Tip of the month: February 2022: Three tips for better waterfall photos.
It’s been a pretty wet Summer on the East Coast of Australia…
So this could be the perfect time to brush up on your waterfall photography skills. Here are my three simple tips for better waterfall photos.
- PICK THE RIGHT DAY AND MAKE SURE IT’S CLOUDY. When it comes to waterfalls, the weather obviously plays a big part. You want to go after some rain, but if you have just been through a big rain event, give things a few days to settle down. Very heavy rain can stir up the soil and your waterfall might turn brown/yellow for a few days. So wait out those few days and visit when the water is still flowing, but nice and clean. And make sure it’s a cloudy day. A bright sunny day will cause high contrast and reflective glare on wet surfaces. Exposure will be easier and colours will be richer on a cloudy day.
- CARRY A TRIPOD AND EXPERIMENT WITH SHUTTER SPEEDS. Some waterfalls look better at a faster speed to freeze the water. Others can look great with the softer slow-shutter effect. I suggest shooting any waterfall at a few different speeds and then deciding what you like best later.
- USE A CIRCULAR POLARISING (CPL) FILTER. Most people think these are just for blue skies in a landscape, but they can do wonders for a waterfall photo. A polariser will take the gloss off shiny surfaces, including wet rocks and rainforest leaves. The result will be a richer, more colourful and striking photo.
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