I’ve always been mesmerized by pictures of waterfalls. Their smooth, surreal and almost glowing effects pull me into the scene. I was envious that I couldn’t take photos like those I admired. I’d try but my waterfall photos would turn out looking like “chunks” of water falling from a cliff.
Then I discovered the secret: shutter speed.
You can create those great effects by controlling the amount of time the shutter is open. A fast shutter speed stops action and gives you that chunky look while a slower shutter speed records the movement of the water creating a smooth, soothing effect. The longer the shutter is open, the smoother and more surreal the water will appear.
Just follow the simple rules below and you’ll be on your way to creating waterfall images worthy of putting on the front cover of a magazine:
Shutter Speed: The shutter speed is the key to obtaining the smooth, silky look of flowing water. The best shutter speeds are between 1/15th and 1/30th of a second depending on how smooth you want the running water to appear. This is a matter of taste so try different speeds and pick the effect that you like best.
For correct exposure, there must be a balance between the shutter speed (time the shutter stays open) and the aperture/F-stop (amount of light that enters the camera at one time). Some cameras have a Shutter Priority (S) or a Time Value (TV) setting. This allows you to pick the shutter speed and then the camera chooses the correct F-stop to go along with that speed. All you have to do is put the camera in Shutter Priority/Time Value mode, choose a shutter speed between 1/15th and 1/30th of a second and then let the camera choose the F-stop. If your camera is completely automatic or doesn’t have this feature, you may have to go into the Scenes or Best Shot mode and choose Night Scene. The Night Scene mode sets your camera to a slower shutter speed but you’ll have little control over what shutter speed the camera chooses. In Night Scene, the amount of available light is the only way to control the effect so you may have to experiment with different times of the day and different lighting conditions to get the effect you want.
Light: The amount of available light is an integral part of getting the smooth water effect in your waterfall images. To achieve a correct exposure, there must be a balance between the amount of light entering the camera at one time and the amount of time the shutter stays open. In bright light with a slow shutter speed, the camera may not be able to come up with the correct balance and the image will turn out overexposed or too bright. You may want to reduce the amount of available light. The best way to do this is to shoot in the early morning, late in the evening or on cloudy, overcast days. If your camera can accept filters, you can also control the amount of light entering your camera with a neutral density filter. This is a device that mounts to the front of your lens and lessens the amount of light that can enter your camera at one time. This is a great filter when using slower shutter speeds under bright lighting situations.
Camera Movement: To avoid blurry images when using a slower shutter speed, stabilize your camera by using a tripod. Even when your camera is properly stabilized, pushing the shutter release button with your finger is enough movement to blur the image. Try using a remote shutter release to activate the shutter without touching the camera or if your camera will not accept a remote release, use the timer. The timer delays the shutter activation for 2 to 10 seconds after pushing the shutter release. This gives the camera time to settle down and stop moving before the shutter activates.
Subject Matter: We usually think of waterfalls when applying these techniques but they can also be used to create the same effect for any type of moving water. Experiment with different subjects such as a fast moving streams, rapids moving over rocks, waves at the ocean or even water dripping from a faucet. Use your imagination.
Take Lots of Photos: One of the keys for getting that prize winning photograph is to take lots of pictures of the same subject. Experiment with different angles, distances and exposures. Most important of all, have fun!