Secrets to Amazing Waterfall Images

Waterfalls make great subjects for landscape photography, especially for long exposures. In this article I explain my approach to photographing waterfalls.

Pay attention to shutter speed

Shutter speed is extremely important when photographing waterfalls. The longer the shutter speed, the smoother the water will look. Whereas the shorter the shutter speed, the more static the water will look. I tend to select my shutter speed based on the size of the waterfall I am photographing. A small waterfall with water that moves slowly usually looks better with a longer shutter speed, whereas a big waterfall usually looks better with a shorter shutter to really convey how powerful it is. Generally I start with a shutter speed around 1/4 second an go from there

Use an ND filter

Based on how bright it is during the day I to use an ND filter to achieve a longer shutter speed and slow the water down even further. I have a 3 stop, 6 stop, and 10 stop ND filter. Typically the 3 stop is perfect for waterfalls.

Use a tripod

Because I slow my shutter speed down to convey movement in the water as described above, I also use a tripod to make sure that my images are tack sharp. I also prefer to use a tripod because it really helps to refine my composition in the field.

Keep a lens cloth handy

When water is rushing towards the camera, water gets on the lens and creates blotches that are difficult to get out in post-processing. I always keep a lens cloth available to wipe down my lens in between shots and to reduce the number of water drops on the lens.

Get in the water

This made the biggest difference for me in taking my compositions to the next level. Getting into the water opened up a whole new world of compositions that normally aren’t available on land. The water really feels like it’s jumping off the screen and has a tendency to make the viewer feel like he / she is standing in the image. In order to get in the water easily I always carry a set of waders just to be safe.