Beachcombing

I took a trip up to Sandy Hook in New Jersey yesterday, not knowing exactly what I was planning to shoot. There are a couple of schools of thought in this regard. I've read that some people think you are more focused and can yield better images if you have a game plan in mind when you go out to shoot. In fact they say it is preferable that you take only certain equipment with you, say your 50mm lens, to purposely restrict your flexibility (in a good way). This will force you to think more strongly about composition since you can't just slap on a different lens to get the shot.

The other side feels that that can be too limiting, that you can be more creative if you don't have any expectations of what you are going to shoot. This allows your creative juices to flow when you are out shooting, being able to select any lens that is necessary to get the shot that you see at the moment.

In reality I think both sides hold water, and as you might expect each photographer can chose when and where to apply each philosophy. There are times when I just want to meander through a park, with only my cameras a "standard" lens, because I don't want to drag around my telephoto lenses and tripod. There are times when I'm going to a bird blind, and I know that I'll need my telephoto equipment, and possibly my tripod.

Sometimes I'll be heading to a new place or very varied place and I bring everything along. This was the case at Sandy Hook yesterday. I wanted to leave my options wide open. I brought my telephoto lenses because I know that there are ponds that ducks like to frequent. Of course my wide-angle lenses for the potential beach sunrise shots (yes I was up at 4:45 AM and on the beach by 6:30). But I really did not know what I would be spending my time shooting - this short trip was wide open.

In my bag I also carry along my 90mm macro lens. I never know when I'll need it, but it's very handy to have around. And it turns out I made good use of it on the beach, as I found a few interesting subjects that really required the macro lens to do justice to. These shells below were three of many such shells I found along the beach, along with the beautiful water-worn pebbles, and even a live starfish that the birds had not discovered yet. If I had gone to the beach without this lens I would have not have been able to make as many nice images as I did.



Main Website: Photography by Matt Schrier