Small Creek and Waterfall

[Chesnutphotography]

This small creek and waterfall is very close to my home in Lewisburg, Ohio. I was right on the edge of the creek to capture this photo. I was at this spot to keep that big tree coming into the photo from dominating the photo. I used a ND Filter with the gray day to get this photo.

[Downrigger]

Lovely. I like they way the stream flows into the foreground, and that (I think) you got pretty low to the ground to pull it in that way.

Tell me more about the ND filter - How did it help you get this result, and why did the gray day make it a problem solver?

Mark

[Digital]

Lovely. I like they way the stream flows into the foreground, and that (I think) you got pretty low to the ground to pull it in that way.

Tell me more about the ND filter - How did it help you get this result, and why did the gray day make it a problem solver?

Mark

I maybe incorrect but I think the ND filter changed his exposure by slowing the shutter speed to soften the waterfall. Bruce

[Downrigger]

I maybe incorrect but I think the ND filter changed his exposure by slowing the shutter speed to soften the waterfall. Bruce

Yup, could well be - but why is "gray day", then? On a gray day in the woods, with a low ISO with high f-stop for DOF (as I think used here), I would think you might get to the 1/8th or so you need for the flow effect. So I was wondering if it helps with something like color saturation - but just speculating from ignorance. If spring ever comes I'll be trying some of these on the local streams, so looking for tips.

[splashy]

Beautiful colors and picture.

[Cantab]

Usually I'm not a fan of blurred water but it works very well here. I like the way you captured the feel of a cool winter day. Your photo has inspired me to have a go at a stream not far from home.

[Downrigger]

I'm replying to my own post, to agree with Bruce. This is based on my reading of the CiC tutorial on ND filters, which is in perfect alignment with his comment. Thanks, Bruce, and, nicely used, Donald.

[pnodrog]

Yup, could well be - but why is "gray day", then? On a gray day in the woods, with a low ISO with high f-stop for DOF (as I think used here), I would think you might get to the 1/8th or so you need for the flow effect. So I was wondering if it helps with something like color saturation - but just speculating from ignorance. If spring ever comes I'll be trying some of these on the local streams, so looking for tips.

Flat even lighting provided by cloud cover I find is almost a must for taking photographs in woods, forest or bush. On bright days the strong shafts of light, reflections off leaves and patchy shadow areas makes for a very busy and disjointed photograph. It is hard enough to make some order out of a woodland scene without having to struggle with patchy uneven light.


A nice photo by the way Donald.

[stephencamptonjones]

Donald
Very nice image but it needs to be rotated approx 1.0 deg clockwise. I also darkened to foreground a little. Hope you don't mind me playing around with your image.
You could also crop the image to move the waterfall from the centre of your image.

Stephen

[Chesnutphotography]

Thanks for all the nice comments. The gray day made be aware of keeping the sky out of the photo so that there would be no very bright (gray) areas. I used the ND filter to smooth all the water flowing towards me. Yes I could have used a shutter speed of 1/4 to 1/3 second but that did not smooth out the water as much as I wanted. By using the ND Filter and keeping the sky our of the photo I was able to keep the interest on the flowing water. I'm still trying different things on my photos to see what I like best.