[gump]

This is the first attempt playing with a composite shot(5) in lieu of using ND filter as suggested by Yvon Bourgue. It was hand-held above my head. K-70 w/18-55 DA L kit lens. The single shot F 4.5 1/125 640 ISO.The composite F18 1/20 400 ISO. Both were shot on the auto setting. (One step at a time for a beginer.) I do not know if I am fond of the smooth water effect but all the advice books seem to think it is great.

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[BigDave]

To smooth the water, get the shutter speed down to 1/4 to 1/2 second. You are 1/20th and the water is still not as smooth as you may have wanted. If it is a bright day you need to use ND filters. If you are close to optimum exposure without ND filters, a polarizer will cut a stop of light off.

Regards,

[gump]

To smooth the water, get the shutter speed down to 1/4 to 1/2 second. You are 1/20th and the water is still not as smooth as you may have wanted. If it is a bright day you need to use ND filters. If you are close to optimum exposure without ND filters, a polarizer will cut a stop of light off.

Regards,

Thanks BD. As for brightness I was in a fairly dense forest. As I was packing my wife said, "The sun just hit the falls." So with juggling all the variables available with the camera, nature throws in one more. Of course that changed before I could think about using a polarize filter. Well, it is about the journey not the destination, or so THEY say.

[rogerstg]

I do not know if I am fond of the smooth water effect but all the advice books seem to think it is great.

I've found that close composite shots look blurry (not smooth) if the shutter speed is too short. I think that's the issue in your shot. Basically it's five 1/20th second shots; 5/20 (1/4) second exposure. If you dropped the ISO to 100, you could have shot it at ~1/4 sec. Total shutter time would be 1.25 sec and probably would have smoothed the water.

[UncleVanya]

To smooth the water, get the shutter speed down to 1/4 to 1/2 second. You are 1/20th and the water is still not as smooth as you may have wanted. If it is a bright day you need to use ND filters. If you are close to optimum exposure without ND filters, a polarizer will cut a stop of light off.

Regards,

But you can also combine a lot of shots using interval timer and a tripod and get a similar effect. It isn't required that you shoot with long exposure if you use the averaging method in camera. It can be quite interesting. I have been thinking about using the method more myself.

[gump]

But you can also combine a lot of shots using interval timer and a tripod and get a similar effect. It isn't required that you shoot with long exposure if you use the averaging method in camera. It can be quite interesting. I have been thinking about using the method more myself.

A tripod was not an option for this angle and the situation would have made a tripod shot rather mundane. I shot with live view holding the camera as high as possible. I am somewhat surprised at the results. In one shot the log in the foreground was two. Frankly, I am not all that fond of the white smooth water effect that
seems to be the "professional" goal. My preference is a natural (as seen) image. This came close. Yes, it was by chance/dumb luck. Also,unrelated, The swivel monitor is a feature that was unimportant to me when choosing a DSLR. I never used it with my point and shoot. Now I cannot understand how I lived without it.

[WildPortraits]

It's fun to explore new techniques. And sometimes by doing what people say is impossible you can get some very unique looks. I switched to a swivel monitor many years ago, and have never looked back. It allows so much more freedom and ease in shooting.

[TheCousinDan]

To smooth the water, get the shutter speed down to 1/4 to 1/2 second. You are 1/20th and the water is still not as smooth as you may have wanted. If it is a bright day you need to use ND filters. If you are close to optimum exposure without ND filters, a polarizer will cut a stop of light off.

Regards,

Good advice. For this kind of thing you sometimes need to stretch the outside parameters of the camera.

[Kaladran]

But you can also combine a lot of shots using interval timer and a tripod and get a similar effect. It isn't required that you shoot with long exposure if you use the averaging method in camera. It can be quite interesting. I have been thinking about using the method more myself.

This is actually the first time I've heard of doing this, I may need to go do some tests to see how it works.