I recently purchased a waterproof shooting bag for my camera, with a view to doing some dog photography on a beach, in the waves.

After testing it out-carefully!-in the bath, I called on my family and their four legged furry friends last weekend to help me try it out for real at the beach. The weather wasn't great but I had my speedlights with me so we all headed to Winterton to try and make the best of it.

I started by getting a few portrait shots in the dunes first, before the hounds became too bedraggled. This also gave me time to screw up enough courage for dunking my butt in the North Sea! In fact when the moment of truth came the water was lovely, though quite rough, waves tossing me around like a soggy rag doll, much to my family's amusement. And the shingle holes in my knees are yet to lose their scabs!

More importantly no holes materialised in the protective camera bag, which given how inexpensive it was, came as quite a relief. Camera 1-0 North Sea...This time!

The piece of equipment I was most impressed with though, was my V.A.L or Voice Activated Lightstand AKA, Karen, my sister who gamely disrobed and braved the wintry waves with me. Top sister!

I'd also like to thank my furry models and their hooman hangers on for letting me get this practice in whilst making a soggy arse of myself:

Fern - Border collie, with karen - crazy, half naked, lightstand bearer.

Tessa - Cavalier King Charles, with Mum - chief lens cloth bearer.

Zebede - Border collie pup, with Daisy - mad puppy wrangler

Special thanks also to top ball thrower, Bryony.