If you shoot surf photography, you quickly learn that saltwater and expensive camera equipment do not mix.

Whether you are photographing from the beach, standing in the sea, using a telephoto lens from the shoreline, or taking your camera into the water inside a housing, salt spray can find its way onto almost everything.

Saltwater is particularly troublesome because, as it dries, it leaves behind salt crystals and minerals that can damage equipment, affect buttons and controls, mark glass and coatings, and contribute to corrosion.

The good news is that with a simple cleaning routine, you can keep your camera and lenses in much better condition.

Why Is Saltwater So Bad for Cameras?

Saltwater contains salt and other minerals. When water evaporates, these are left behind on the surface.

A small amount of salt spray might not look like a problem, but repeated exposure can cause issues over time.

Salt can:

Leave deposits on lenses and filters
Damage lens coatings if repeatedly wiped incorrectly
Work into buttons, dials and seams
Encourage corrosion around metal components
Affect electrical contacts
Make zips and fittings on camera bags stiff
Leave salt residue inside or around waterproof housings
Damage accessories such as tripods and monopods

For surf photographers, regular cleaning is much better than waiting until you can see a problem.

What You Should Have in Your Camera Cleaning Kit

You do not need a huge collection of specialist products.

A useful surf photography cleaning kit can include:

Clean microfibre cloths
Lens cleaning cloths
Blower bulb
Lens cleaning solution
Lens tissues
Clean fresh water
Cotton buds
Soft detailing brush
Camera cleaning brush
Dry towel
Waterproof bag or container for wet equipment

I recommend keeping separate cloths for lenses and the rest of your equipment.

A cloth that has picked up sand or salt from your camera bag should never be used on your lens.

Step 1 – Get the Camera Out of the Salt Spray

After a surf photography session, try to get your equipment somewhere sheltered as soon as possible.

Do not immediately start rubbing everything with a dry cloth.

If there is visible salt or sand on the camera, rubbing it can push abrasive particles across the surface.

Instead:

Move somewhere away from the surf.
Keep the camera protected from additional spray.
Remove loose sand with a blower or soft brush.
Inspect the camera, lens and accessories.
Then begin cleaning.

If you have been shooting close to breaking waves, pay particular attention to the areas around the lens mount, buttons, dials and battery/card doors.

Step 2 – Remove Sand Before Wiping

This is one of the most important steps.

Sand and camera equipment are a bad combination.

If sand is sitting on your camera and you immediately wipe it with a cloth, you can drag those particles across the surface.

Use a blower to remove loose particles.

A soft brush can also be useful for areas such as:

Around buttons
Lens barrels
Camera straps
Tripod mounts
Hot shoes
Camera bag fittings

Avoid blowing aggressively into openings where you could push debris further into the equipment.

Step 3 – Cleaning the Camera Body

For the camera body, use a slightly damp microfibre cloth to remove salt residue.

The important word here is damp, not soaking wet.

Never pour water directly onto the camera.

Gently wipe:

Top plate
Camera grip
Rear controls
Dials
Around the viewfinder
Battery door
Memory-card door
Strap attachments
Tripod mount

Use a cotton bud or soft cloth around small areas where salt residue has collected.

Take your time.

There is no benefit in rushing the cleaning process.

Step 4 – Cleaning Your Lens

Your lens deserves extra care.

Start by using a blower to remove sand and dust.

Then inspect the front element under good light.

If there is salt spray on the glass, do not scrub it while dry.

Use a suitable lens-cleaning solution and a clean lens cloth or lens tissue.

Clean using gentle movements rather than applying heavy pressure.

If you use filters, such as a UV or protection filter, clean the filter carefully as well.

One advantage of using a protective filter for surf photography is that replacing a damaged filter is generally much cheaper than replacing a front lens element.

Step 5 – Don’t Forget the Lens Barrel

Saltwater does not only land on the front of your lens.

It can cover the entire lens barrel.

Pay particular attention to:

Zoom rings
Focus rings
Switches
Lens hood
Tripod collar
Lens mount area

Use a slightly damp cloth to remove salt residue from the outside of the lens.

Avoid allowing liquid to collect around switches, contacts or openings.

Step 6 – What About the Lens Mount?

The lens mount is an area worth checking after a salty surf session.

If you have been shooting in heavy spray, inspect the mount and surrounding area for moisture, sand or salt deposits.

Before removing a lens, make sure the outside of the camera and lens are reasonably clean and dry.

If you do remove the lens, keep the camera facing downward where practical and avoid unnecessary exposure of the sensor.

Never touch the camera sensor with your fingers or a normal cloth.

Sensor cleaning is a separate job and, if you are unsure, it is better left to a professional or carried out using the manufacturer’s recommended method.

Step 7 – Cleaning a Camera Housing

If you use a waterproof housing for in-water surf photography, cleaning the housing is just as important as cleaning the camera.

After use:

Remove the camera from the housing according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Rinse the exterior of the housing with clean fresh water.
Pay particular attention to buttons, hinges and latches.
Allow the housing to dry.
Inspect the seals and O-rings.
Remove salt deposits carefully.

