Running water is a powerful theme in many landscape photographers' portfolios. Ethereal shots that make waterfalls look like mist, while giving a sense of the power and force of the water, are often amazing photographs.
But how many times have you taken a picture of a waterfall and been disappointed by the results? In this article, I'll show you the top tips for taking beautiful shots of running water.
- Put your camera on a tripod, a pod, or find a rock or flat wall on which to balance your camera. You'll need to use a longer shutter speed to produce the silky effect seen in many running water photographs.
- Stop down your aperture to at least f22. This will allow for a large depth of field to keep everything in the image in focus.
- Ideally, you should then meter your shutter speed using a light meter. If you don't own a light meter, start by giving your camera an exposure of at least half a second. A slow shutter speed will blur the water and give it that ethereal feel.
- Use a "Neutral Density" filter. ND filters reduce the exposure of an image, and they can be very useful in aiding the camera with achieving a slow shutter speed, while allowing for a large depth of field.
- Use a low ISO, such as 100, so that your camera's sensor is less sensitive to light and needs the shutter to be open longer.
- Choose your time of day carefully. Slowing the shutter speed means you are increasing the amount of light that gets into your camera, and you run the risk of over exposure. In addition to using an aperture of f22, a low ISO, and an ND filter, you can help the camera by shooting at sunrise or sunset when the color temperature of light is more forgiving. If this isn't possible, chose an overcast day rather than a bright, sunny day.
Remember, if you want a photograph that just shows water in its natural state, just switch to a faster shutter speed, such as 1/60th of a second or 1/125th. This will show water as the human eye perceives it. Now you just need to get out there, experiment and have fun!