Scotland Hints for coastline photography from small ship

Stephen L

Stephen L

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Going on a 6 day cruise round Skye and the small isles in May on a small ship. When I say small, 6 passengers and 2 crew. Any tips for getting decent shots from the boat (besides not falling in)? Obviously a tripod is out of the question due to a) wooden deck and b) boat movement.
 
As much IS as possible. IMO, if it's sprayey enough to need a filter to keep the front element safe, the spray is likely to get to even worse places...
 
Nod said:
As much IS as possible. IMO, if it's sprayey enough to need a filter to keep the front element safe, the spray is likely to get to even worse places...
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I'll keep my fly done up then ...
 
Stephen L said:
Going on a 6 day cruise round Skye and the small isles in May on a small ship. When I say small, 6 passengers and 2 crew. Any tips for getting decent shots from the boat (besides not falling in)? Obviously a tripod is out of the question due to a) wooden deck and b) boat movement.
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Screenshot 2024-02-21 161947.jpg
 
Nod said:
As much IS as possible. IMO, if it's sprayey enough to need a filter to keep the front element safe, the spray is likely to get to even worse places...
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Easy enough to use a camera / lens rain cover to guard against spray on them, and a good quality protection filter to avoid scratching the coatings on the front element when wiping spray off.
 
Faldrax said:
Easy enough to use a camera / lens rain cover to guard against spray on them, and a good quality protection filter to avoid scratching the coatings on the front element when wiping spray off.
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Got the filters (Nisi). If it gets too wet I’m retreating to the lounge with a malt.
 
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I was also hoping to get hints of scenes which work from the sea so I can ask if the skipper could go there.
 
My comments, based on a small amount of experience, would be:
  • Most of the time you will be quite a way off from the shore, for sound navigational reasons. If you want to shoot landscapes, long lenses, high ISO, fast shutter speeds will be your friend.
  • Arrival and leaving harbours / anchorages may be your best opportunities - fast work required. But you say it's a small ship, make sure you're not in the way! Something like a 24-70mm zoom (on a full frame camera) should work best.
  • Talk to the skipper - he/she will know the places the ship is near the shore and where there may be interesting views.
  • Don't forget to turn your camera around and shoot life on the ship, the crew and your fellow passengers.
  • A properly waterproof bag (search "roll top waterproof bag") will be your friend if having to do shore trips in a small boat.

Have fun!
 
Hope the sea conditions are good / calm or :eek::wideyed::puke::crying:
 
Boots said:
My comments, based on a small amount of experience, would be:
  • Most of the time you will be quite a way off from the shore, for sound navigational reasons. If you want to shoot landscapes, long lenses, high ISO, fast shutter speeds will be your friend.
  • Arrival and leaving harbours / anchorages may be your best opportunities - fast work required. But you say it's a small ship, make sure you're not in the way! Something like a 24-70mm zoom (on a full frame camera) should work best.
  • Talk to the skipper - he/she will know the places the ship is near the shore and where there may be interesting views.
  • Don't forget to turn your camera around and shoot life on the ship, the crew and your fellow passengers.
  • A properly waterproof bag (search "roll top waterproof bag") will be your friend if having to do shore trips in a small boat.

Have fun!
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All good tips. I have the 24-200 on my Z5. The boat is a 60 feet ex-RN officer seamanship training cutter, and as such will be able to go relatively close. Yes, the skipper will know the best points. Going ashore will be via a rib.
 
Don't just concentrate on coastline.

It might be a bit early in the year, but there are dolphins, porpoises and whales, and those bird things. Although not so many of the latter as there used to be.
 
I would also take a polariser filter lens to cut out reflections off the wet stuff. Then a chance to photography those swimmy things under the wet stuff
 
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60' is a boat, not a ship! :)
There are many more movements in different directions.

As many stops of IS as you can, preferably dual, lens and body.

Safety lanyard (can be home made from 6mm "paracord") not attached to the strap fittings, attached to your belt

Sturdy ziplock bags that will cover the camera, with a hole cut in the front that fits tightly over the lens. (you can get special bags with hard plastic to go over the lens, but I doubt the optical qualities) Although the camera may be weather protected, salt seems to get everywhere.

