Waterfall photography skill sharing

For photographers, shooting waterfalls is a wonderful and challenging thing. First of all, it is a beautiful scenery. Secondly, it often requires us to apply more experience and equipment. The other is a dynamic theme. When the waterfall runs down, it means a challenge for photographers and a real opportunity for dynamic shooting.

There are many materials and books about the details of shooting waterfalls. Generally speaking, shooting waterfalls is very simple.

Used with sports

General photographers have two choices when shooting flowing waterfalls. Or use a high-speed shutter to freeze the scene of splashing and rushing water, or use a slow shutter to shoot the foggy water and the overall water diarrhea effect.

Most photographers will choose the second way to represent waterfalls, because it can reflect a sense of beauty that reflects the scenery. How to shoot a waterfall with a slow shutter? What you need is a professional digital camera and tripod. It is also useful to add a polarization filter if conditions permit.

How to shoot waterfalls

Take controlled shooting-set the camera to automatic mode before starting shooting, make sure to turn off the flash, and then take pictures-composition-shooting. Pay attention to the exposure setting parameters of your camera. Your camera will almost certainly choose the exposure mode of ice water. This photo will be a reference point for you to compare other shots in the future. You can choose parameters such as shutter speed and aperture according to this photo.

Shutter priority mode-change your camera to shutter priority mode (as we said before, a camera with adjustable aperture priority or shutter priority is the starting point of a professional camera). Usually you need a shutter speed of 1 to 2 seconds to get a correct picture of waterfall water. Of course, using a tripod can fully support this slow-motion shooting method. No matter how anti-shake your lens is, no matter how advanced your camera is, using a tripod is the best choice to get perfect photos.

It sounds simple. Just fix the camera on the tripod, switch to the shutter priority mode, set the shutter speed to 1-2 seconds, and then shoot the composition. Unfortunately, many times, shooting is not that simple.

Generally speaking, as the shutter speed increases, the light entering the camera will also increase. Unless it's cloudy and gloomy. You will find that your video photos are a little overexposed. Even in shutter priority mode, the camera will choose a very small aperture to try to make up.

Other techniques are used to achieve exposure balance.

There are several ways to balance the exposure and keep the picture perfect:

The right weather-shoot waterfalls at the right weather and time. And you can give yourself more choices and shoot at a longer shutter speed. At sunrise and sunset, the light is not very strong and the color saturation is high. It's best to shoot on dark days, not on clear days without clouds.

Filter-used to reduce the light from entering the camera directly, but I usually use a polarizer, which not only reduces the light from entering, but also relatively reduces the reflection of water flow, helping you improve the shooting quality. You can use another filter to reduce the light entering the camera-a density filter, just like sunglasses.

Aperture priority mode, if you still find the exposure accuracy difficult to control, even in dark hours and weather. Then you can choose a smaller aperture range by using a polarized filter with aperture priority. In most cameras, f/22 or f/36 is the gear with the smallest aperture. The result of choosing this aperture is that your camera will automatically choose the shutter speed to adapt to this aperture. The exposure time may not be 1-2 seconds, but it may be longer and the water flow in the waterfall is stronger. In this way, you will have greater depth of field and more waterfall focus.

Low ISO- Choosing a low ISO means that your camera sensor is sensitive and requires a long shutter opening time. This will mean that it will give you better details, clearer and fewer particles.

More waterfall photography skills

Continuous shooting-continuous shooting with different shutter speed and aperture. You can get the change of waterfall water flow. In the different images of the same scene with the change of depth of field, the change of mode makes the camera get more colors.

Application of composition and scene skills

When shooting in a waterfall, you can choose panoramic composition and local composition. You can also change various angles and perspectives. The artistic conception expressed by local shooting and wide-angle shooting is also different. Use your eyes to observe the environment around the waterfall and walk more, and the waterfall will be different.

Sort out and summarize

A good photographer is not only a skilled photographer, but also a tailor with a unique aesthetic vision. Some people say that a perfect photo depends on one third of luck, one third of skill and one third of cutting. For many people who have studied art, it is not easy to cut a good work. It is the most direct choice to examine, ponder and verify photos with your own eyes.

Finally, not all waterfalls use slow shots, delicate and smooth water and white waves. Sometimes those waves, huge waves and splashing water are also what photographers want to capture. Therefore, when shooting waterfalls again, it is most important to shoot them with your own feelings and skills.

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