The Outsider – Photography In Algoma

The Outsider – Photography In Algoma is a blog series providing tips and techniques to improve your photography. In this blog, we learn about photographing moving water.

As the snow begins to melt and the creeks and rivers start to flow over Algoma Country’s rugged topography, the wise photographer looks for moving water.

Photo credit: James Smedley Outdoors

Whether it’s tiny rivulets, thundering falls or even the lapping of waves on the lake shore, the movement of water can be used to create intriguing images.

Shutter Speed And Photographing Moving Water

Shutter speed is the prime variable that controls how moving water will look. We have a choice of freezing the action with a fast shutter speed, blurring movement with a slow shutter speed or using a shutter speed somewhere in the middle for less pronounced blur.

For instance, the image of water flowing into a water bottle is frozen with a 1/750 of a second exposure. At the other extreme, the image of water wrapping around mossy rocks was shot with a 2-second exposure giving the water a blurred and silky look.

Photo credit: James Smedley Outdoors

Somewhere in the middle is the waterfall image, shot with a 1/5 second exposure which gives enough blur to hint at movement. But still leaves some sharpness to the long tendrils of flowing water.

The effect of shutter speed on moving water is a fascinating aspect of photography.

The Outsider – Photography In Algoma Series

• Tips For Macro Photography
• Breaking Some Photography Rules
• Making A Group Of Seven Connection
• Capturing Winter Scenes
• Dog Photography
• Foul Weather Photography

Read More Photography Blogs From James

• The Allure of Fall Photography
• The Allure of Moving Water

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