If the housing has been exposed to seawater, do not simply leave the saltwater to dry on it.

Salt deposits can build up around moving parts and seals.

Looking After O-Rings

If you use an underwater housing, the O-rings are extremely important.

They help keep water away from your camera.

Check them regularly for:

Sand
Hair
Salt crystals
Dirt
Damage
Flattening
Cracks

Follow the housing manufacturer’s instructions for removing, cleaning and lubricating O-rings.

Do not use random grease or household lubricants.

Only use the lubricant recommended for your particular housing and seals.

What About Freshwater?

This is where things can get confusing.

You should not assume that every camera can simply be rinsed under a tap.

Some waterproof housings are specifically designed to be rinsed with fresh water. Your camera itself may not be.

For the camera body, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning and weather-sealing instructions.

For a housing, follow the housing manufacturer’s instructions.

If you are unsure, a damp microfibre cloth is a much safer approach for the camera body than running the camera under water.

Don’t Forget Your Tripod and Monopod

Saltwater can also cause problems with your other photography equipment.

If you use a tripod or monopod near the sea, clean it after exposure to saltwater.

Pay particular attention to:

Leg locks
Feet
Screws
Mounting plates
Clamps
Metal fittings

If the manufacturer’s instructions allow it, rinse suitable equipment with fresh water and dry it thoroughly.

This is particularly important for equipment that you regularly use on beaches.

Clean Your Camera Strap

Your camera strap can absorb saltwater and collect sand.

Give it a good inspection after every beach session.

If it is washable, follow the manufacturer’s washing instructions.

Allow it to dry completely before putting it back into your camera bag.

A wet, salty strap inside a closed camera bag is not ideal.

Clean Your Camera Bag Too

Your camera bag can become a hidden source of salt and sand.

After a surf photography session:

Empty the bag
Remove loose sand
Shake it out away from your equipment
Clean removable inserts
Wipe down affected areas
Allow everything to dry

Don’t put wet towels, wetsuits or salty accessories directly into your camera bag.

What NOT to Do

There are several things you should avoid when cleaning camera equipment after surfing.

Don’t use household cleaning products

Window cleaner, kitchen cleaner and other household chemicals are not designed for camera equipment.

Don’t scrub salt crystals

Remove them gently rather than grinding them into the surface.

Don’t spray water directly onto the camera

Even weather-sealed cameras are not the same thing as waterproof cameras.

Don’t use compressed air

High-pressure air can potentially push dirt and moisture into places where you don’t want it.

A photographic blower is a much safer option.

Don’t use the same dirty cloth everywhere

A cloth covered in sand can scratch glass and surfaces.

Don’t leave saltwater to dry

The longer saltwater sits on equipment, the more chance there is of deposits and corrosion.

What If Saltwater Gets Inside the Camera?

This is different from simply getting salt spray on the outside.

If you believe seawater has entered the camera or lens:

Stop using it.

Do not repeatedly turn it on to see if it still works.

Do not connect it to a charger.

Do not use a hairdryer to try to dry it.

Instead, remove the battery if it is safe to do so and seek professional camera repair advice as soon as possible.

Saltwater can cause corrosion and electrical damage, and the effects may not appear immediately.

How Often Should You Clean Your Camera?

If you regularly photograph surfing, I would recommend a simple routine after every session where the equipment has been exposed to sea spray.

It does not need to become a huge job.

A quick routine can be:

After every surf session:

Remove sand.
Wipe away salt spray.
Clean the lens if necessary.
Dry the equipment.
Check the camera and lens for moisture.
Empty and clean your camera bag.

Then periodically give your equipment a more thorough inspection.

My Surf Photography Routine

When shooting around Yorkshire beaches such as Saltburn and Cayton Bay, I treat saltwater cleaning as part of the photography routine rather than something I only do when the camera looks dirty.

The North Sea can produce plenty of spray, especially when you are close to the water photographing surfers.

After a session, I would rather spend a few minutes cleaning the equipment than risk allowing salt and sand to build up over weeks and months.

It is particularly important if you have invested in expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Keep Your Equipment Dry

Once your equipment has been cleaned, allow it to dry properly before putting everything away for long-term storage.

Avoid sealing damp equipment inside a camera bag.

If the equipment has been exposed to a lot of moisture, give it plenty of time to dry in a normal indoor environment.

You can then store the camera and lenses safely.

Final Thoughts

Saltwater is one of the biggest environmental challenges for surf photographers.

You don’t have to stop taking your expensive camera equipment near the sea, but you do need to look after it.

Remove sand first, clean saltwater gently, keep moisture away from openings, look after your lenses and housings, and never ignore seawater that may have entered the equipment.

A few minutes of cleaning after each surf photography session can help keep your camera equipment performing properly for much longer.

And when you’re standing on a Yorkshire beach waiting for the next perfect wave, that little bit of maintenance can make a big difference.

Surf. Shoot. Clean. Repeat.

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How to Clean Saltwater From Camera Equipment