slow shutter at noon

Hi, I am trying to take a simple picture at the beach, I want to get the silky effect on the waves, but with a slow shutter the picture comes up just plain white.

An article in a photo magazine mentions the VARI-ND filter... please advice, how have you taken pictures like that of rivers of waterfalls in sunny days? used filters? which one?

thanks in advance

I just use a Neutral Density filter. If it's really bright or if you want a really slow shutter you can stack them. That's a lot of fun.

Get an ND of decent quality and experiment. Have fun!

+1 on TD's tip. just use an ND filter.

Create your own variable ND filter

I personally wish that my DSLR cameras had a provision for ISO 25 so I could really slow down a shutter with a single ND filter. Here is an explanation about making your own variable ND filter from a CPL and a linear polarizer. I canot vouch for the quality of the imagery but, you could certainly slow down your shutter with the addition of a linear polarizer which should only cost a few bucks.

http://digital-photography-school.com …e-neutral-density-filter/

I have a 2 stop and 3 stop neutral density filters; and put my CPL on for another 1 stop.
The Vari stop filter is a way to 'dial up' a large number of stops; but at a hefty price.

What lens are you using? If it's reeeally wide; stacking filters may cause vignetting at the widest focal lengths.

(You are using ISO 100 and a small aperture; right?)

i am using the 50mm1.8, therefore I think I need to get the "adapter" so I can use the 72mm ND filter in this lens...

right?

ccc_javier wrote in post #6361722
Hi, I am trying to take a simple picture at the beach, I want to get the silky effect on the waves, but with a slow shutter the picture comes up just plain white.

An article in a photo magazine mentions the VARI-ND filter... please advice, how have you taken pictures like that of rivers of waterfalls in sunny days? used filters? which one?

thanks in advance

'just plain white' indicates the failure to obtain a correct exposure, but instead the photo was overexposed considerably!

At ISO 100, the Sunny 16 rule estimates 1/100 f/16 (1/ISO, f/16). So if you wanted a slow shutter like 1/13, you need an aperture which offsets the +3EV shutter speed with a -3EV aperture...or about f/45, which is not available on your dSLR lens. So the use of an ND filter of the right density would permit f/22 or f/16 to be set on the lens, giving a proper exposure.

Unfortunately, high ND values from home made variable ND combos can result in color shifts in the final photo

maybe i didn't go all the way to f/22
......
I have a circ polarizer that I used as well, so going f/22 and reducing exposure to -2 might work better.

You should read up on exposure first.

T.D.'s suggestion of stacking might not work in certain circumstances. If you're using a wide angle the photograph will vignette. Here's one that goes up to 8-stops.

Please buy (and read) Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure"

If you are getting white pictures and don't know (1)why and (2)How to fix it, you need to learn some of the basics.

It will be WELL worth the $20.