Proper setting for flowing water shots

[bbates]

Is there a rule of thumb as far as shutter speed for flowing water shots where you want the water "blurred out". I was using 1/4 sec with the ND filter - results were OK but a bit overexposed. Generally how fast can you get and still show a nice blur?

[jglisson73]

Hope for a cloudy day...

If it is overexposed, drop the exposure compensation a stop or two. Or, up the f/stop. Getting in a shady spot can help too.

It can be hard to get the flowing water effect on a bright sunny day, no matter what you try.

John

[pradeep1]

jglisson73 wrote:
Hope for a cloudy day...




or for the sun to set a bit...

[DaveB]

http://members.localnet.com/~bourdela/pictures/IMG_0720.jpg


http://members.localnet.com/~bourdela/pictures/IMG_0719.jpg

First image: 1/6, ND filter, f/8.0, tripod, 2sec. self-timer

Second image: 1/50, no ND filter, f/3.2, tripod, 2 sec. self-timer

Both pictures used a polarizing filter. A polarizer will eat two stops by itself.

[phili1]

Wow Dave if I were abetting man IO would have picked no one as the 1/50 sec.

NIce shots.

[drisley]

phili1 wrote:
Wow Dave if I were abetting man IO would have picked no one as the 1/50 sec.

NIce shots.

Yes I agree. Are you sure they aren't reversed?
The second picture looks alot more like the longer, ND exposure.

[DaveB]

drisley wrote:

Are you sure they aren't reversed?
The second picture looks alot more like the longer, ND exposure.

Doh!

Yes, they are reversed.

And I previewed so carefully...

[Basiltoo]

Good demo Dave. But I much prefer 1/50th (top shot). Am I alone on this?

[drisley]

I think if you focus just on the water, and crop out the rest, I prefer the longer exposure.

However, when you include the whole image, the longer exposure will affect the sharpness of the trees somewhat. In that case, the shorter exposure may be preferable.

[DaveB]

[basiltoo wrote:
Good demo Dave. But I much prefer 1/50th (top shot). Am I alone on this?

I prefer the stop action shot too, as does my wife.

There's something a little unnatural about the flowing shots. It's an effect you don't actually see in real life.

It's like those cloying Hallmark cards. Too much artifice.

[polloloco81]

DaveB wrote:
[basiltoo wrote:
Good demo Dave. But I much prefer 1/50th (top shot). Am I alone on this?

I prefer the stop action shot too, as does my wife.

There's something a little unnatural about the flowing shots. It's an effect you don't actually see in real life.

It's like those cloying Hallmark cards. Too much artifice.


That's where I differ in opinion with yours. The way I see it, photography is my way of capturing scenes that a person would not see every day. I want to capture things that are out of the ordinary and unusual, and hopefully when someone look at it, they will think "wow, I never knew it looks like that in that way".

[roanjohn]

Agreed....

A smoky waterfall is more poetic...........there is something very tranquil about it...........a more dreamlike state. which I like....

A fast shutter speed makes a waterfall look more chaotic...........more power..........I guess.........not as tranquil.

IMHO...

Ro1