Definitely one of the two silky smooth shots. Shorter only works well on long/fast falls. The result of the faster shot is just graceless, neither capturing the elegancy of the water's flow, or the true realism and crispness of a hyper fast shot in realistic video footage.
Love the slikyer slow shutter speeds in waterfalls. Gives the sense of the power of the water flow. And better still in the surroundings of the pool, can see clearly though the water bottom. As with higher shutter speed the water becomes too choppy, more glare on the surface. Personal taste huh. Love that waterfalls. 👍
Hi Adam. Although I'm a silky mood lover, in my opinion, the best choice depends not only on what you want to transmit to your audience but also on the waterfall itself. The amount of water and its speed, which are obviously different for each case, will determine what's best for you and this means you'll have to test different shutter speeds. I personally use from several seconds (that was especially the case in the old slides time as you mention in the video) up to a 1/10s or so, and then move up to 1/4000s or faster the power of the falling water is the emotion I want to transmit. Some people may hate the silky effect but what I don't really like is when the chosen shutter speed is NOT SLOW or FAST ENOUGH (that intermediate one that's stating you forgot an appropriate filter for that light conditions) as to convey such kind of messages. Thank you for the nice videos. Cheers.
When I photograph water it depends on what mood I’m in at the time if I want it smooth or sharp, I thought your 1second exposure was beautiful , and your panorama photos are amazing
As I have watched other RUclipsrs photographing water of all kinds, I have come to expand my appreciation for the variety of possibilities. I had liked the clarity of water and still do, but I now see that depending on the composition, many choices provide pleasing and beautiful results. In your images here, I like the one the shows a bit more detail. But I have liked images that were silky as can be. Choices, it's what photographers do, to please ourselves first, and then hope it can be appreciated by others.
I love silky water but appreciate that sometimes a little movement looks good too. How lovely that grotto is with all the moss covered rocks and trees.
Really beautiful waterfalls, Adam! My preference is for the shot at 1/10th. I found it's the perfect combination to show the beauty of the silky effect as well as the power of the water movement. Great vlog as always!! 👍
Your differing compositions have a great effect on what shutter speed I liked to capture the moving water. 1/10 in the first falls, but later in lower falls, I liked the 1/4 sec.
I like the 1/4 second silky shot. Showed some action but some smoothness. I also liked the pano shot bringing in the lightness from outside the grotto.
Thumbs up for this video. Enjoyed it while having breakfast. With the use of a CP on a cloudy day you can go down to around one second without the use of a ND filter. The longer exposure (1 sec. or more) do work better with smaller falls in my opinion. It gives it a more delicate kind of "feminine" look. With large waterfalls I prefer the shorter shutter speeds like 1/4 or faster to show the power of the falls. Of course it all comes down to personal choice. There is no wrong or right way
What wonderful shots you captured! I like the one second exposure ,because I felt it strengthens the surrounding environment- sharp focus , but soft texture on the mossy objects. Perhaps different shutters can create a certain mood ; I know the accompanying music can.
Hi Adam, I like the longer exposures myself but I guess to some extent it depends on the water, there’s a lot to be said for massive sea breakers frozen in time. Some very restful images in your piece and maybe that’s why it works for me - silky equals peaceful . Very much enjoying your vlogs , I know how much effort goes in with b-roll when you are on your own. Cheers Chris
Adam, a most interesting comparison with the various shutter speeds. As you say, totally subjective! I think I preferred the middle option, it just began to give the water some definition. My favourite shot was the pano towards the end. You’re just so dam lucky having all this amazing countryside to explore. Love it!!
I think that the blur effect is subjective but I think most folks are likely to prefer the slower speeds. The longer exposure can help to make the water fuller and perhaps hide some elements in the scene that are distracting. It can also add to swirling effects in the bowl below. Keep up the great work Adam!
Loved the Pano, interesting points on the shutter motion effects on the water. I Prefer bellow 30th, however I really things it also depends on what you are trying to convey in the picture at that time or the relationship to the wider landscape. still all are really nice image's. thanks Adam.
My favorites are the last two, one at 1/10th and the other at 1/30th. I'm one of those who prefers a hint of silkiness as in those two shots. However, they're all beautiful!
Very nice video, Adam. About what some viewers think about the water, I think everyone has their own opinion how the water should be. I guess it depends on the image. Some images looks better with a 1/30 of a shutter speed and some looks better in a 1 minute. I like them both, and I respect everyone’s opinion. Great images at the end.
Hey Adam! Thank you for your videos, enjoy them very much. As for the poll i am the 1/4 person, love to have some texture emphasizing the movement of the water, i guess it depends on the subject, silky could work on some abstracts too. Thanks again! Great light to you. Cheers.
I think it really comes down to the particular scene. I like the soft, silky look but one runs the risk of it being a little too cliche as it is such a popular method of photographing flowing water. More important in my view is composition, sharp focus and light quality, otherwise it becomes too mundane. Nice video again Adam and your images are anything but mundane!
I've not long discovered your videos on youtube and have to say probably the best I've seen from a photographer on youtube. I've been on a bit of a binge watch and have learnt so much, really great content. Just little things I've learnt from your editing videos I've used on photos that I had taken ages ago to give them a whole other dimension. I think the 1/4 is the best look, I generally go there abouts if I'm shooting falling water but maybe 1-2 secs if it's not got as much movement. Great videos and images, thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences.
Hi Adam. I think for the conditions, I prefer the slowest shutter speed. I also think that the technique you've used in the past where a faster shutter speed image is painted into the scene to preserve some of the water flow detail over rocks etc., is very effective. So I guess the answer is, shutter speed depends on the image, existing conditions and the artistic intent of the photographer. The Arbutus image in the first segment is quite awesome. Thanks for sharing!
