First Snow & ND1000

[AdamR]

Just got a ND1000 filter and thought I'd try it out on a nice winter afternoon.
Any C/C on the composition/focus on this image would be greatly appreciated.
D90, 40mm, f/5.6, 30s exposure

For PP I cropped to a 5x7 and removed a tree branch.
Is it too boring? Lacking a strong main subject?

[EOBeav]

Although the water's edge creates a strong leading line around the picture, there's really nothing there for my eyes to lock on to. A tree stump, boat or pier would have added a lot.

[curelightwounds]

Originally Posted by EOBeav

Although the water's edge creates a strong leading line around the picture, there's really nothing there for my eyes to lock on to. A tree stump, boat or pier would have added a lot.

+1

You have a great canvas there in the form of a frozen lake but nothing on there. So it's just bare. The rim brings me around the frame but doesn't take me anywhere.

[hey joni]

Hi

Can you tell me why you used such a wide f stop? I personally operate in the f/16-f/27 area when I use my 10 stop, dependant on the light.

Did you do 30 secs because you don't have a remote? sorry for the assumptions

I think the focus is a little 'fuzzy': maybe because of the f/stop.

i might be wrong, it could just be because it's a JPEG....

[navcom]

I agree that it's pretty boring. No real identifiable main subject. A shoreline itself doesn't make for a good subject without something interesting to draw your attention. It's best use is to lead in/around as already stated and make sure it supports a main subject.

I also agree that f/5.6 is pretty wide for landscapes. You have a fairly narrow depth of field which will inevitably leave parts out of focus. But I would caution against using f/16-27..especially close to f/27...as diffraction will be an issue which can also soften your image. Most landscapes work well with something between f/8 and f/13 and do not require anything smaller than about f/16. You need a really good reason to go smaller and it should be due to DOF, not shutter speed.

Hey-joni...not quire sure why you would use such as small aperture with an ND. The only reason I can think of is to get a really slow shutter speed (correct me if I'm wrong). I would recommend against using your aperture as a tool to slow down your shutter. It's main purpose in landscapes is DOF. Set your aperture at what you need for your DOF and use ND filters to arrive at a shutter speed that gets your effect. If you can't do it with only one filter, stack more filters.

Hope that helps!

[AdamR]

Thank you all for the feedback.
Joni, you called it. My remote battery had died, so the 30s exposure was the longest I could go!
I had a feeling that there wasn't a strong subject.

One general question though: Had there been a boat in the water (for example) how would one try and capture that with such a long exposure? Do you have to take two images one without the filter to eliminate motion blur for the subject and another with the filter to smooth out the water?

Or, is it better to pick a subject that won't move in the water, like rocks?

This was my first time out with the ND1000 and I have to say, I was pretty pleased with the results but any other advice on how to enhance these types of pictures would be greatly appreciated.

[hey joni]

Originally Posted by navcom

I also agree that f/5.6 is pretty wide for landscapes. You have a fairly narrow depth of field which will inevitably leave parts out of focus. But I would caution against using f/16-27..especially close to f/27...as diffraction will be an issue which can also soften your image. Most landscapes work well with something between f/8 and f/13 and do not require anything smaller than about f/16. You need a really good reason to go smaller and it should be due to DOF, not shutter speed.

Hey-joni...not quire sure why you would use such as small aperture with an ND. The only reason I can think of is to get a really slow shutter speed (correct me if I'm wrong). I would recommend against using your aperture as a tool to slow down your shutter. It's main purpose in landscapes is DOF. Set your aperture at what you need for your DOF and use ND filters to arrive at a shutter speed that gets your effect. If you can't do it with only one filter, stack more filters.

I use F/22 as standard as I shoot mainly seascapes. Foreground to background (which can be miles and miles aways) needs a deep DOF.

F/22 with a 10 stop during bright conditions give me a decent shutter speed and full DOF, which is exactly what i'm after.

I must say i've never had any problem with diffraction at all, not one shot has had this issue due to the choice of f/stop. I don't know why!

As for stacking filters, this has its own issues, namely reflection, colour cast and the potential for Moiré patterns. The more you stack, the more the chances are some image problems such as marks and reflections. I have many different filters for many different occasions, from 1 stop to 10 stop and this is my preferred method.

Each to their own tho!

AdamR: i hate it when my remote goes, i rely on it all the time. These things happen tho and you need to do what you need to do to keep shooting.

With rocks in the shot you would not need to mix any images at all (as you no doubt know) because they are stationary.

People will approach this differently, but I would mix 2 shots, one fast, one slow if there was a moving subject like a boat but you still wanted the long exposure look. Just make sure the exposures are comparable in terms of light and you sould be ok with some careful cloning/masking.

One last tip you may find you need as your exposure times creep up: put a bit of tape around the viewfinder to stop light going in that way too. this reduces hotspots.

Also, a shade can be useful if there is glare on your filter.

I love my 10 stop, glad you are enjoying the challenges it brings. Keep posting.

[navcom]

Originally Posted by hey joni

I use F/22 as standard as I shoot mainly seascapes. Foreground to background (which can be miles and miles aways) needs a deep DOF.

F/22 with a 10 stop during bright conditions give me a decent shutter speed and full DOF, which is exactly what i'm after.

I must say i've never had any problem with diffraction at all, not one shot has had this issue due to the choice of f/stop. I don't know why!

As for stacking filters, this has its own issues, namely reflection, colour cast and the potential for Moiré patterns. The more you stack, the more the chances are some image problems such as marks and reflections. I have many different filters for many different occasions, from 1 stop to 10 stop and this is my preferred method.

I'm almost 100% sunrise/sunset/water landscape imagery. Diffraction is lens-specific. I have a lens that I can go to f/22 without much notice but another newer lens that starts about f/16 depending on the scene/DR, etc. Diffraction is most noticeable on enlargements and I can't take chances with my clients who could want images over 30" wide.

You are right on potential side effects from stacking but it's also dependent on the scene, light intensity, etc. I avoid most of this by using a variable ND which is fantastic!

[hey joni]

Originally Posted by navcom

I'm almost 100% sunrise/sunset/water landscape imagery. Diffraction is lens-specific. I have a lens that I can go to f/22 without much notice but another newer lens that starts about f/16 depending on the scene/DR, etc. Diffraction is most noticeable on enlargements and I can't take chances with my clients who could want images over 30" wide.

You are right on potential side effects from stacking but it's also dependent on the scene, light intensity, etc. I avoid most of this by using a variable ND which is fantastic!

Ah, if it's lens dependent, that explains why I haven't noticed it.

Having said that, i've never seen my pictures as big as 30", although i'd like to

Your second point is also true, but I just prefer to play safe and only have an ND and GND on.

I can't risk anything going wrong!