Scott’s Run Falls (c) 2006 William Lawrence
After we posted our blog post on 10 Tips for Photographing Waterfalls, we got a couple of requests for more information about tip 1 – Shutter Speed. Since we’re photographers – the easiest way for us to explain the concept is with photos!
These are some photos Bill and I took in Virginia where Scott’s Run meets the Potomac River a couple miles down stream from Great Falls. We placed the camera on a tripod and set the ISO to 100 for all the photos. We used shutter priority mode on the camera to control the shutter speed.
As you’ll see, in the photos with the faster shutter speeds you can see some of the individual water drops. The slower the shutter speed – the more creamy and flowing the water looks.
Shutter speed 1/50 of a second.
(c) 2005 Patty Hankins
Shutter speed 1/10 of a second
(c) 2005 Patty Hankins
Shutter speed 1/2 of a second
(c) 2005 Patty Hankins
Shutter speed one second
(c) 2005 Patty Hankins
Shutter speed 6 seconds. Bill used a polarizer filter to slow the water even further for this photo.
(c) 2005 William Lawrence
I hope these photos help explain how you can affect the way your waterfalls photographs will look by choosing your shutter speed.
Great shots – Great tip on where to shoot! must file that as a go to
These sequences are very pretty – and helpful for people who like to do water shots. That was what I was teaching my students too in every workshop and they loved it to see their own great results.
Nice post Patty!
Thanks for the tips on shutter speed, I’m trying to break away from the auto function for more “photographic” work.
Thanks.
i love your pictures i am only 12 but i am a photographer in training.I love the effect on the viewer of the picture.It makes you feel so relaxed and calm.I know that I am only a child but I think this might be what i want to do when I grow up.I also watercolor paint(usually flowers or outdoors) and I absolutely love plain old sketching too!
good luck to you and your future pictures!!!
Oh and i love the tips too!!!!!!!
By the way does anyone use photo shop on there computers???if you do let me know or if not plz tell me why!!!