Secrets to Amazing Waterfall Images
In this article I walk through my process for photographing and creating images that contain waterfalls.
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.
The Secret to Creating Great Reflections in Your Landscape Images
Whenever I see a body of water I get excited because I know that means a reflection!
Reflections are a great tool to create interesting compositions for landscape photographers.
Read on for tips that will improve your compositions that include reflections!
Whenever I see a body of water I get excited because I know that means a reflection!
Reflections are a great tool to create interesting compositions for landscape photographers.
One tip to incorporating reflections in your landscape images is to get low to the ground as this will emphasize the reflection in your image. Typically, placing the horizon line dead center can lead to a flat boring image, but in an image with a reflection in it emphasizes exactly what we want to, the reflection!
It’s also important to visit the body of water on a calm day when there isn’t much wind, typically this is in the morning at sunrise. If there is a slight ripple in the water it can be smoothed out with an ND filter.
Additionally, try to include the complete reflection in the body of water, as this will emphasize the symmetry in the image. Otherwise the reflection can become visually jarring, defeating the compositional effect of the reflection.
