Huge, roaring waterfalls, little babbling brooks, and everything in between are all favorites subjects for landscape photographers like myself. However, it is not always simple to shoot them successfully. While out in the field, I always try to remind myself and my tour group of the following:
Use a Polarizer
Any photograph of a waterfall or stream can benefit from the use of a circular polarizing filter. It reduces reflections in the water from bright areas of the sky above, helps cope with glare while dealing with wet vegetation, and reduces reflections on wet rocks. Two stops of light are blocked from reaching your sensor when using a circular polarizing filter, which is great if you want to slow down your shutter speed but terrible when you want to speed it up to capture moving subjects like leaves.
Experiment with Shutter Speed
Many individuals, while discussing the photography of streams and waterfalls, may recommend doing everything is necessary to get a very slow shutter speed. While I appreciate a soft, milky appearance fairly often, I’ve found that viewers, especially those who aren’t photographers, may connect with a picture more if they see at least some detail in the water. The optimal range seems to be somewhere between one second and eight-hundredths of a second. I like to use lower shutter speeds when photographing scenes with fast-moving water and longer shutter speeds when photographing scenes with slow-moving water, sometimes going as long as 2 to 4 seconds while still keeping detail in blurred water.
Of course, there is no absolute right or wrong answer here. There are several atypical cases. Photographing a whirling eddy in a stream, for instance, may need more than 30 seconds. Or, you might want to freeze the motion with a fast shutter speed for photographing whitewater rapids. It’s crucial to play around with different shutter speeds as you learn what works best for you and your subject matter.
Get Wet
Put on your extreme wide-angle lens and jump directly into the water if you want a spectacular, up-close view. Standing in the scene you’re photographing might be very different than standing next to it, on the outside, looking in. Putting the reader into the action brings the story to life. This is often a positive development!
Getting into the water is not without its risks. Avoid getting swept off your feet by the swift currents and treacherous rocks. If you’re not confident in your ability to keep your balance in swift water, don’t do it.
Your polarizer or front element, whichever applies, should be protected from moisture. When there are water drops on my lens, I prefer to use a Rocket Blower to remove them. If it doesn’t work, a microfiber lens cloth and some gentle wiping should get the job done.
Take Your Time and Pay Attention to Your Surroundings
When taking pictures of a scenic stream or waterfall, it’s easy to focus on what seems like the most intriguing or significant part of the subject. Though effective occasionally, this method frequently results in basic, straightforward, and obvious compositions, which are beautiful but may get dull after a while.
Consider the picture below as an illustration. A stunning waterfall a few hundred yards upstream occupied one hour of my time that day, and I spent another two hours taking pictures along and in the creek. After spending many hours taking pictures of the most obvious sights, I started walking back to the trailhead when I realized how stunning the neon green forest looked when viewed from downstream.
Go Back, Often
Most of my favourite pictures of waterfalls and streams were taken on repeat trips to the same places. Having firsthand experience with a certain river or waterfall may be quite helpful when attempting to visualize a captivating scene. If you know a stream like the back of your hand, you’ll have an easier time adapting to sudden shifts in the environment. You can find fresh picture options that weren’t there previously by revisiting the same landscapes at different times of the year or with different water flows. This notion is generally applicable in landscape photography, but it is especially important when dealing with water elements.
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