I prefered the two longer shutter speeds. I find myself usually shooting in the 1/4 - 1/8 sec range for most of my moving water images. Really loved the pano!! :-)
I usually take timed exposures in low light situations rather than with a ND filter. I might take a dozen or more shots starting with a quarter second and increase the time as it gets darker until I'm shooting at 30 seconds. Then I debate on which exposure I prefer. I often find my very first or very last exposure are my favorites. I think it depends on the subject. I like frozen water droplets at high speeds in full light as well. I have a friend who sets his camera on the sand and takes high speed photos of the incoming waves at high f-stops and the fingers of foam are perfectly focused and frozen in time. He enlarges to huge prints and they are crowd stoppers. Being on a coastal island I'm hoping to see more from you at the ocean. However, I really dig your forest photography. I live in a forest and I'm finding great inspiration in your videos. Thanks, Adam!
I like silky water when there are competing elements (as in a woodland) in an image; it also provides contrast and, in the images in this video, contributes to the contemplative mood of the image. So my vote is for the one-second exposure. (However, if a storm is raging, I tend to use a faster shutter speed to highlight the power of the water and energetic mood of the photo.)
Adam, Great stuff, interesting concept on voting, keep up the great work.... all that follows (simply put) adds nothing to this statement. At 3,056 views the # votes are favoring the 1 second exposure. To me, that 1 second exposure gives a feel of time and also a bit of abstract pictorialism. It helps to draw an emotional response and transcend the reality of the falling water and introduce the photographer's interpretation of the scene. While the effect on the falling water is great, the longer shutter speed has an effect of the water movement in the pool reducing the splash of the water, the ripples are also smoothed over and any leaves caught in a whirlpool will cause circular patterns on the surface of the water. I tend to go one way or the other.... Freeze the water motion and catch drops of water splashing in the air or, Use long exposures to get the milky effect . Half way between says to the viewer "I saw this waterfall and took a picture", not " here is now I see this waterfall". It might be interesting to take two exposures of a waterfall, ocean wave etc... and blend the long and short exposures to get the best of both?
Thanks, Jim! The blending option has been mentioned here a few times, it is a very effective method for sure, the best of both worlds. Thanks for your input.
As always nice compositions Adam... I'm a fan of slower shutter speeds on the water falls... Kinsol Trestle is near Shawnigan lake and Koksilah River Provincial Park too... Thanks for sharing....
I am rewatching your videos, Adam, and sometimes I can't believe what kind of music I'm listening to. :D Anyway, great job with pictures and commentary. Love your work
I preferred the 10 second exposure because of the texture that remained in the water. I also liked the last shot because of the implied diagonal that started with the fallen tree on the upper right and continued with the stream into the left bottom corner. Well seen! I envy your lush surroundings, here in the southwest it is bone dry and all the plants are having a hard time. It hasn't rained for what seems like months. OOPs, I just realized this video is three years old, oh well I'm late to the party as usual...
Thanks for the great vlogs each week. Living in the Tacoma are, I can relate to the weather and flora of your posts. I prefer the 1/10th second speed to show some of the silky look, but still have a bit of the real water look to the waterfalls. Thank you for your posts and keep up the emphasis on lighting and environmental effects on the photos.
I think the shots at 1/4 and 1/10 were both really good. They smoothed the water without losing all detail. The 1 second exposure was beautiful but this presentation of water is quite common. I didn't like the 1/30 exposure at all. Another thing to consider is the background and surrounding area when deciding how to best make moving water stand out, in ways other than color, against everything going on around the water. I would use a longer shutter speed if the surroundings are busy with lots of trees and brush or is very colorful. I'd use a faster shutter if I'm shooting water that's, for example, flowing on smooth concrete (a dam or storm drain) or smooth rocks or a more monochramatic or contrast-free background.
Hey Dan, thanks for leaving a comment and the note on FaceBook about the podcast, much appreciated. Keep up the great RUclips channel, well worth it. Cheers!
I definitely like the longer exposures the best. Here in Utah, the drier climate doesn't promote the moss covering that you seem to get there. It is beautiful.
1/4 second for me on the waterfall, the faster shutter 1/30 seemed to lose the ethereal look that suited the mossy location and moody edit. Btw your editing of forest/waterfall images is sublime
Nice images Adam. I find (speaking for myself only) that I prefer the longer, " silkier", shutter speeds on small rivulets and creeks, and shutter speeds between 1/4 and 1 second on larger, faster moving water. In the end, it's completely up to the person pressing the shutter...
Panoramas and long exposures, my two favourite things! Definitely loving the 1 sec exposure photo compared to the other ones. I also liked very much your time lapse of the waterfall. It was very nicely framed and the motion made it even better.
I prefer silkier, although it is great to retain some texture in the falling water. In this case I liked you 1 second shot, but normally would probably be leaning more towards 1/4 - 1/6 of a second. Great video as usual.
Great video as always Adam. One thing you also could try that could be the happy medium and something that all can appreciate is trying to blend different shutter speeds together and thus create a textured silky smooth waterfall. The base will then be the silky smooth exposure and on top, you have a less smooth exposure. Here you can fiddle around with what speeds suits the waterfall. You also can get a smooth pool of water while keeping texture in the fall itself.
Great video, Adam! I watch all you videos. Here’s a little tip for you from a Swedish guy how lived in your area for a few years in the nineties; try to get to the western side of Mt Tuam on Salt Spring Island (right below the bluffs at the Buddhist retreat center) for some amazing Arbutus forests! You will find some interesting Gary Oaks there too. Thanks!
I hope you’ll find the trip over to Salt Spring worthwhile and rewarding, Adam! I would love to see the result from that trip in a future vlog of yours. I have such wonderful memories from that island myself. It is with great pleasure I watch your RUclips channel. I love both your gentle approach towards nature in general and your very keen eye for compositions. Your artistic touch in post production transformations your captures into pieces of art. I love your work Adam!
I don’t know if there’s a right or wrong here. It all boils down to the mood you are trying to convey. One end is dreamy and ethereal and the other is dynamic and full of movement. I’ve experimented quite a bit and I like both final results, but for very different reasons. Looking back at my images over time I’ve discovered I will lean one way or the other at different times based on my own mood and the creative phase I happen to be in at the time.
Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. Last time I was there I thought I'd try leaving by continuing on that same road in. Big mistake. Even in late march is was covered in ice and I was skidding all over the place in the truck! Fun times.
Thanks for the video as always! I prefer the quarter second exposure, there's still a little bit of texture in the water but plenty of movement, however the one second exposure looked great too! As many have said already, the Pano looked ace! Thanks again for the great content.
The only one I don't like too much is the one with 1/30 s. And about the others with longer shutter times my wife would complain that they look cheesy... Different tastes, obviously ;-)
I really like your work, I believe there is a way to have that slow-motion effect but also some brightness in the water in the same time. In the wait to read you.
Good video, I really liked the tree composition. Woodland photography compositions are a real challenge for me. Personally, I like a slow enough shutter speed to show motion, fast enough to retain a bit of detail in the water...each situation is different. Keep up the good work!
As with all images it all depends! For the images you do in the deep forests with misty light then silky is the way to go. However for larger falls where your trying to capture the power of the water falling then a shutter speed to freeze the motion is the way to go in my humble opinion.
1/4-1/10th for me. Usually settle on 1/6th. I even like waves in the sea on rocks at that speed. kind of adds dreaminess to the image but sharpness too. Great work Adam as usual.
Generly prefer a longer shutter speed for waterfalls. However the water that goes down the creek can also look like thick oil with a very long shutter speed. Any case great shots and video! Keep snapping.
Great video of some great locations. It seems a little distracting to my eye if there is too much definition in the water, especially water droplets. The 1 sec exposure seemed perfect. The image had a real ethereal, dreamy feel. Thanks for sharing another great adventure.
I photograph a lot of water; ocean, streams, waterfalls. I feel water speed is dependent on the emotional response you are trying to elect in the image. For the image of your waterfall, I like the longer shutter speeds. Based on the speed of that waterfall, a half to a quarter second seems to fit the image the way you edited it. I recently photographed large waves at 1/1250 of a second to freeze the water drops blowing off the crest of the wave. It seemed to capture the power of the wave best at that speed. A week later I used 1/4 of a second with waves crashing on rocks during sunrise to capture a sense of extended motion and flow. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, it's what you are trying to convey in the image and then how you post process it.
Great video - I used to love long exposure on water - I still do on minimalist type compositions but for your images I like the 1/4 second exposure! Kudos!!
Amazing photographs Adam... You have such a gifted eye. Your signature 'softness' and beautiful lighting make them look like wonderfully detailed paintings... Terrific stuff!
Great eye with that first image. Definitely a unique looking tree. The waterfall images look quite enchanting. I will need to check out your post processing video. I’m sure I’ll find it useful, cheers.
Great pano Adam! I love how dynamic it is! As for the survey, I would say it depends on the message you’re trying to communicate. Silky is always great when the photograph is dreamy. Stop motion is interesting when photographing details in the water. My baseline is usually 1/10 sec to start and then i adjust depending on how fast the water is flowing. I like to keep some texture in the water. Cheers!
Hi Adam, I know many photographers like faster shutter speeds on waterfalls. I shot ASA 50 film for many years using long exposure and liked the look that it gave me. I liked your shots from 1 sec. to 10 sec. as long as it had some texture in the water, I don't care when it looks like milk and totally blown out. Happy hunting in your photo adventures 👍
This is, I think, a matter of art and how we see the world through our camera. And, well, you did ask. I am a huge fan, by the way, except for those waterfalls. I also think that how we photograph 'water' may vary between the types of movement: waterfalls, rapids and more still open water, like a lake. Flattening a lake to capture a reflection is an almost invisible technique with sometimes spectacular results. Turning a waterfall into running milk is currently in vogue and barely a waterfall escapes this sad fate. This process dramatically changes the actual appearance of the water, removing the notions of raw power, kinetic energy and drama, and the resultant flow reminds one of milk flowing gently from a pitcher. The effect removes the shadows and the sparkle that are key characteristics of moving water. The milk becomes a vast monotone in the image, generally greatly expanding the area of white 'froth' or 'foam' created by the waterfall as seen by the eye. The enlarged highlight in the image captures the eye and does not let it go (as highlights are wont to do) so that the rest of the image is reduced to just a large area of vignetting surrounding the milky blob. All subtlety is abandoned. Hmmm, perhaps you have inadvertantly stumbled onto my pet peeve. By the way, I might also disagree that this is an age-related preference for no other reason than age - it is an easy and inexpensive effect to create using an ND filter and a slow shutter speed, it is recognizably fashionable, and does not require the skill and artistic vision to actually capture the beauty and power of a waterfall. There are perhaps some waterfalls that can be improved by rendering them as milk - when the water is at low-flow and powerless, this treatment can help to 'boost' their presence. PS Having read the comments accumulated so far, I recognize that I am in a very teensy slim miniscule minority.
I did ask and got an ear full, lol. Thanks for your insight and preferences Sharon, very much appreciated. I do think that one of the main reasons photographers are drawn to waterfall is that by dragging the shutter we can create this surreal effect that for the most part is a 'popular' look. I agree that it is popular but I have to say that I personally really enjoy the effect. Agreed it doesn't work with everything but for small cascades such as this, I think it looks way better than the faster shutter speed. Thanks again for your input.
I am always impressed by your careful analysis of the shot, and find your images spectacular. And a quick perusal of your viewers' comments reveals thoughtful opinions. Too many RUclips channels are opportunities for unconsidered and uninformed rants that include personal insults and hyperbole. It is almost a relief to come to your channel where I can happily read the comments and note the diversity of opinions. I love waterfalls but photographing them is frequently an exercise in frustration because I have yet to discover how to consistently capture the light as it is diffracted and refracted through the moving water.
Great vid as always, I loved the panoramic shot at the end. When it comes to making creative decisions you should always shoot to what you like not what other people like - Photography is art. Personally I preferred the 1 sec exposure. Also I would love to see a vid/tutorial on your long exposure style time lapse that you did of the waterfall, it look very cool :-)
Thanks, Luke! Ah yes the Timelapse, eventually. I'm new to the slider rig that I'm using so at some point I'll make a video. Next video should have more timelapse with the slider.
