The summer is fast approaching, and for any keen photographers this is a beautiful time of year to capture some stunning images. Many people will be heading off on holiday and will be taking their camera equipment with them. It’s almost inevitable that there will be some coastlines and beaches involved on the majority of holidays. Here are some top tips:

1. Use your flash. If the sun is bright, people can fall into shadow or even become silhouetted. By turning on the flash you will remove this shadow and create a well-lit subject. If you find that your subject is over-exposed, turn the flash down or if this isn’t possible, move back and zoom in to minimise the impact of the flash.
2. Use a polarising filter. This essentially works to highlight contrasts and can have a brilliant effect on blue skies and seas. You will be able to take some dramatic and beautifully rich photographs using this type of filter.
3. Think about angles. You may get an excellent view of the beach from on top of the cliffs, or you may want to focus in on smaller or more unusual objects like shells or rocks. Much of what you decide to do will depend on the beach itself, so decide once you’ve seen what is available to photograph.
4. Decide on your shutter speed. The main thing this will affect is the water. Slow shutter speeds will capture more movement, but might also blur. Fast shutter speeds freeze any motion.
5. Choose things to focus on. Many beach photographs adopt a panoramic approach and whilst this can be beautiful, it’s rather generic. Look for interesting objects, or more unusual, smaller scenes such as rock pools or caves.