[PhotoNewt]

Hello, examined your photographs are here are a few of my thoughts:

1. Your photos look underexposed to me; my guess is you tried to dial some compensation for the bright light to help decrease the exposure speed which leads to point #2.

2. Your EXIF suggest you took this photos around mid-day, at this time of the day the light is just too bright and too harsh for any serious attempt at landscape photography. Even at the smallest aperture correct exposure will call for a shutter speed of about 1/500 - with the addition of a polarizer this figure will come down to only about 1/125 which is unlikely to give you the smooth water effect you are looking for.

3. The best times for this type of work is near sunrise or sunset (about 30 minutes before and after are the best). At these times the intensity of light is such that will allow the use of slower shutter speeds more approprate for the effect you want. Also the light will be warmer giving better and richer colors to the scene.

4. In regards to aperture settings, depends on the DoF needed for the scene - you will need a lot more DoF when shooting a beach scene for example than a waterfall. The reason is the latter is located on a defined plane, where the beach scene extends to infinity. For a waterfall I would choose f/8 to f/16 on my camera, for a beach scene more likely f/22. I would not use f/32 (when available) do to significant diffraction - if you have a full framed sensor, like many pros do, f/32 is more usable but most professional photographers I have met over the years usually limit to f/22.

5. In your camera, I would feel OK with an aperture of f/5.6 as you selected before, the DoF obtained is good for the subject. You need to remember that as you decrease the aperture your DoF will increase but also the potential for significant diffraction.

6. Using a polarizer filter will certainly help. Since your diagram has no reference to sun position is difficult to provide specific information. The polarizer effect will be maximum when the sun is at 90-degrees to the direction the lens is pointing at; during sunrise or sunset it will be more effective for side lit scenes. The main advantages a polarizing filter will provide include: more saturated colors on the sky and the vegetation, reduction in water reflections if any present, will decrease the intensity of light by 2-stops allowing to use lower shutter speeds at the same aperture. This last one can allow you (along with lesser light intensity during sunrise or sunset hours) to use shutter around 1-2 seconds for optimal water blurring.

7. In regards to composition, photo #2 has the greatest potential. If you could find a location at the base of the waterfall the photo will be more effective in conveing a sense of majesty to this natural scene. I would advise if possible going there without a camera during the day and walk around, look at multiple angles, scout possible locations you can reach with your gear so you can be prepared when is time to take the shot. Also if shooting from the base, a vertical orientation may help isolate the waterfall and reduce the clutter. Finally, don't be afraid to use a telephoto setting if needed to help achive the "look" you want.

Hope this helps you on your next attempt.