Hi Adam - Personally, I like it more silky (we call it the "cotton candy" look) better than stopped motion. And by silky, I mean usually somewhere between 1/8 sec to 1 sec. Once you get down to 1 sec though, you've lost most detail. However, I've come to rely on a multiple shutter speed system, where I blend two shots, at different shutter speeds, in PS. One shot is very silky (say from 1/4 sec or slower), while the second shot is more stopped motion (anywhere from about 1/15 sec or faster). Once in PS, I can blend them together with just the right amount of precision, so that I have both silkiness, as well as a bit of detail.
Hello Adam, I studied all of those timed exposures several times. And I have to say the 30th of a second exposure was my (least) favourite. I would continue in your normal style of a 1/4 to 1second for your exposures. More dramatic with more impact. Regards, Allan.
I am keen to see the results of your survey in a few weeks. I always struggle with this question also. I like a balance between soft water and character of the falling water. I usually tend to like 1/5 of a second so the shot at 1/4 in the video gets my vote. I find this even more true on ocean breaking waves. I think some people go to far with long exposures on the ocean and lose the power and character there. Also, I know you are not really keen on doing a lot of processing videos but I learned a lot from the one last week and I really liked the image at 14:45 on this video. Please consider a video on that one if not too difficult to recreate. I liked the soft light falling in from the corner and would be interested in how it was processed.
Hi Adam. I feel it all depends on what else is included in the frame. If there are quite strong shapes then the silky look gives a good balance. If there is a large proportion of the cascade in the frame then a faster shutter speed for me
Tremendous subject matter here Adam that is sure to provoke a wide variety of responses... The very 1st image was well done btw, as it does appear you did indeed crop the bottom out & went with a 4x5 crop in portrait. I am jumping around a bit, " Helter Skelter " watching your episodes and found this one this morning... My personal preference as a general rule & this small waterfall is a perfect example, would be to catch the " water shapes ", I think the 1/4 sec. @ f/13 did this quite well. I would most definitely have closed my aperture down enough to get a .3, .4 or .5 ( 1/2 sec. ) without going smaller than f/18, f/11 - f/16 being my preference and maintaining ISO 100 as much as possible... However, I also absolutely love those " silky smooth " water movements, that convey an entirely different mood that takes on a magical or mystical look in their own right... I am " Old School " & proud of it, but sometimes it is just plain fun to break out of the mold sometimes.... :-) Bill Farr... Vermont, USA...
Definitely one of the two silky smooth shots. Shorter only works well on long/fast falls. The result of the faster shot is just graceless, neither capturing the elegancy of the water's flow, or the true realism and crispness of a hyper fast shot in realistic video footage.
Thanks, Alex!
my vote is for 1 sec. I just love the surreal effect it creates.
Love the slikyer slow shutter speeds in waterfalls. Gives the sense of the power of the water flow. And better still in the surroundings of the pool, can see clearly though the water bottom. As with higher shutter speed the water becomes too choppy, more glare on the surface. Personal taste huh. Love that waterfalls. 👍
Yes, personal taste for sure. Thanks for your input, Brett!
I thought the image of the tree on Notch Hill was I liked the most. I call that manufacturing something from nothing. Two thumbs up!
Thanks, Douglas! I quite like the shot as well, was certainly a neat tree. I bet in evening light it might be worth revisiting.
I loved the hyper-lapse of the waterfall.
Hi Adam. Although I'm a silky mood lover, in my opinion, the best choice depends not only on what you want to transmit to your audience but also on the waterfall itself. The amount of water and its speed, which are obviously different for each case, will determine what's best for you and this means you'll have to test different shutter speeds. I personally use from several seconds (that was especially the case in the old slides time as you mention in the video) up to a 1/10s or so, and then move up to 1/4000s or faster the power of the falling water is the emotion I want to transmit. Some people may hate the silky effect but what I don't really like is when the chosen shutter speed is NOT SLOW or FAST ENOUGH (that intermediate one that's stating you forgot an appropriate filter for that light conditions) as to convey such kind of messages. Thank you for the nice videos. Cheers.
Thank for your insight Diegolsanchez!
When I photograph water it depends on what mood I’m in at the time if I want it smooth or sharp, I thought your 1second exposure was beautiful , and your panorama photos are amazing
I liked the 1 sec and the 1/10 comes in second. Great composition.
As I have watched other RUclipsrs photographing water of all kinds, I have come to expand my appreciation for the variety of possibilities. I had liked the clarity of water and still do, but I now see that depending on the composition, many choices provide pleasing and beautiful results. In your images here, I like the one the shows a bit more detail. But I have liked images that were silky as can be. Choices, it's what photographers do, to please ourselves first, and then hope it can be appreciated by others.
Exactly, whatever works for personal taste, thanks, Glen!
I love silky water but appreciate that sometimes a little movement looks good too. How lovely that grotto is with all the moss covered rocks and trees.
Thank you, Brenda!
Love your Pano. About different shutter speed for waterfall, I like the 1 sec one. Great work Adam.
Thanks, Rasesh!
Definetely like the silky water, smoothier the better. Sea is a different beast though.
Great video, as always! Awesome that you had that waterfall all to yourself there at the end...incredible spot!
Thanks, Jordon! It's a pretty quiet spot, not a lot of traffic either.
I love the local content. haven't been there for years but I'm gonna go back when its nice an foggy.
Silky smooth for me!. Great images by the way.
Thanks, Tim!
I like the longer shutter speeds on this water too.
I like the 1/4 sec exposure best of the group shown.
Really beautiful waterfalls, Adam! My preference is for the shot at 1/10th. I found it's the perfect combination to show the beauty of the silky effect as well as the power of the water movement. Great vlog as always!! 👍
Thanks, Rafel!
