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Photography Techniques: How to Capture Water

Water is always in motion; even the stillest pond will have its surface disturbed by the wind, insects and falling leaves. Capturing the essence of a waterfall or crashing waves is an important skill for any photographer, and one that provides a particular kind of satisfaction. Always use a tripod when photographing water, as camera shake will easily ruin a shot -- especially at slow shutter speeds.

Things You'll Need

Camera
Tripod

Instructions

- 1
  Decide how the water is to be represented. Set the camera's shutter speed to 1/60 of a second to take a realistic shot of the water as the eye would see it. Experiment with shutter speeds of up to 1/500 of a second for precise shots of fast-moving bodies of water, such as large waterfalls. To capture something a little more emotive, it is sometimes better to create a blurred effect. Set the shutter speed to approximately 1/8 of a second. Take a few pictures and examine the effect. Try taking a few shots with the speed at ½ of a second and then with it at one or two seconds.
- 2
  Use low levels of light. Wait for an overcast day or take the shot from the shade. Sunset and twilight also provide good lighting levels -- and there is less of a chance of being interrupted during the shot.
- 3
  Set the camera's ISO to 100 or below to create an atmospheric blurred water effect. Higher ISO settings make the camera more sensitive to light, so only use them when taking pictures using relatively faster shutter speeds.
- 4
  Use a filter to avoid overexposing shots taken with a slow shutter speed. A neutral density filter will reduce the amount of light reaching the camera's sensor. Another option is to take a series of photos using different exposures and combining them at home using High Dynamic Range software.

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