Ever wondered how they got those photos of waterfalls and running jungle streams to have that astonishing "smooth" water effect? Well wonder no more - the answer is that the photographer has used a neutral density filter. These filters come in a variety of types, from the, for example 2-9 stop variable neutral density filter - which are adjustable from two stops darker, right through to nine stops darker, to the Cokin type square filters that attach via a frame on the front of the lens. In fact, depending on where you are photographing, a polariser can even be used to shut that annoying light out of your lens!
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| Variable ND Filter |
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| Cokin filters and frame |
In order to get the "soft" water look in your photo, the lens must be opened for what would be considered a long time in order for the water to "move". Of course, doing this in daylight would result in a very over exposed and primarily white image. The trick is to darken up the image, by filtering the light entering the lens, therefore allowing the lens to remain open longer. We are only talking 1 to 5 seconds here, and setting your camera to aperture priority makes life a tad easier, as you only have to adjust your shutter speed.
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| Slow shutter speed |
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| 5 secs - Neutral Density Filter |
If you don't have a variable neutral density filter - using a combination of both a polariser and a Cokin filter will give you similar results. Of course photographing a stream or waterfall in a darkish location (like a rain forest) will certainly help filter out harsh sunlight and give you a nice result. Remember, that a lot of this type of photography is practice - trial and error for want of a better expression.!
PBC
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