I prefer 1/4 second, but usually bracket waterfalls and blend in the texture I like the best from several exposures. Thanks for your videos.
Good idea, thanks, Bob!
Great Video ! Very inspiring ! Personally love the silky smooth effect !
Thanks, Ron!
Your differing compositions have a great effect on what shutter speed I liked to capture the moving water. 1/10 in the first falls, but later in lower falls, I liked the 1/4 sec.
Thanks for your input, Wei!
I like the 1/4 second silky shot. Showed some action but some smoothness. I also liked the pano shot bringing in the lightness from outside the grotto.
Thanks, Michael!
Thumbs up for this video. Enjoyed it while having breakfast.
With the use of a CP on a cloudy day you can go down to around one second without the use of a ND filter.
The longer exposure (1 sec. or more) do work better with smaller falls in my opinion. It gives it a more delicate kind of "feminine" look.
With large waterfalls I prefer the shorter shutter speeds like 1/4 or faster to show the power of the falls.
Of course it all comes down to personal choice. There is no wrong or right way
I agree, it really does depend on the situation. Thanks, Clemens!
What wonderful shots you captured!
I like the one second exposure ,because I felt it strengthens the surrounding environment- sharp focus , but soft texture on the mossy objects.
Perhaps different shutters can create a certain mood ; I know the accompanying music can.
Thank you!
I see you found my waterfall... It's a great little spot...
I wondered what the name was, Patrick Fisher Falls? haha, It is a lovely little spot.
lol... I refer to it as Grant Lake Falls... as that is the source of the water... Sadly, the lake is totally surrounded by private property
I liked the 1/10th the most, but the slowest one was very nice as well.
i like the silky smooth water
Hi Adam, I like the longer exposures myself but I guess to some extent it depends on the water, there’s a lot to be said for massive sea breakers frozen in time. Some very restful images in your piece and maybe that’s why it works for me - silky equals peaceful . Very much enjoying your vlogs , I know how much effort goes in with b-roll when you are on your own. Cheers Chris
Thanks for your input Chris, very much appreciated.
As always enjoyed video, look forward to watching them. I prefer the longer exposure for waterfalls.
Thanks, Ellery!
Adam, a most interesting comparison with the various shutter speeds. As you say, totally subjective! I think I preferred the middle option, it just began to give the water some definition. My favourite shot was the pano towards the end. You’re just so dam lucky having all this amazing countryside to explore. Love it!!
I think that the blur effect is subjective but I think most folks are likely to prefer the slower speeds. The longer exposure can help to make the water fuller and perhaps hide some elements in the scene that are distracting. It can also add to swirling effects in the bowl below.
Keep up the great work Adam!
Cheers, Drew! thanks for your input.
Loved the Pano, interesting points on the shutter motion effects on the water. I Prefer bellow 30th, however I really things it also depends on what you are trying to convey in the picture at that time or the relationship to the wider landscape. still all are really nice image's. thanks Adam.
Thanks, Michael!
My favorites are the last two, one at 1/10th and the other at 1/30th. I'm one of those who prefers a hint of silkiness as in those two shots. However, they're all beautiful!
Thank you, CathyAnn!
Very nice video, Adam. About what some viewers think about the water, I think everyone has their own opinion how the water should be. I guess it depends on the image. Some images looks better with a 1/30 of a shutter speed and some looks better in a 1 minute. I like them both, and I respect everyone’s opinion. Great images at the end.
Hey Adam!
Thank you for your videos, enjoy them very much.
As for the poll i am the 1/4 person, love to have some texture emphasizing the movement of the water, i guess it depends on the subject, silky could work on some abstracts too.
Thanks again!
Great light to you.
Cheers.
Great light to you also, cheers, Andrey!
The silky look for sure Adam.It's my favorite
Great video and pictures!
This rainy and misty forest is really amazing, with all the ferns and mossy trees.....! 👍
Thank you, Mr Frankie!
I think it really comes down to the particular scene. I like the soft, silky look but one runs the risk of it being a little too cliche as it is such a popular method of photographing flowing water. More important in my view is composition, sharp focus and light quality, otherwise it becomes too mundane.
Nice video again Adam and your images are anything but mundane!
Thanks for the feedback and input, John!
I've not long discovered your videos on youtube and have to say probably the best I've seen from a photographer on youtube. I've been on a bit of a binge watch and have learnt so much, really great content. Just little things I've learnt from your editing videos I've used on photos that I had taken ages ago to give them a whole other dimension. I think the 1/4 is the best look, I generally go there abouts if I'm shooting falling water but maybe 1-2 secs if it's not got as much movement. Great videos and images, thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences.
Thanks, Paul! Good to hear.
Beautiful shot of that Tree. Btw, I liked the 1/4 shot to 1/10, then I felt it was to "frozen" Great video as always Adam!
Thank you, Leffe!
Hi Adam. I think for the conditions, I prefer the slowest shutter speed. I also think that the technique you've used in the past where a faster shutter speed image is painted into the scene to preserve some of the water flow detail over rocks etc., is very effective. So I guess the answer is, shutter speed depends on the image, existing conditions and the artistic intent of the photographer. The Arbutus image in the first segment is quite awesome. Thanks for sharing!
I like the 1/10 second, iso 800 exposure because although the water appears silky, it also has some texture.
Jami Davis same here. Silky with texture :)
Good idea, I'll have to give that a go, cheers!
I agree that felt best to me for that composition as well. Silky yet dynamic.
I prefered the two longer shutter speeds. I find myself usually shooting in the 1/4 - 1/8 sec range for most of my moving water images. Really loved the pano!! :-)
Cheers, Dale!
1 and 1/4(special) exposure is very very beautiful,Great video Adam,Regards
Another great video! thank you so much for sharing your adventures with us, Adam! have a great weekend!
- iLofoten
Always a pleasure, cheers!
Gorgeous shots Adam! Wow, what a beautiful mood. TOP! :)
Thanks, Andrea!
Great vlog adam, awesome images. If there was a long exposure club i would be a member thats why the one second waterfall was my favourite
Great, thanks for the feedback.
