Cruisin' the High Seas at Low Shutter Speeds

Ships have vantage points like no other

Low shutter speed photos are dramatic as the lights turn to stars — almost surreal. Photo by Matthew Bamberg

Drizzlely fog isn’t the best condition for compelling photography. Yet, with a bit of ingenuity, photographers can make the best of inclement weather by addressing its gray drama. 

The answer: Set your camera on a sturdy surface. Turn up the f-stop to the narrowest it can go (f/22) and shoot.

I found myself on the Zaandam, a small Holland-America cruise ship. The weather had been crap, yet that didn’t stop me from photographing the landscapes. 

Late one day in August 2024, the Zaandam was docked in Juneau, Alaska. It was one of three ships docked in the small city at the north end of the Inside Passage that lines Southeast Alaska. 

The cool air sunk onto the ship’s promenade deck. Around my neck hung my mirrorless Sony A7 ii with a trusty Sony f/4 24–105 mm lens. 

My relationship with my camera has grown because I know how to use it. I love my camera. 

While I have a Sony A7 series c…