took this of a little waterfall alongside the road up to Sunrise Lodge on Mt. Rainier last weekend. 40D, Tamron 17-35 @ 17mm, GND4 filter, nominal exposure set to 1/5 second @ f/22, AEB at +1/0/-1, processed in Photomatix Pro....
~ Rocky
"Out where the rivers like to run, I stand alone, and take back something worth remembering..."
Three Dog Night
Thanks
Dan, Thank you for the kind words, and thanks all for the great images here. I get much inspiration from seeing all the wonderful shots. Now I have to make it back to the Columbia Gorge to take a few more shots.
<p>
One of the things I noted in the guide was that some water flows are probably best captured not as silky/smooth but somewhere in between. Well, some with heavy volume of water, or fast flow, can be captured also to reveal their turbulence and tumult. I tried that this Summer and was lucky enough to get the solidity of the rocks with the stillness of this Heron. Of course, the benefit of taking the shot with a faster shutter speed is that at least one might take the shot before the bird moves! These are not great shots, but they were definitely fun to take and I learned a lot!
EXIF: Nikon D300, ISO 200, f/8, 1/640s, 300mm, Direct Sunlight WB, Nikkor 70-300 4-5.6G
EXIF: Nikon D300, ISO 200, f/8, 1/400s, 210mm, Direct Sunlight WB, Nikkor 70-300 4-5.6G
The lens is not known for ability to resolve detail tremendously, but it has performed well for me. In these instances however, 300mm is not the best focal length as it is definitely the softest spot on this lens on the top end. The one taken at 210mm unfortunately does not look as clear, even though the focus point is smack dab on the bird's head and neck. I also processed them so that the shots would represent the moment at which I took them (relatively early morning, with a blueish cast to them). I have them in larger version here.
One thing I learned about these Herons, they may look like they are standing still but... they seem to always have a bit of motion.
Thanks again,
Nacho
Exposure Latitude(s).com
"The temple bell stops but the sound keeps coming out of the flowers." -- Basho
It's all about the light
There are some great photos in this thread!
Making water look like it is moving is easy. The light is what matters. Need to find the time of day that makes the most of the texture in the water and leaves, rocks, trees, etc around it. The light on this day wasn't all that great, but here you go, something from downunder:
Great thread with alot of good information and great images.
gdaddy, it sounds like you are headed for the Colombia gorge, if your guide does his job and you do yours, you will come way with many great images. Good luck and have fun.
Rider Creek Falls, Oregon.
Rider Creek Falls by Cougar Reservoir, east of Eugene, Oregon.
Canon EOS 50D, EF 70-200mm F/4.0L @ 131mm
.5sec @ F32, ISO 100
5:30pm, entire scene was in the shade.
There are some shots i just shoot details or very small parts of waterfalls as in the following 3sec @ f20 iso 120 with a 70mm lens
or the next @ iso 200 1/10sec f16 with a 24mm lens
this last shot was quite a bit longer as i wanted to try and capture the whispy flow of this creek cascading over an overhang late in the afternoon.
20 sec f16 38mm iso 100
Tip #1: Watch your shutter speed. Everyone tries to get the "silky" or "cottony" effect to the water. Too much, though, and you'll just end up blowing out the water. So need to be careful.
Tip #2: Use a polarizer. I always use it, or at least 99% of the time. First, it will serve as almost a 2-stop ND filter. Second, it will let you remove glare from wet surfaces, such as rocks, and will also let you control or eliminate the amount of reflection on the water's surface. This is important whenever you may have light reflecting off cliff faces or foliage and giving the water some nice colorization. Also, will let you "see" below the surface of the water to bring river rocks, etc. into view.
Tip #3: Look for different vantage points (such as in the second example pic below) in order to give a different feel to your compositions. Always shooting waterfalls straight on can get a bit boring. If possible, scout the area for potential vantage points and check the composition before shooting. And get a good pair of water shoes...sometimes, you gotta get in.
Tip #4: Definitely use a tripod; use shutter release or time delay.
Tip #5: Always try to incorporate some type of foreground element in the frame whenever possible.
Tip #6: Get familiar with hyperfocal distance (HFD).
Both of these images were shot in early morning in order to catch the reflected light from the cliffs. The CPL was used to control the amount of reflection and remove any glare.
#1: Slide Rock State Park, Sedona AZ. 5D2 with 24-105L, 80mm at f/22, ISO 50, 2.5 seconds with CPL:
#2: Slide Rock State Park, Sedona AZ. 5D2 with 24-105L, 65mm at f/16, ISO 100, 0.2 seconds with CPL:
"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son". - Dean Wormer
I might overdo things a bit when it comes to shooting water; I tend to like longer shutter speeds so that the photo can truly capture something the eye doesn't see. The most profound case I've encountered was when I was shooting Horsetail Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. The day was overcast with some light rain so long shutter speeds weren't hard to come by but I was using my CPL and occasionally my Singh-Ray Vari-ND. Here are the two examples and the apparent differences between the two captures:
This first shot is ISO 100, F/16 and 6 seconds.