I usually take timed exposures in low light situations rather than with a ND filter. I might take a dozen or more shots starting with a quarter second and increase the time as it gets darker until I'm shooting at 30 seconds. Then I debate on which exposure I prefer. I often find my very first or very last exposure are my favorites. I think it depends on the subject. I like frozen water droplets at high speeds in full light as well. I have a friend who sets his camera on the sand and takes high speed photos of the incoming waves at high f-stops and the fingers of foam are perfectly focused and frozen in time. He enlarges to huge prints and they are crowd stoppers. Being on a coastal island I'm hoping to see more from you at the ocean. However, I really dig your forest photography. I live in a forest and I'm finding great inspiration in your videos. Thanks, Adam!
I like silky water when there are competing elements (as in a woodland) in an image; it also provides contrast and, in the images in this video, contributes to the contemplative mood of the image. So my vote is for the one-second exposure. (However, if a storm is raging, I tend to use a faster shutter speed to highlight the power of the water and energetic mood of the photo.)
Seems to be a universal consensus, cheers!
Adam, Great stuff, interesting concept on voting, keep up the great work.... all that follows (simply put) adds nothing to this statement.
At 3,056 views the # votes are favoring the 1 second exposure. To me, that 1 second exposure gives a feel of time and also a bit of abstract pictorialism. It helps to draw an emotional response and transcend the reality of the falling water and introduce the photographer's interpretation of the scene. While the effect on the falling water is great, the longer shutter speed has an effect of the water movement in the pool reducing the splash of the water, the ripples are also smoothed over and any leaves caught in a whirlpool will cause circular patterns on the surface of the water.
I tend to go one way or the other.... Freeze the water motion and catch drops of water splashing in the air or, Use long exposures to get the milky effect . Half way between says to the viewer "I saw this waterfall and took a picture", not " here is now I see this waterfall".
It might be interesting to take two exposures of a waterfall, ocean wave etc... and blend the long and short exposures to get the best of both?
Thanks, Jim! The blending option has been mentioned here a few times, it is a very effective method for sure, the best of both worlds. Thanks for your input.
As always nice compositions Adam... I'm a fan of slower shutter speeds on the water falls...
Kinsol Trestle is near Shawnigan lake and Koksilah River Provincial Park too...
Thanks for sharing....
Cheers! I've checked both out, worth some exploration for sure.
I am rewatching your videos, Adam, and sometimes I can't believe what kind of music I'm listening to. :D Anyway, great job with pictures and commentary. Love your work
I preferred the 10 second exposure because of the texture that remained in the water. I also liked the last shot because of the implied diagonal that started with the fallen tree on the upper right and continued with the stream into the left bottom corner. Well seen! I envy your lush surroundings, here in the southwest it is bone dry and all the plants are having a hard time. It hasn't rained for what seems like months.
OOPs, I just realized this video is three years old, oh well I'm late to the party as usual...
1/4 of a second looks perfect for me 👍🏻
Thanks for the great vlogs each week. Living in the Tacoma are, I can relate to the weather and flora of your posts. I prefer the 1/10th second speed to show some of the silky look, but still have a bit of the real water look to the waterfalls. Thank you for your posts and keep up the emphasis on lighting and environmental effects on the photos.
Great! Thanks for the feedback and input, John!
I think the shots at 1/4 and 1/10 were both really good. They smoothed the water without losing all detail. The 1 second exposure was beautiful but this presentation of water is quite common. I didn't like the 1/30 exposure at all. Another thing to consider is the background and surrounding area when deciding how to best make moving water stand out, in ways other than color, against everything going on around the water. I would use a longer shutter speed if the surroundings are busy with lots of trees and brush or is very colorful. I'd use a faster shutter if I'm shooting water that's, for example, flowing on smooth concrete (a dam or storm drain) or smooth rocks or a more monochramatic or contrast-free background.
Great! thanks for the feedback and your personal experiences while shooting water movement, much appreciated.
I liked the longer shutter speeds for this water. That last shot you showed us (pano?) was incredible. Thanks as always....rich
Great, thanks, Rich!
Really nice Video man!! Looking forward to following!
Hey Dan, thanks for leaving a comment and the note on FaceBook about the podcast, much appreciated. Keep up the great RUclips channel, well worth it. Cheers!
I definitely like the longer exposures the best. Here in Utah, the drier climate doesn't promote the moss covering that you seem to get there. It is beautiful.
Can't disagree with you there, although Utah has some fantastic wilderness areas that surely make up for the lack of moss.
1/4 second for me on the waterfall, the faster shutter 1/30 seemed to lose the ethereal look that suited the mossy location and moody edit. Btw your editing of forest/waterfall images is sublime
Thanks, Jason! Yeah I wasn't keen on the 1/30 th sec
Have to say the 1/30th sec looked good. I love the atmosphere of your shots, just brilliant
I am a silky water fan, love the ethereal look.
Great shots! Love the pano.
Thanks, Bill!
Nice images Adam. I find (speaking for myself only) that I prefer the longer, " silkier", shutter speeds on small rivulets and creeks, and shutter speeds between 1/4 and 1 second on larger, faster moving water. In the end, it's completely up to the person pressing the shutter...
For sure, all come down to personal preference. It's interesting to read all of the comments, thanks for your input.
Only silky water! :)
Love water in motion. Bracketing is KEY! Thx Adam 🍻
Cheers, Richard!
Panoramas and long exposures, my two favourite things! Definitely loving the 1 sec exposure photo compared to the other ones. I also liked very much your time lapse of the waterfall. It was very nicely framed and the motion made it even better.
Thank you, Marieta!
I prefer silkier, although it is great to retain some texture in the falling water. In this case I liked you 1 second shot, but normally would probably be leaning more towards 1/4 - 1/6 of a second. Great video as usual.
Thank you, Colin!
