Trying to catch moving water - Shutter priority

Over on Pioneer Woman Assignments this week the topic was water. I realized the photos I had contained water as a secondary element. I had not gone out to try and understand my settings as they related to taking photos of moving water.

I chose not to look up information on this topic first, but to go out and shoot with many settings and see what I liked. Here's how my experience matched "suggested techniques" that I read about later:

Use shutter-priority setting - check.

Use a tripod - check.

Use a telephoto lens - check.

Go in the later afternoon/early evening to avoid sun glare - check.

Use a lower ISO with slow shutter speeds - umm, *cricket* *cricket*

Nope. Well, now I have something to work on next time!



I started by standing on this bridge and shooting over the sides. The lighting was off. BTW, there was a pretty thick canopy of trees over this stream, so I wasn't sure how to adjust for it.


Then I walked further down the trail and focused on the water falling through the tree limbs. Only later when I got home and zoomed in on the water did I see the writing on the tree next to it. I was a good 60-70 feet from this and cannot comprehend how someone got in there to write. Isn't it funny what you find later.


So then I went back closer to the stream and sat on the bottom of these stairs with my tripod.



Ohh, pretty, but boring.



Ohh, prettier, but too dark.


Ohh, I like this one. It's dreamy without being fake.


Now that I have some idea what the adjustments will do to the outcome of the photo, I will try a broader range of shutter speeds. I will try to find a larger water feature with a few more options. I hear there is a brand new walkway and trail on the larger river I cross everyday to work.

Later in the week I will post some of the lovely wild flowers I found as well. I couldn't resist more flowers!

M.E.