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BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: How to do Landscape Photography and Nature Photos

Photography Question 

Eric Seidle 		 

F-Stop, Shutter Speed, and Flowing Water


My camera only allows for an 8 f-stop. This means I can’t get the flowing waterfall effect, since I can't lower my shutter enough without overexposing. I was told a neutral-density (ND) filter might help. I looked into one, and I can only get one that would bump it up to a 9 f-stop. Would this be enough, or would I need more like an 11 f-stop? What shutter and f-stop setting do you guys use? Any info on where I can get a ND filters to fit my camera threads?


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June 04, 2005

 

Bob Cammarata 		  Don't worry so much about your aperture setting. Available light and your ISO setting will determine how slow you can go.
Shoot waterfalls on cloudy days or in deep shade to get that veiling effect. An ISO (ASA) setting of 100 or lower will yield great results.
Vertical falls will start to blur at 1/30 second, and at 1/15 second and slower, the water will "veil" and get cotton-like.
I've shot 100 ASA film at f-8 and have gone as slow as 1/4 second or slower on cloudy days.


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June 04, 2005

 

Anand S 		 
 
 
In addition to the above, you have not mentioned if you are using a digital camera or a conventional film camera. If it is digital camera and, if possible, set the speed to 50 ISO. If you are using a film camera, try to get a ISO 50 film/slide, or else you can buy a 100 ASA film and pull it to 50 - and at the time of processing, you need to tell the lab to pull-process by one stop. Regarding ND filters, it's wise to use a graduated ND filter than a plain ND filter. I would suggest you to use the Cokin system, where you can stack up more than one filter in a filter holder. Check out this link for further details. http://www.geocities.com/cokinfiltersystem/links/id25.htm

You can stack up to three or four filters in one P-holder - which means that if you have a two-stop ND filter you can reduce your shutter by 8 stops. This should give you a nice blur effect. Check out my gallery for such a picture. I am also attaching it for your reference.


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June 07, 2005

 

Anand S 		 
 
 
In addition to the above you have not mentioned if you are using a digital camera or a conventinal film camera. If it is digital camera and if you have ISO50 set the speed to 50ASA. If you are using film camera try to get a ISO 50 film/slide or else you can buy a 100 ASA film and pull it to 50 and at the time of processing you need to tell the lab to pull process by one stop. Regarding ND filters its wise to use a graduated ND filter than a plain ND filter. I would suggest you to use the cokin system where you can stack up more than one filter in a filter holder. Check out this link for further details. http://www.geocities.com/cokinfiltersystem/links/id25.htm

You can stack upto three or four filters in one P-holder that means that if you have a two stop ND filter you can reduce your shutter by 8 stops. This should give you a nice blur effect. Checkout my gallery for such a picture. I am also attaching it for your reference.


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June 07, 2005

 
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