How to photograph waterfalls-5 Simple Tips

I've had so many requests to continue posting about waterfall photography! Here is another excellent article on photographing rivers and waterfalls! 

For a nature photographer, waterfall photography is like a dream come true. A subject tailor-made for a great image, waterfalls can be a magnet for anyone with a camera.

Like any subject in nature photography, waterfall photos also come with their own set of challenges. A beginner can be disappointed with their results time and time again, simply due to simple mistakes that can be easily overcome. Really good waterfall photography is not about expensive equipment or hi-tech methods; just a decent camera and a basic understanding of a few manual settings.

In fact, a really good waterfall photograph probably owes more to good lighting and composition than to technology. This is great news; it means you can improve your waterfall photos no matter what sort of camera you have! Here are five simple tips to help you take some great waterfall photos of your own.

Waterfall Photography Tip #1. Choose the Right Weather Conditions. Many waterfalls are found in the rainforest, or in heavily wooded areas. That means the same rules of lighting that apply to rainforest photography also apply to waterfall photos. Most of the time you will get your best photos in overcast weather. Cloud cover creates even, low-contrast lighting that eliminates harsh patches of light and shade from your waterfall image. While we are on the subject of lighting; avoid using your flash in most situations. It will destroy the atmosphere created by the natural light.

You should also try to avoid windy days. If you are working with a slow shutter (see tip #2), you don't want the trees to be blowing about and blurring the background in your photo.

Waterfall Photography Tip #2. Experiment With Shutter Speeds and Carry a Tripod. You have surely seen the soft wispy effect photographers create by shooting flowing water at very slow shutter speeeds. This is a popular techniqe and has great impact for some photos. However, it is not the only method you should try. Some photos can look great, but if you do all your photos this way it can become boring and repetitive. Also, the wispy effect just doesn't suit every waterfall. In my experience, cascading waterfalls that tumble over rocks and have several levels look great at slow speeds. I usually a shutter speed of one second. However, waterfalls that fall straight down over a ledge into a pool usually look better with a bit more defininition; try a speed of about 30/sec or 15/sec. Experimenting with different speeds will always get you the best result in the end.

Regardless of the effect you are after, you should always have your tripod with you for waterfall photography. If you are in the forest on a cloudy day, the level of light will be very low, and you may find yourself forced to use very slow shutter speeds whether you like it or not.

Waterfall Photography Tip #3. Explore Downstream. When you arrive at your location, the first instinct is usually to stand right in front of the waterfall and take the most straightforward angle. However, the best result is often found when you explore downstream. You may find an angle where the stream cascades toward you, with the main waterfall in the background. Or you may be able to frame waterfall through the branches of the trees. There really is no end to the possibilities; the point is, there is never only one shot to take at a waterfall, and the obvious photo is not always the best.

Waterfall Photography Tip #4. Put You Wide-Angle Lens To Work. A wide-angle lens comes in handy for a few reasons. Firstly, it has a naturally strong depth of field. If you are using a slow shutter speed for the water, it is important to keep the rest of the photo sharp. If your main subject is moving and the surroundings are out of focus, your result will just be a big blur. Secondly, the wide-angle lens has an exaggerated sense of perspective, allowing your viewer to feel that they are looking up the stream or into the rainforest, not just at a flat picture.

Waterfall Photography Tip #4. Let The Flow Of Water Shape Your Composition. Whenever you compose a photo, you use the lines and shapes in the picture to create the best impact. The direction of movement in the water can create a poweful visual flow in your photograph. The viewer's eye will naturally follow the direction of the water, so you should use this to help shape your composition. If you stand downstream so that the stream flows toward the camera, you can create a distinct visual direction in your composition that will truly catch and lead the eye of the viewer.

So, there you have five very simple ways to take better waterfall photos. As in all nature photography, writing and reading about it is never as inspiring as getting out and doing it. I hope these tips give you some motivation to grab a friend, get out there and practice. Have fun!