Great video as always Adam. One thing you also could try that could be the happy medium and something that all can appreciate is trying to blend different shutter speeds together and thus create a textured silky smooth waterfall. The base will then be the silky smooth exposure and on top, you have a less smooth exposure. Here you can fiddle around with what speeds suits the waterfall. You also can get a smooth pool of water while keeping texture in the fall itself.
Good point and it is something that I've done in the past, perhaps I can cover that technique in a future video. Thanks, Andreas!
Great video, Adam! I watch all you videos. Here’s a little tip for you from a Swedish guy how lived in your area for a few years in the nineties; try to get to the western side of Mt Tuam on Salt Spring Island (right below the bluffs at the Buddhist retreat center) for some amazing Arbutus forests! You will find some interesting Gary Oaks there too. Thanks!
Thanks for the location tip Thomas, I'll have to check it out.
I hope you’ll find the trip over to Salt Spring worthwhile and rewarding, Adam! I would love to see the result from that trip in a future vlog of yours. I have such wonderful memories from that island myself. It is with great pleasure I watch your RUclips channel. I love both your gentle approach towards nature in general and your very keen eye for compositions. Your artistic touch in post production transformations your captures into pieces of art. I love your work Adam!
I don’t know if there’s a right or wrong here. It all boils down to the mood you are trying to convey. One end is dreamy and ethereal and the other is dynamic and full of movement. I’ve experimented quite a bit and I like both final results, but for very different reasons. Looking back at my images over time I’ve discovered I will lean one way or the other at different times based on my own mood and the creative phase I happen to be in at the time.
Thanks for your insight and input, much appreciated.
Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. Last time I was there I thought I'd try leaving by continuing on that same road in. Big mistake. Even in late march is was covered in ice and I was skidding all over the place in the truck! Fun times.
I'm back! I've always loved your shot from here Gavin. I guess there isn't much up the road then?
No idea. I spun out and bailed!
Thanks for the video as always! I prefer the quarter second exposure, there's still a little bit of texture in the water but plenty of movement, however the one second exposure looked great too! As many have said already, the Pano looked ace! Thanks again for the great content.
Cheers, Paul!
I think the 1/10th is closest to what we experience in real life, and since I like images to remind me of things I've seen, that's what I like best.
The only one I don't like too much is the one with 1/30 s. And about the others with longer shutter times my wife would complain that they look cheesy... Different tastes, obviously ;-)
Haha, thanks, Marc!
I really like your work, I believe there is a way to have that slow-motion effect but also some brightness in the water in the same time. In the wait to read you.
Thanks, Joel!
I preferred the longer 2 exposures. That pano was spectacular, as are your trick eyeglasses! ;-)
Lol. the best piece of kit that I've purchased this year. Glasses are such a pain.
Good video, I really liked the tree composition. Woodland photography compositions are a real challenge for me. Personally, I like a slow enough shutter speed to show motion, fast enough to retain a bit of detail in the water...each situation is different. Keep up the good work!
Agreed, thanks, Robert!
Lovely job Adam! The soft light in these shots really make the comps pop. The national parks and scenery you have over there are amazing!
Thanks, Tom! we do have some lovely areas that's for sure.
As with all images it all depends! For the images you do in the deep forests with misty light then silky is the way to go. However for larger falls where your trying to capture the power of the water falling then a shutter speed to freeze the motion is the way to go in my humble opinion.
Great points, thanks for your input Bob!
1/4-1/10th for me. Usually settle on 1/6th. I even like waves in the sea on rocks at that speed. kind of adds dreaminess to the image but sharpness too. Great work Adam as usual.
Thanks, David!
Generly prefer a longer shutter speed for waterfalls.
However the water that goes down the creek can also look like thick oil with a very long shutter speed.
Any case great shots and video!
Keep snapping.
Great video of some great locations. It seems a little distracting to my eye if there is too much definition in the water, especially water droplets. The 1 sec exposure seemed perfect. The image had a real ethereal, dreamy feel.
Thanks for sharing another great adventure.
My pleasure, cheers!
What you can see in your mind when taking the photo is amazing , the first image was average looking until you did the edit absolutely amazing 👏👏👏
Cheers, Paul!
I photograph a lot of water; ocean, streams, waterfalls. I feel water speed is dependent on the emotional response you are trying to elect in the image. For the image of your waterfall, I like the longer shutter speeds. Based on the speed of that waterfall, a half to a quarter second seems to fit the image the way you edited it. I recently photographed large waves at 1/1250 of a second to freeze the water drops blowing off the crest of the wave. It seemed to capture the power of the wave best at that speed. A week later I used 1/4 of a second with waves crashing on rocks during sunrise to capture a sense of extended motion and flow. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, it's what you are trying to convey in the image and then how you post process it.
Thanks for your thoughts Gary, very much appreciated.
Great video - I used to love long exposure on water - I still do on minimalist type compositions but for your images I like the 1/4 second exposure! Kudos!!
Thank you, Ginger!
Amazing photographs Adam... You have such a gifted eye. Your signature 'softness' and beautiful lighting make them look like wonderfully detailed paintings... Terrific stuff!
Thank you, Tyler!
Great eye with that first image. Definitely a unique looking tree. The waterfall images look quite enchanting. I will need to check out your post processing video. I’m sure I’ll find it useful, cheers.
Thank you, Diego!
Great pano Adam! I love how dynamic it is! As for the survey, I would say it depends on the message you’re trying to communicate. Silky is always great when the photograph is dreamy. Stop motion is interesting when photographing details in the water. My baseline is usually 1/10 sec to start and then i adjust depending on how fast the water is flowing. I like to keep some texture in the water. Cheers!
For sure, thanks for the input, very much appreciated.
1 sec for the pool. 1/40 for the falling water😁
Hi Adam, I know many photographers like faster shutter speeds on waterfalls. I shot ASA 50 film for many years using long exposure and liked the look that it gave me. I liked your shots from 1 sec. to 10 sec. as long as it had some texture in the water, I don't care when it looks like milk and totally blown out. Happy hunting in your photo adventures 👍
Using film could certainly be a challenge sometimes, cheers, Richard!
