The Stream

[Stagecoach]

The below are a collection of my favourites from an attempt this past weekend to find some running water and rocks with the hope of some background scenery as well. I failed on getting anything with decent scenery included but at least I have an excuse to spend more time searching along this route into the mountains.

All taken with the old 28-105mm Nikon I'm playing with trying to come to a decision if the edge sharpness is acceptable to me.

Weather conditions were perfect late afternoon with cloud and a couple of hours with no company other than some friendly cows. I had not particularly aimed for any specific water smoothing it's just how they turned out with the exposures.

No 1 - 1/3s, f/11, 35mm


No 2 - 1.3s, f/22, 28mm


No 3 - 3s, f/22, 105mm


Comments and suggestions welcome as always

Grahame

[Kodiak]

No 3 - 3s, f/22, 105mm


Comments and suggestions welcome as always

Hey Grahame,

at ƒ22, DoF should be ok if PoF is placed correctly… here, no problem.
This #3 id my fav of the three, I am wondering…

Did you try to shoot the scene at other times?
…just to see your results at say 1,5 and 2 or even 4 seconds?

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Rebel]

Nice few shots there, the last one is by far my favourite.

[NorthernFocus]

Looks like a nice location, Grahame. For small water scenes like this my own taste leans to long shutter times. So, like others the third is my favorite for that reason. The other two have better textures and colors in them. In all three cases the images would potentially be much improved by using a polarizer(or if you had one fitted by adjusting it better). Reducing the reflections would really make the colors pop.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Grahame #1 and #2 seem oversharpened to me, but nice colors. I like the composition, exposure and colors very much in #3.

[Stagecoach]

Hey Grahame,

at ƒ22, DoF should be ok if PoF is placed correctly… here, no problem.
This #3 id my fav of the three, I am wondering…

Did you try to shoot the scene at other times?
…just to see your results at say 1,5 and 2 or even 4 seconds?

Hi Kodiak,

For this exercise I had taken just about every shot at three apertures, f/6.3, f/11 & f/22 specifically for the purpose of assessing sharpness of this lens and other than the expected loss of DoF opened up I'm coming to the conclusion that best performance is closer to f/22 which for my purposes at present is great.

I did not attempt any 'longer' exposure shots deliberately this time but I will certainly be re-visiting this location again very soon once I have armed myself with a small plastic tool box that I can keep my filters, lens hood etc in to cure my present greatest photographic challenge, where to put bits and pieces

[Stagecoach]

Nice few shots there, the last one is by far my favourite.

Pleased you like them Matt, No 3 is one that I consider is worth exploring more.

[Stagecoach]

Looks like a nice location, Grahame. For small water scenes like this my own taste leans to long shutter times. So, like others the third is my favorite for that reason. The other two have better textures and colors in them. In all three cases the images would potentially be much improved by using a polarizer(or if you had one fitted by adjusting it better). Reducing the reflections would really make the colors pop.

It's a new location for me Dan and also my first attempt at these type of scenes so there will be more visits.

I will try longer exposures on my next visit and apart from the 'silkier' water aspect I suspect that it will also separate the water further from the rocks which may enhance the scene.

For some earlier shots I took I had used the polariser (not on these) for the specific reason of removing reflection but they were failures because the rocks were more like stones, too few and the images just did not work. The conclusion I'm coming to is that you need decent sized rocks/stones and at least a part of them without running water over or wet for best results.

With these examples I have not boosted the colours and need to experiment more with PP of this type of subject.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Grahame #1 and #2 seem oversharpened to me, but nice colors. I like the composition, exposure and colors very much in #3.

Hi Binnur,

The sharpening procedure used is exactly the same with all three images and I did that for the purpose of assessing this lens.

I also did it globally which I do not consider is the way to go with these subjects and suspect water, wet rock and dry rock will need different amounts, the green slime especially with these along with the wet rock gives an unwanted appearance of over-sharpening.

No 3 is actually a great view but if you take in the area above it which has a beautiful pool you get some concrete and steel reinforcing bar right where you do not want it. It's a man made dam I assume having been built for the purpose of a drinking place for the cows in the area.

[FootLoose]

I like the 3rd too, Grahame. Simple shapes, stronger contrasts.

[Stagecoach]

I like the 3rd too, Grahame. Simple shapes, stronger contrasts.

Thank you, it's seems as if the No 3 style is in the lead Greg.

[ShaneS]

I'm also in the #3 camp Grahame and the area certainly has potential. It's too bad about the concrete and steel reinforcing bar as it would be nice to see a bit more of the rocks at the top in #3.

I will look forward to seeing the results of your further explorations of the area.

[Stagecoach]

I'm also in the #3 camp Grahame and the area certainly has potential. It's too bad about the concrete and steel reinforcing bar as it would be nice to see a bit more of the rocks at the top in #3.

I will look forward to seeing the results of your further explorations of the area.

I'm also in the #3 camp Grahame and the area certainly has potential. It's too bad about the concrete and steel reinforcing bar as it would be nice to see a bit more of the rocks at the top in #3.

I will look forward to seeing the results of your further explorations of the area.

Hi Shane,

It looks like my goal is going to be the No 3 style then I'll trek deeper along the route to see what I can find.

Here's the view that's ruined by concrete, well hidden away from the track but certainly frequented by cows.



Grahame

[IzzieK]

I like this last one better, Grahame with the inclusion of the top water...very pleasing to the eyes ... nice place to explore. Did you get a shot of the cows too? Just curious...

[ST1]

Grahame I liked the third one until I saw the last image in which you have included the pool area and that IMO is the much stronger image of the four, well done.

[Stagecoach]

I like this last one better, Grahame with the inclusion of the top water...very pleasing to the eyes ... nice place to explore. Did you get a shot of the cows too? Just curious...

Hi Izzie,

Oh Izzie, it's got a great pile of concrete in the middle of the two large rocks

I did have a chat to a few of the cows to save me getting lonely but no pictures, next time just for you

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Grahame I liked the third one until I saw the last image in which you have included the pool area and that IMO is the much stronger image of the four, well done.

I agree it is a stronger image Peter and if it was not for that concrete there would be some good angles to attack it to include the pool I'm sure.

[IzzieK]

But...but ...but ...you did not get the concrete on your shot...so it makes it better. Was this shot before or after your flash incident? Just curious...ignore me...I am just picking on you ... for talking to the cows! Indeed!

[wtlwdwgn]

I also like the last image best. The 3rd image is quite fine but I don't care for the overexposure where the falling water hits the lower pool to the left. I find this is common in 'silky' waterfall shots and I'm not sure how I'd do it differently except to just take lots of images with different exposure settings.