This second shot was taken with the VariND maxxed-out: ISO 200 F/11, 25seconds (I can't remember but I guess I changed the ISO and F/stop so I wouldn't have to use a bulb exposure.) Looking at it in the camera, it seemed different but when I got home and looked at it I was surprised. I was a decent distance away but apparently the spray over 25seconds makes a lot of difference. This has NOT undergone extensive PP with the expection of levels, curves and sharpening. I know there is some flare in the lower left corner but my cloning skills aren't that great and I found it difficult to remove. In no way did I expect such ethereal results. Anyway, this is my two cents to this great thread...
Nice collection of great waterfall shots! Here's a recent one I shot near the top of Vernal Fall in Yosemite. The person in the foreground is my son. I've been trying to get him to join me on a hiking/photography outing in Yosemite for quite some time. After that trip, he was asking when we could go again (so we went back four days later and spent the entire day hiking and shooting).
I visited Petite Jean state park in Arkansas last month and captured these shots. I used a GND filter and Polarizer.
<snip>
C&C welcomed.
I like the second shot much more than the first. The water in the first is too centered (like a portrait)…if it was cropped that way, it might be worth re-cropping just to compare. I like the water in #1, it's just too centered for me.
Comments
Best,
Nacho
"The temple bell stops but the sound keeps coming out of the flowers." -- Basho
Nacho, extraordinary work
http://danielplumer.com/
Facebook Fan Page
"Out where the rivers like to run, I stand alone, and take back something worth remembering..."
Three Dog Night
www.northwestnaturalimagery.com
Dan, Thank you for the kind words, and thanks all for the great images here. I get much inspiration from seeing all the wonderful shots. Now I have to make it back to the Columbia Gorge to take a few more shots.
<p>
One of the things I noted in the guide was that some water flows are probably best captured not as silky/smooth but somewhere in between. Well, some with heavy volume of water, or fast flow, can be captured also to reveal their turbulence and tumult. I tried that this Summer and was lucky enough to get the solidity of the rocks with the stillness of this Heron. Of course, the benefit of taking the shot with a faster shutter speed is that at least one might take the shot before the bird moves! These are not great shots, but they were definitely fun to take and I learned a lot!
EXIF: Nikon D300, ISO 200, f/8, 1/640s, 300mm, Direct Sunlight WB, Nikkor 70-300 4-5.6G
EXIF: Nikon D300, ISO 200, f/8, 1/400s, 210mm, Direct Sunlight WB, Nikkor 70-300 4-5.6G
The lens is not known for ability to resolve detail tremendously, but it has performed well for me. In these instances however, 300mm is not the best focal length as it is definitely the softest spot on this lens on the top end. The one taken at 210mm unfortunately does not look as clear, even though the focus point is smack dab on the bird's head and neck. I also processed them so that the shots would represent the moment at which I took them (relatively early morning, with a blueish cast to them). I have them in larger version here.
One thing I learned about these Herons, they may look like they are standing still but... they seem to always have a bit of motion.
Thanks again,
Nacho
"The temple bell stops but the sound keeps coming out of the flowers." -- Basho
The Heron is a great passive counterpoint to the violence of the water
Well done
There are some great photos in this thread!
Making water look like it is moving is easy. The light is what matters. Need to find the time of day that makes the most of the texture in the water and leaves, rocks, trees, etc around it. The light on this day wasn't all that great, but here you go, something from downunder:
ND8
30sec
f22
ISO100
1.
2.
Chris.
http://www.christopherjashdown.smugmug.com
http://danielplumer.com/
Facebook Fan Page
Exif: Canon 30D 17-40 f/4L 1/4sec F/22 ISO: 100
smugmug: www.StandOutphoto.smugmug.com
www.davespics.com
gdaddy, it sounds like you are headed for the Colombia gorge, if your guide does his job and you do yours, you will come way with many great images. Good luck and have fun.
here are a couple of mine;
Big Creek Falls
A portion of Lower Lewis Falls
Snoqualmie Falls Sunrise, two images merged in PS
regards,
phil
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goldenorfe/
thanks for looking
phil
moderator - Holy Macro
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EOS 40D
taken high noon on 06/15/08
TV mode
F/13
1/640
135mm
ISO 400
built-in flash used for fill.
PP in Aperture.
Thanks in advance for your comments.
Rider Creek Falls by Cougar Reservoir, east of Eugene, Oregon.