This is, I think, a matter of art and how we see the world through our camera. And, well, you did ask. I am a huge fan, by the way, except for those waterfalls. I also think that how we photograph 'water' may vary between the types of movement: waterfalls, rapids and more still open water, like a lake. Flattening a lake to capture a reflection is an almost invisible technique with sometimes spectacular results. Turning a waterfall into running milk is currently in vogue and barely a waterfall escapes this sad fate. This process dramatically changes the actual appearance of the water, removing the notions of raw power, kinetic energy and drama, and the resultant flow reminds one of milk flowing gently from a pitcher. The effect removes the shadows and the sparkle that are key characteristics of moving water. The milk becomes a vast monotone in the image, generally greatly expanding the area of white 'froth' or 'foam' created by the waterfall as seen by the eye. The enlarged highlight in the image captures the eye and does not let it go (as highlights are wont to do) so that the rest of the image is reduced to just a large area of vignetting surrounding the milky blob. All subtlety is abandoned. Hmmm, perhaps you have inadvertantly stumbled onto my pet peeve. By the way, I might also disagree that this is an age-related preference for no other reason than age - it is an easy and inexpensive effect to create using an ND filter and a slow shutter speed, it is recognizably fashionable, and does not require the skill and artistic vision to actually capture the beauty and power of a waterfall. There are perhaps some waterfalls that can be improved by rendering them as milk - when the water is at low-flow and powerless, this treatment can help to 'boost' their presence. PS Having read the comments accumulated so far, I recognize that I am in a very teensy slim miniscule minority.
I did ask and got an ear full, lol. Thanks for your insight and preferences Sharon, very much appreciated. I do think that one of the main reasons photographers are drawn to waterfall is that by dragging the shutter we can create this surreal effect that for the most part is a 'popular' look. I agree that it is popular but I have to say that I personally really enjoy the effect. Agreed it doesn't work with everything but for small cascades such as this, I think it looks way better than the faster shutter speed. Thanks again for your input.
I am always impressed by your careful analysis of the shot, and find your images spectacular. And a quick perusal of your viewers' comments reveals thoughtful opinions. Too many RUclips channels are opportunities for unconsidered and uninformed rants that include personal insults and hyperbole. It is almost a relief to come to your channel where I can happily read the comments and note the diversity of opinions. I love waterfalls but photographing them is frequently an exercise in frustration because I have yet to discover how to consistently capture the light as it is diffracted and refracted through the moving water.
Great vid as always, I loved the panoramic shot at the end. When it comes to making creative decisions you should always shoot to what you like not what other people like - Photography is art. Personally I preferred the 1 sec exposure.
Also I would love to see a vid/tutorial on your long exposure style time lapse that you did of the waterfall, it look very cool :-)
Thanks, Luke! Ah yes the Timelapse, eventually. I'm new to the slider rig that I'm using so at some point I'll make a video. Next video should have more timelapse with the slider.
Adam Gibbs excellent, looking forward to it :-)
Hi Adam - Personally, I like it more silky (we call it the "cotton candy" look) better than stopped motion. And by silky, I mean usually somewhere between 1/8 sec to 1 sec. Once you get down to 1 sec though, you've lost most detail.
However, I've come to rely on a multiple shutter speed system, where I blend two shots, at different shutter speeds, in PS. One shot is very silky (say from 1/4 sec or slower), while the second shot is more stopped motion (anywhere from about 1/15 sec or faster). Once in PS, I can blend them together with just the right amount of precision, so that I have both silkiness, as well as a bit of detail.
Thanks for your input, Michael!
Hello Adam, I studied all of those timed exposures several times. And I have to say the 30th of a second exposure was my (least) favourite. I would continue in your normal style of a 1/4 to 1second for your exposures. More dramatic with more impact. Regards, Allan.
I agree the faster shutter speed didn't work for me at all. Cheers!
Very interesting Adam - I find I prefer the quarter second version for smoothness AND some texture :-)
Agreed
I am keen to see the results of your survey in a few weeks. I always struggle with this question also. I like a balance between soft water and character of the falling water. I usually tend to like 1/5 of a second so the shot at 1/4 in the video gets my vote. I find this even more true on ocean breaking waves. I think some people go to far with long exposures on the ocean and lose the power and character there. Also, I know you are not really keen on doing a lot of processing videos but I learned a lot from the one last week and I really liked the image at 14:45 on this video. Please consider a video on that one if not too difficult to recreate. I liked the soft light falling in from the corner and would be interested in how it was processed.
Philip Culbertson I liked both the 1/4 and 1/10 for the same reasons.
Cheers, Philip! Thanks for your thoughts. I'll consider the pano image for the next post-processing video, thanks for the suggestion.
I never want to limit myself by saying “I ONLY shoot this (whatever) this way. I like options.
Hi Adam. I feel it all depends on what else is included in the frame. If there are quite strong shapes then the silky look gives a good balance. If there is a large proportion of the cascade in the frame then a faster shutter speed for me
Good to hear, James! thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.
Tremendous subject matter here Adam that is sure to provoke a wide variety of responses... The very 1st image was well done btw, as it does appear you did indeed crop the bottom out & went with a 4x5 crop in portrait. I am jumping around a bit, " Helter Skelter " watching your episodes and found this one this morning... My personal preference as a general rule & this small waterfall is a perfect example, would be to catch the " water shapes ", I think the 1/4 sec. @ f/13 did this quite well. I would most definitely have closed my aperture down enough to get a .3, .4 or .5 ( 1/2 sec. ) without going smaller than f/18, f/11 - f/16 being my preference and maintaining ISO 100 as much as possible... However, I also absolutely love those " silky smooth " water movements, that convey an entirely different mood that takes on a magical or mystical look in their own right... I am " Old School " & proud of it, but sometimes it is just plain fun to break out of the mold sometimes.... :-)
Bill Farr... Vermont, USA...
Haha, old school rules! Of course each individual situation different but I do tend to go for the dreamy look. Thanks for your input.