often about creating space, so I chose to place the horizon on the lower third of the image to frame more of the sky. I then used the posts to lead across the photo from the left-hand side.