Tamron 1 Lens Challenge - Coast

Image by David Pritchard, using the Tamron 18-270mm lens

The great thing about Tamron zoom lenses is that they're versatile and can be used for a wide variety of shots and shooting styles, without the need to carry around lots of different lenses. As it's great weather outside and the sun is shining, it's a great opportunity to head for the beach and partake in the Tamron 1 lens challenge. 

The aim here is to photograph the widest variety of subjects possible only using the one lens. Here are some ideas to get you started:

On the beach macros

Everyone photographs kids playing on the sand and wide beachy vistas, and while these can be great shots, there are lots more opportunities to be had on the smaller side of things. The sand itself for a starter can be a great subject for macro shots. Try shooting wet sand after the tide has just gone out to capture the varied shades and textures there. Shells and clusterd of interesting looking stones with the suin gleaming off them can make for great subjects. Then, there's the rockpools. These are ideal for shooting images of the small animals and underwater plant life that grow in the shallows. For this a polarising filter will be ideal to cut through the reflections and give you a clear shot of what's below the waves. 

Seaside towns

Towns by the sea, whether old fashioned and quaint or buzzing and full of arcades and chip shops, present lots of great opportunities for the mid range zoom section of your lens. Shop fronts and arcade signs can make an interesting photo project, as can the rides and machines in the arcade. Towns also present the opportunity for some candid street photos of people waliking along the pier or browsing the shops. Try and get up high to shoot a wider angle of the town as there may be rows of coloured houses or beach huts that look pretty from a height. 

Landscapes

The beach and the surrounding area also presents great opportunities for landscape style shots. These could include the pier on the sea front, the dunes and grassland further inland from the beach or a view of the coastline further around the bay; it's completely up to you. Try photographing at dusk and dawn to get some great sunrise and sunset photos. Piers and enpty fairground rides make perfect foreground interest for this. Don't forget the beach itself too - flat, indisturbed sands can give a calming, quaint feel to an image. Try to get up on to the cliffs too if it's safe and shoot down onto the bay.

Portraits

Whether portraits of the people you're with or more candid shots of the residents of the place you're visiting, portraits are not to be shunned on the beach. Kids playing or adults enjoying the sunshine in deckchairs can all make great shots of families enjiying their day out. The range of the Tamron zoom will mean you can get up close shots of your kid's faces, capturing their enjoyment as they splash in the waves. You could also try some more posed portraits, making sure to choose a background that either compliments the image or is just plain to avoid taking away from the person in the shot. 

Panoramas

Sometimes, it's just not possible to get everything you want into one standard shot, especially if there is one long stretch of coastline that you'd like to capture. Depending on your camera model, there will either be the opportunity to create a panorama, or stitch together photos to create one that way. Panoramas are the ideal solution to capture long shots of the beach or seafront giving a feel of the sense of scale of the place. 

These are just a few ideas to get you started on your photo challenge - the key is to get creative and really push your self and your lens to the limit to find and capture as many images as possible with just one Tamron lens. Good luck!