First attempt at long exposure/smooth water

[Infinite Monkey]

This is my first attempt at shooting with a somewhat longer exposure to smooth out a cascade of water. I tried to use the plant on the left and the log in the upper right as in-focus anchors to hold the image together. I'd like to get critiques and suggestions as to how to improve on my technique and what I might do with this image to improve it.



As always, thanks for any time and thought you bring to this.

Here's some Exif data:

Camera Nikon D80
Exposure 0.3
Aperture f/8.0
Focal Length 135 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash No Flash

[Doug Sundseth]

Very nice subject here.

I like your exposure and your shutter speed quite a bit. The shutter speed is long enough to get a feeling of smooth motion while still keeping an interesting structure to the water. The exposure holds detail in both highlights and shadows*.

The bush on the left provides enough contrast to add interest. The log is too similar in tone and palette and occupies to peripheral a part of the frame to affect the image much.

The one significant problem that I see is that the primary subject is too centered. If you were to move left, right, or up, I think you could get a more interesting shape for the flow of water, and you might be able to get more interest from the log as well.

I wish this were near here. I'd love to try to work the composition for a photo of my own.

* I'm sure none of that is news; it doesn't happen by accident. But I'm pretty sure there are lurkers for whom the thought process might be interesting.

[crockny]

I love the colors in this. I agree with Doug that another angle might work better -- I'm intrigued by the rocks on the left with their moss and wetness -- that holds more interest for me than the log so if possible I would have moved to right right to get more of the left side in ... that whole right side doesn't do much for me. The water is beautiful! I might have liked to see a little more of the water on the bottom ... personally I always have a lot of trouble with waterfalls getting a good composition, so well done!

[Infinite Monkey]

Thanks Doug. You got it exactly right as to what I was trying to do with the shutter speed. I didn't want to smooth out the water so much as to leave little or no definition at all. I also think you're probably right about the log, particularly about the palette. I still do like the idea of having something - anything - in crisp focus to help frame or anchor the water, but the log may not be the right thing to serve that purpose.

I struggled with the issue of the image being too centered. I was at the end of my lens, trying to flatten the image a bit and to use all of the tiers of the cascade in the image. Moving to either left or right lost some of that. But I agree that playing more by the rule of thirds is generally the right thing to do.

I think the single most important thing I learned from taking this shot is that I will never again take my camera on a hike without a tripod. Having one on this hike just made all sorts of things possible that wouldn't have worked otherwise.

[Infinite Monkey]

Thanks crockny. BTW, how do you like that Tamron 18-270? I've read some good reviews recently of their 70-300mm and been thinking about it. I've never worked with a Tamron lens.

[Sweetlifephoto]

I agree that a couple of variations in composition might have yielded some cool results. I think it wold have been interesting to see the top edge of the water as it goes over the fall to give the image more context or some rocks or plant elements in the foreground to anchor the composition in space. But I agree the shutter speed is right on and gives the water a very deep texture. Nice work!

[Infinite Monkey]

Thanks Frank. Good thoughts and stuff to remember. BTW, I just took a look at your site and was totally blown away by some of the stuff you've got there. The emulsion manipulation paintings are incredible. And we share an obvious love of both SF and NO.

[milosh]

Just to add something to everything that others have already said and to answer your second question: I would remove that blue colour cast from the image, it would make the colours pop, especially the greens. They are repressed right now. I did a quick edit, if you want I can take it down.

[Krusty79]

Nice edit, milosh.

Sometimes a polarizer (which everyone should have) can reduce glare off the water and give you more vivid colors, depending on your angle relative to the sun.

In the future, including some foreground rocks can help draw the viewer into the image. Nice shot!

[Infinite Monkey]

Nice edit, Milosh. Thanks. I'm still developing my eye and things like a color cast often escape me. How did you go about achieving that?