18 DIGITAL CAMERA^
1
Create composition
When it comes to positioning
waterfalls in the frame, the idea
is to add interest and lead the
viewer through the scene. If you
want to capture more interesting
viewpoints and perspectives, wade
into the river (wellies needed) with
your camera and tripod. Consider
whether you want the waterfall
to fill the whole frame, or for it
to be part of a wider scene.2
Focus the frame
Once you’ve got your positioning
sorted, focus on the waterfall. It’s
impossible to focus through a dark
ND filter, so this step needs to be done
before you screw it on. You can either
use autofocus first and then switch
to manual focus, or use manual focus
(with Live View to help you check
sharpness). If you’re using a sliding
ND filter, simply slot this into the
holder once you’ve focused.3
Calculate exposure
Use manual mode to shoot.
Set your desired aperture and
ISO values, then note the initial
shutter reading. You’ll need to
tweak this shutter speed for the
ND filter you’re using. To work
out (roughly) how long I needed
my exposure to be, I used an app
called Long Exposure Calculator.
As an example, with an eight-stop
filter, 1/100 sec became 2.5 sec.What shutter
speed should
I be using?
Every body of water flows at a
different speed, and this means that
there is no one ‘right’ exposure to aim
for. Higher waterfalls – which allow
gravity to accelerate the plunging
water – are faster, so you’ll need
shorter exposures than you would for
slower water to get the same effect.
The best approach is to take
several shots at varying speeds, then
review these in the field by checking
your LCD. See how the shutter speeds
are rendering the waterfall; then you
can decide whether you want the
spray and trails to be discernible
in images, or whether you want to
completely blur the movement.18 JUNE 2019 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com
Check your ’lights
When water moves and drops at
high speeds, it generates so
much turbulence that the water
appears white. In this project –
photographing whitewater and
using long exposures – it’s easy
to overexpose scenes and blow
out detail in the highlights of
the river. For the best results,
underexpose (by lowering the
ISO or increasing the f-stop
number) and enable your
camera’s Highlight Alert feature.