Canon EOS 50D, EF 70-200mm F/4.0L @ 131mm
.5sec @ F32, ISO 100
5:30pm, entire scene was in the shade.
http://www.DanielSoule.com
http://www.DanielSouleGalleries.com/Clients
or the next @ iso 200 1/10sec f16 with a 24mm lens
this last shot was quite a bit longer as i wanted to try and capture the whispy flow of this creek cascading over an overhang late in the afternoon.
20 sec f16 38mm iso 100
D70, Sigma 10-20 @ 11mm, 1/4 sec, no filter
This fall is only about 10ft tall, and is in the middle of a redwood forest. This was a cloudy day, though I doubt it ever gets too bright in there!
From the Oregon Coast.
Upper Mesa Falls, Idaho (1/13 sec., f/22, ISO 100, Time: approx 1 pm, circular polarizer):
Lower Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (1/250 sec., f/8, ISO 100, Time: approx 6 pm):
Upper Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (1/60 sec., f/9, ISO 100, Time: approx 2:30 pm, I think I used a circular polarizer on this one):
Gibbon Falls, Yellowstone NP (1/6 sec., f/29, ISO 100, Time: approx 9 pm):
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This is the Toorongo River in Victoria Australia.
Sigma SD-14 R (Leica R Mount) Leica Elmar Vario 35-70 f4 ROM, no ND or polariser.
1 second, f8, ISO50.
1.6 seconds, f8, ISO50.
0.8 seconds, f8, ISO50.
Steve
Tip #2: Use a polarizer. I always use it, or at least 99% of the time. First, it will serve as almost a 2-stop ND filter. Second, it will let you remove glare from wet surfaces, such as rocks, and will also let you control or eliminate the amount of reflection on the water's surface. This is important whenever you may have light reflecting off cliff faces or foliage and giving the water some nice colorization. Also, will let you "see" below the surface of the water to bring river rocks, etc. into view.
Tip #3: Look for different vantage points (such as in the second example pic below) in order to give a different feel to your compositions. Always shooting waterfalls straight on can get a bit boring. If possible, scout the area for potential vantage points and check the composition before shooting. And get a good pair of water shoes...sometimes, you gotta get in.
Tip #4: Definitely use a tripod; use shutter release or time delay.
Tip #5: Always try to incorporate some type of foreground element in the frame whenever possible.
Tip #6: Get familiar with hyperfocal distance (HFD).
Both of these images were shot in early morning in order to catch the reflected light from the cliffs. The CPL was used to control the amount of reflection and remove any glare.
#1: Slide Rock State Park, Sedona AZ. 5D2 with 24-105L, 80mm at f/22, ISO 50, 2.5 seconds with CPL:
#2: Slide Rock State Park, Sedona AZ. 5D2 with 24-105L, 65mm at f/16, ISO 100, 0.2 seconds with CPL:
3 shots 1/5s f8.0, 3.2s f8.0, .8s f8.0 with ND8 filter combined in Photomatix. I cloned out the moving branch in Photoshop later.
Nice!! I never would have guessed it was blended. This shot is so natural and exactly what the eye sees when you're standing there. :ivar
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
There is however what appears to be a dust bunny. About a 3rd up the image and above the B in Branch.
My Smugmug gallery
Wagner Falls this spring:
I thought it'd be cool to get Miners falls in a few different lengths. I want to frame these 1 thru 3.
Miners Falls 1
Miners Falls 2
Miners Falls 3
Somethings wrong with the water in this one?!?
Munising Falls this winter, close to 100ft tall IIRC.
I'm looking forward to improving these shots.
9zero6 | Upper Peninsula Overland
This first shot is ISO 100, F/16 and 6 seconds.
This second shot was taken with the VariND maxxed-out: ISO 200 F/11, 25seconds (I can't remember but I guess I changed the ISO and F/stop so I wouldn't have to use a bulb exposure.) Looking at it in the camera, it seemed different but when I got home and looked at it I was surprised. I was a decent distance away but apparently the spray over 25seconds makes a lot of difference. This has NOT undergone extensive PP with the expection of levels, curves and sharpening. I know there is some flare in the lower left corner but my cloning skills aren't that great and I found it difficult to remove. In no way did I expect such ethereal results. Anyway, this is my two cents to this great thread...
www.aaroncowanphotos.com
Whoa - a lot of great work on this thread. I particular like this b&w one. Here are a couple more.
Paul Zizka Photography: zizka.smugmug.com
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Exif
Exif
C&C welcomed.
I like the second shot much more than the first. The water in the first is too centered (like a portrait)…if it was cropped that way, it might be worth re-cropping just to compare. I like the water in #1, it's just too centered for me.
#2 is very nice.