by Patrick Lynch
Water is one of my favorite subjects when it comes to nature photography. I probably prefer photographing the ocean most of all – the clearer the water the better. However, waterfalls might be a close second. I get some interesting questions about photographing waterfalls. It’s a subject even seasoned photographers don’t always know how to approach. Encountering waterfalls on a hike is always a treat. Here are some tips that will have you photographing them like a pro…
Find a Safe Approach
It should probably go without saying, but it’s important to use caution. A surprising amount of hikers lose their lives in waterfall-related deaths. Many more are seriously injured – not something any of us want to face while in a remote location. Waterfall photography is not an extreme sport. It’s easy to be lured to a slippery location to get the best shot, but it’s best to take every precaution.
I prefer to head out with friends for nature photography. One is an experienced climber who gets much closer to edges than I care to. I tend to stay back as I know I am not as steady on my feet as I used to be. It’s good to know your own limits.
Know What to Take With You
When it comes to packing equipment, I like to travel light. In most cases, I know I’ll be in for some hiking. A tripod is a must. Lighting equipment isn’t necessary and it’s best to leave any redundant lenses behind. I pack my Fuji GFX50R, my normal 63mm, a 23mm wide and a 100-200mm (because unlike most waterfall photographers I like tight shots). The zoom is a nice portable lens at F5.6. I also carry a few filters for each lens.
I use two tripods: one is a small but sturdy Prima travel tripod and the other is a Tiltall. The Tiltall does not go too low nor do the legs spread way out, but it is an excellent tripod. The smaller Prima tripod collapses nicely and is quite sturdy for the size. A lightweight tripod can be more practical when hiking into the wilds. I don’t obsess over having a super sturdy tripod capable of holding 30 pounds or more when I need to carry it any distance. It will weigh you down and likely end up being unnecessary.
Tripod Tips
Don’t just plunk it down and think you’re ready to shoot. Waterfall environments are often slippery or muddy, where a tripod can slowly sink or slide. Make sure the tripod feet are as stable as possible, then wait a few moments for it to settle in with the weight of the camera on it. If you end up working in wind, this is where a lightweight tripod may fall short. Even so, you can get some shots in between gusts if you’re patient. Otherwise, a light-weight tripod is sufficient for modern cameras without heavy shutters.
Timing Shots for the Best Lighting
I find that soft light is optimal for photography in wooded areas. This is true for waterfalls as well, since they are usually found in the woods. Harsh light on the water, rocks and in the background results in too much contrast. Soft light (found on cloudy days, early morning, or evening) bring attention to the water. If the waterfall is located deep in a canyon or ravine, bright afternoon light may be filtered by a canopy of leaves and your window of ideal lighting will be longer.
Suncalc.net is an excellent resource
to see how the light will play on your waterfall.
Evaluating the Scene
Many photographers think F22 or even F16 are automatically the best apertures for landscape work because they equate great depth-of-field with sharpness. (That is not true in this situation, but we’ll leave that for another discussion.) F8 or F11 may be a good choice. You can shoot on full manual or on an auto mode and use an exposure compensation setting if needed. It can be a bit of experimentation to get your exposure right.
Decide how you’d like the water to look. I typically like anything from 1/4 of a second to 8 minutes. Yes, that is a pretty wide range. How I get there is the fun part. I mentioned I like to bring a few filters for each lens. I have a polarizer that fits each lens and I like to have a choice of neutral density filters. A polarizer filter will typically take out 1.5 to 2 stops of light. So I may need to increase my exposure to 3 or four times what it would be without a filter. In this case, it is an advantage. In my opinion, a polarizer is an absolute must. It will minimize reflection on the water and help to control the tone and contrast in the image. Wet rocks suddenly become visible.
I don’t like to photograph falling water as if it’s frozen. Depicting obvious motion is more appealing.
And sometimes I like it to be cottony soft.
Depending on the light, the polarizer may be light-blocking enough to get me to a shutter speed I like. If not, I may add a 3-stop, 5-stop or 10-stop neutral density filter. Experimenting with filters will allow you to choose what you personally like best. I have a 10-stop for each lens. I also like to have something that is at least half or less than half of that. So a 3-, 4-, or 5-stop is also nice. Notice I said or not and since you’ll want to carry the least amount possible. Often if you take your photograph at F11, F8, or F5.6 it won’t matter much (even if you go to F16 to get to the exposure you prefer). When I am asked how I photograph waterfalls, the fact that I use a polarizer in combination with a neutral density seems to surprise people, but I like the results!
Advanced Tip: Step-up rings allow you to increase the filter size of your smallest diameter lens to that of the largest size filter you need. If your normal lens takes a 56mm filter and your wide angle takes a 62mm filter you can get a 58-62mm step-up ring and put the big filter on the smaller diameter lens. They work great and keep costs down by doing double duty. If you need to shield light from the filter, you can often use your hand. (Just keep it out of the photo!) A big filter will not allow me to use my very nice Fuji lens shades.
Reducing Camera Movement
To take the photo without shaking the camera, either use a cable release or – if possible, use the camera’s self-timer set for a few seconds. This allows you to keep your hand off the camera at the time of shutter release without a corded device. The only situation where you can’t use this method is if you need exposure times exceeded by your cameras shutter speeds. Maybe your camera is limited to a 30-second exposure. So you would need to use a shutter release and the bulb setting or time setting if the camera has it. My GFX will go up to an hour on its own. I have not gotten close to needing it yet.
A Quick Look at the Steps to a Great Waterfall Photo
- Get the tripod stabilized on sturdy ground.
- Arrange the photo composition.
- Set camera to the lowest ISO possible.
- Pick an aperture of F8 – F11 if it gives you a good exposure time.
- Add a polarizing filter (adjusting exposure, if necessary).
- Use the self-timer to reduce camera movement.
- Set a long exposure for dramatic water effects.
- Enjoy your waterfall memories for years to come!
Patrick Lynch spent a few decades as a professional photographer (as a photojournalist for New England newspapers and as a staff photographer for the State of Florida). Now, he creates photos for pleasure, selling stock photography on Alamy and art prints on Fine Art America. Connect with him on Instagram. Patrick is a vintage camera collector, a photo club coordinator, an ignorer of instruction manuals, a voider of warranties and a mud magnet. His curmudgeonly sense of humor always keeps others guessing.
Subscribe to our blog below to get photography,
art, and travel tips sent right to your inbox.
© Patrick Lynch and artofrv.com, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Lynch and artofrv.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
When you buy recommended products through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn a small amount from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support! By buying through our links, you make this website and future how-to articles possible with no additional cost to yourself.
