How can I avoid water spray on the lens when photographing surfers?
Asked 11/24/2016
1 views
2 answers
0
When shooting surfers from shore with a 70–300mm lens, my images quickly lose contrast and sharpness because sea spray coats the front of the lens or filter within seconds. A hood didn’t help much because I still had to keep removing it to clean the glass, and moving farther away made focal length a problem. Is there a practical shooting technique to reduce spray hitting the lens, or is the main solution to change position or use a longer lens?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
2
One option would be to position yourself so that the spray is at an angle to your lens while also using a lens hood. For example, in the above images, if you moved to either the right or left you should still be able to get reasonably good images from roughly the same distance, but with less spray actually hitting your lens.
If there's any way to get perpendicular to the spray, that would be best. I've had good luck getting images of surfers from a pier with a 70-300mm on a crop sensor:
It's a little dark due to the time of day, but luckily, no spray on the lens.
Originally by user22895. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user22895
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The most effective fix is usually positioning, not a special accessory. Try to shoot from an angle where the spray is moving across your field of view instead of straight toward the lens. If you can move left or right—or better yet get more perpendicular to the wave and spray—you’ll keep far fewer droplets off the front element. A lens hood can still help, but it works best when the spray isn’t coming directly at the lens.
In other words: change your shooting angle first. If possible, shoot from a pier or another vantage point that puts you more side-on to the surfer and the breaking wave. That often reduces the need for constant cleaning.
A longer lens may help if it lets you stand farther away, but based on the answers, the key issue is avoiding the spray path rather than buying a motorized wiper or similar gadget.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How should I clean a camera and lens after exposure to sea spray?
Can salt water damage a lens’s MgF2 anti-reflective coating?
Do silicone camera cases add meaningful water or dust protection?
How can I protect framed photo prints from fading in a bright room?
Should you use a lens hood when shooting in low light indoors?