Wait for Still Waters

Here's a quick tip that I use a lot in my own work: If you're shooting a small harbor on a breezy day, wait until just before the sunset begins and you'll notice that the surface of the water gets a lot smoother--creating pretty reflections and streaks of color. As the sun sets, breezes tend to die down and that creates that pretty calendar-look sheen to the water.

I can actually see the moment happen sometimes when the water is a bit choppy one minute and then glassy smooth the next. I really prefer that smooth, slippery look to the water's surface and I love the reflections that it creates. I shot this scene in Stonington, Maine just after the sun hit the horizon but before the actual sunset had begun. The colors are still fairly neutral at this time so you get a natural-looking scene that has an almost soft-focus sheen to it. A few minutes after this frame was shot, of course, the sun had set and the colors began to warm significantly--creating a whole new dynamic.