 

  Andrew Goodall If you found these tips helpful, visit http://www.naturesimage.com.au to find Andrew Goodall's top selling ebook "Photography In Plain English" and check out his popular rainforest and waterfall photography collection. While you are there, don't forget to subscribe to the online newsletter for regular photography tips...it's free!

Here is a photograph that was taken in Northville Michigan at Mill Race Place. 

 

There are several weeks of summer left and so many wonderful places to capture beautiful photographs!

Ellen
Appleberry Photography
Visit our shopAppleberry Photography 
We have many new photographs listed!

How to photograph waterfalls!

Here is another fabulous article on how to photograph water! 

Camera Settings for Photographing Water in Motion

By Doug Sahlin from Digital Landscape and Nature Photography For Dummies

Cascading water is exciting to watch and photograph. Raging rivers also make beautiful photographs. Surging white water rapids, briny mist, and cascading spray are all the elements you need for a great picture.
Here are eight tips to consider when photographing water in motion:

• Use a shutter speed of 1/15 of a second or slower. A slow shutter speed renders moving water as a silky white blur.
• Use a low ISO setting. A low ISO setting gives you a relatively small aperture, which ensures a large depth of field.
• Use a tripod. When you use a slow shutter speed, stabilize the camera to get a sharp picture.
• Use a neutral density filter in bright light. In bright light, you won’t be able to use a slow shutter speed and get a properly exposed image. A neutral density filter cuts down on the amount of light reaching the sensor, which means you can get a properly exposed image using a slow shutter speed.
  If you use neutral density filters on a regular basis, consider purchasing a variable neutral density filter. This is actually two filters in one. You rotate the outer ring to dial in the strength of the filter.
• Use a fast shutter speed when you want to freeze the motion of a raging river. You can also use a fast shutter speed when you want to show the details of a waterfall. You may have to increase the ISO setting when using a fast shutter speed to achieve a large depth of field, which requires a small aperture. Don’t increase the ISO too high or you’ll end up with a noisy image; use a tripod instead.
• When you compose the image, position the horizon line in the lower third of the image. It’s also a good idea to place the waterfall to one side of the image.
• Rotate the camera 90 degrees when photographing a waterfall. This is known as portrait format. Rotate the camera 90 degrees any time you photograph a subject that is taller than it is wide. The only exception to this rule would be a waterfall like Niagara Falls that is actually wider than it is tall.
• Take a picture downstream from a waterfall. You’ll often find wonderful details when you venture a couple of hundred feet downriver from a waterfall!
  
  
  Here is a photograph taken in Northville Nichigan at Mill Race Place-a Historical District. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Photographing moving water can be challenging but if you use the above tips, your photographs will be awesome!  
  
  
  Please visit our photography shop: http://www.appleberryphotography.artfire.com 
  
  
  Ellen 
  
  
  
  

How to photograph on the beach!

Photographing any water scene has it's challenges!   As discussed in previous posts, the elements, including wind, rain, water, blowing sand  and the glaring, relentless beating of the sun,  can all impede a photographer's quest to capture the perfect photo.

While there is not too much a photographer can do about the wind, rain and blowing sand, you can use a polarizer to cut the glare of the sun on the water!

Polarizers accomplish three main objectives for photographers.  First, a polarizing filter cuts out the glare in a scene.  Mid-day glare on plant leaves can be removed by simply using a polarizing filter.  The glare on water can also be removed by using a polarizer.

The second main purpose of a polarizer is to saturate colors.  This is especially handy when shooting landscapes which are drowned out with harsh lighting.  While this type of shooting situation will often result in desaturated colors, a polarizer can remedy this.

The last thing a polarizer can do is improve the skies in your photography.  Polarizers can deepen the blue sky and brighten the white clouds to create stunning and dramatic skies even in bright sunny conditions.   This is the main reason photographers use polarizers.

Here is a photograph I took on a steamy day using a polarizer!

Keep cool during this heatwave and I hope you have the opportunity to go out and capture a beautiful image! 

Ellen