Proper deck shoes

Insurance :)

Don't hesitate to use high ISOs, noise doesn't seem so visible in bad weather at sea, and some of the nicest shots I have seen have been taken in bad weather

Chamois leather and microfibre cloths in sealed bags in your pocket.

Rain suit, wrap around glasses, and a secure hat that stops the water going down your neck.


I'm assuming it won't be sunny, holiday maker river cruise weather. If it is, then you will have nothing except photos to think about.
 
I have been unsure whether it be classed as a boat or a ship. In naval terms a boat is a submarine. Everything else is a target.
 
Stephen L said:
I have been unsure whether it be classed as a boat or a ship. In naval terms a boat is a submarine. Everything else is a target.
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That reminds me of something my wife told me from when she was sailing round the west coast of Scotland.
One of the basic rules of the sea is that something under sail has right of way over something under power - but a brief discussion amongst the crew had them quickly decide that whatever the rules might be, they were going to give the oncoming submarine right of way and quickly changed course!
 
Faldrax said:
That reminds me of something my wife told me from when she was sailing round the west coast of Scotland.
One of the basic rules of the sea is that something under sail has right of way over something under power - but a brief discussion amongst the crew had them quickly decide that whatever the rules might be, they were going to give the oncoming submarine right of way and quickly changed course!
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Rather like the American ship and the English lighthouse :)
 
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Faldrax said:
That reminds me of something my wife told me from when she was sailing round the west coast of Scotland.
One of the basic rules of the sea is that something under sail has right of way over something under power - but a brief discussion amongst the crew had them quickly decide that whatever the rules might be, they were going to give the oncoming submarine right of way and quickly changed course!
Click to expand...

Reminds me of a comment I heard on TV. A submariner corrected the interviewer and told him submarines are called 'boats'. The interviewer then said, "What do yo call ships, then?" To which the submariner said, "Targets."

Dave
 
I've shot birds from a boat (smaller than 60ft) around the Shiants with a 70 - 300mm lens at 300mm. Some of them turned out okay....... I'd be very surprised if you didn't see interesting wildlife - there's a lot of it there. If you also want to do landscape/seascape I'd advise 2 camera/lens sets to avoid lens changes. Tether them well to you while on deck and have a bag so if rain comes in or a change in direction causes spray you can quickly put camera gear away. Use all the i/s you have and high shutter speeds, and don't be tempted to steady yourself against any part of the boat. If you want to take a photo balance and judge the movement, then pick the optimum moment (unless you have a WTE landing on the back of a whale 50 yards away.... :LOL: ). It will be cold no matter what it's like on land, so lots of layers topped with waterproof, gloves, hat, scarf, walking boots. I can't advise on weather sealing for camera gear as I rely on only being out a few hours, a long lens hood on the 70 - 300 and I never face into the spray. If it's sunny (it is occasionally up there in May :LOL:) there will a a lot of glare off the water so take sunglasses. And a good pair of binoculars. Skye without shoulder to shoulder grockles - what's not to like?
 
Dont forget you have to get on and off the boat, so if your using a backpack make sure you can ditch it quick if you go in the drink. 60ft might sond big but it's not, especially in those waters. Depending on where you land you may have to climb dockside ladders (I've had to a few times from boats that sort of size) it's no fun in the rain and dark.
Damp might be an issue, if it's raining and rough everything is going to get wet, the cabins will steam up from wet clothes.
 
Polariser might be handy.
Other advice I was given, I used to go boat fishing, was to eat jam butties before going, won’t make you any better if sea sick but makes it more colourful
 
nog said:
Polariser might be handy.
Other advice I was given, I used to go boat fishing, was to eat jam butties before going, won’t make you any better if sea sick but makes it more colourful
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Polarisers are catered for.
 
nog said:
Polariser might be handy.
Other advice I was given, I used to go boat fishing, was to eat jam butties before going, won’t make you any better if sea sick but makes it more colourful
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Ribena. Tastes the same going out as it did going in.
 
Creme de cassis then!
 
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