creating smooth waterfall effect

[cmhbob]

480sparky, what's the info on that tripod? I'm working on my wish list at Amazon

 

[480sparky]

480sparky, what's the info on that tripod? I'm working on my wish list at Amazon

Manfrotto 055XB. The head is an 840RC2, but I use a 410 now.

 

[Steve5D]

I propped my 5D up against a tree to get this shot. I think the exposure time was a half second:

 

[RootBeerTuna]

If you're looking for a good tripod/head combo for relatively cheap, I recommend the Manfrotto 190XB with Manfrotto 804RC2 head, here's the link to the exact one I just purchased from Amazon Canada http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000NOGR0A/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had been using a Dolica Proline something or other for the last 8 months or so, but finally decided to take everyones advice that I've ever seen on the internet, and that is to invest in a good tripod. Sure, this one may not be top of the line from Manfrotto, but it is significantly better than my last tripod, and I feel that it'll last me a few years before I need or want to upgrade again. I love these legs because you can get right down to the ground, and if you remove the head from the center column, you can get down as low as about 6 or 7 inches, which is great for me as I love shooting Macro.

But to stay on topic for waterfalls, I shot this photo


IMG_00015793a | Flickr - Photo Sharing! at 299 seconds f22, which I know now is overkill, using a fader ND filter and a tripod with remote release. But, I've shot a few others as well since this one, and usually used between 2 to 5 seconds, with my aperture stopped way down, and gotten great results. You NEED a tripod though! Can't stress that one enough. So definitely invest in a good tripod, and the one I posted above is awesome, and I love the pan/tilt head!

 

[lambertpix]

480sparky, what's the info on that tripod? I'm working on my wish list at Amazon

Manfrotto 055XB. The head is an 840RC2, but I use a 410 now.

I've been using a Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 for about a year now, and I love it -- especially the horizontal arm. Glad I'm not the only one who shoots "tripod porn" shots. ;-)

 

[Big Mike]

I was really intrigued by the horizontal arm option on the Manfrotto (and others, I think) models. But I just can't get over the fact that it's a really unstable way to mount a camera. I mean, when you put a weight out on the end of a cantilevered beam, any vibrations at all are magnified into camera movement. Mirror slap would be a problem, but we have MLU and live view to help with that. But I'd guess that even shutter slap would cause a little bit of movement when the camera is out on the arm like that.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid. But I occasionally spend some time reading what some 'high end tripod' gear heads have to say, and many of them won't even use a centre column at all (even right above the tripod), because of the loss of stability (and thus potential loss of sharpness).

Anyway, to the topic at hand. I will typically use a polarizer stacked with an ND filter, which allows for slower shutter speed. I really don't like stopping down below F16 because that will also hurt the sharpness of your image.

Some more of mine can be seen here Waterfalls ~ Mike Hodson Photography

 

[480sparky]

.... Glad I'm not the only one who shoots "tripod porn" shots. ;-)

 

[Big Mike]

Tripod porn.....

 

[480sparky]

Tripod porn.... gone bad: Click here.

 

[Tailgunner]

I picked up a tripod, but its legs are not flexible, .........

Then you bought the cheapest tripod you could find. A good tripod is an investment, not an evil expense. Spend the money on a good, versatile one and it will last you for years if not decades.

Agreed!

I tried skimping on a tripod and paid the price with blurry and out of focus photos. So I picked up a Motofeet 055xb and a [FONT=verdana, tahoma, arial, sans-serif]Bogen/Manfrotto 486rc2 ball head. I can kick my self in the butt for not doing this sooner! I have come to the conclusion about Photography, we really need to buy the best equipment you can afford instead of buying cheap. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana, tahoma, arial, sans-serif]As for the OP's question, you can practice this shot using your kitchen or bathroom sink/shower. You will probably need a ND filter this way but you can try without it first. [/FONT]

 

[JoeW]

First, to the OP, shooting waterfalls (or running water) to get that blur involves a combination of factors: a longer exposure (I've shot anywhere from 1/3rd of a second to 4 seconds on a beach), a stable platform, and possibly some sort of NDF to help you avoid over exposure. If you're shooting in good light, you'll probably need to shoot at something like f11 or even f22 aperture to avoid overexposure and probably use a neutral density filter. When I said a stable platform, it could mean a good tripod. Or a beanbag. Or your camera bungeed to a tree trunk. Or a clamp that your camera screws in to that clamps to a fence or the side of your car. But the key is that it's got to be rock-solid stable.

Second, as to tripods: there are lots of ways to skimp or save money on photography. You can buy used bodies. You can rent equipment. You can buy off-brand lenses. You can buy Chinese speed lights. But it makes no sense to buy a tripod on the basis of price. Yeah, you can consider it an investment. But the simpler explanation is this: the primary purpose of a tripod is to provide a stable shooting platform for your camera. If it isn't rock-solid stable, than it's junk regardless of what you paid for it. Most of what you're talking about shooting is going to involve a hike (at least from the parking lot and maybe 3-4 hours in to the wilderness). Which means you've got to carry the darn tripod with you. And if it isn't providing the stability you need, then it's no more than an expensive walking stick. Put a 200mm zoom on a DSLR and attach it to a $50 tripod and that sucker will wobble (even if there isn't a wind). It is better to blow $200-$300 to get a tripod that will be solid and is made of carbon or composite materials so you can carry it for half a day and not break your back than it is to buy something on the basis of price and discover you get motion blur b/c the tripod ain't stable.

 

[Tony S]

A rock solid tripod and long shutter speeds..... then experiment with the shutter speeds to get results you like.

 

[cwcaesar]

Wow, I think I spent upwards of $1500 on my Tripod and Ball Head from Really Right Stuff. All the advice I read was that it is better to spend it now up front, or you will spend years and many dollars more later (not to mention the frustration of missed shots) experimenting and upgrading tripods. Do you need to drop this kind of coin on a Tripod? Certainly not. But I do LOVE my tripod. It is one of only 2 pieces of gear that I can't see myself replacing eventually (the other being my 85mm f/1.8). I wanted to get a tripod that I could grow into. I imagined the largest lens that I could ever conceivably own ant then bought the tripod to match that. I doubt that I would ever own anything bigger than the 300mm f/2.8, so I used that as my baseline to begin shopping.

As for ND Filters, I plan to acquire the Lee ND Filters. They come in large enough sizes to accommodate any lens that I would own, and they have a really nice system for attaching to the lens. I don't plan on using the circular stuff. The Lee System is the best way to go in my opinion. With circular grads, you can't adjust where the graduation falls in regards to the center line of the lens. You can adjust this using 'The System'. Plus, you get the ability to stack filters using this system.

Good luck in your quest on getting the milky water effects that you seek!

 

[JoeW]

Wow, I think I spent upwards of $1500 on my Tripod and Ball Head from Really Right Stuff. All the advice I read was that it is better to spend it now up front, or you will spend years and many dollars more later (not to mention the frustration of missed shots) experimenting and upgrading tripods. Do you need to drop this kind of coin on a Tripod? Certainly not. But I do LOVE my tripod. It is one of only 2 pieces of gear that I can't see myself replacing eventually (the other being my 85mm f/1.8). I wanted to get a tripod that I could grow into. I imagined the largest lens that I could ever conceivably own ant then bought the tripod to match that. I doubt that I would ever own anything bigger than the 300mm f/2.8, so I used that as my baseline to begin shopping.

As for ND Filters, I plan to acquire the Lee ND Filters. They come in large enough sizes to accommodate any lens that I would own, and they have a really nice system for attaching to the lens. I don't plan on using the circular stuff. The Lee System is the best way to go in my opinion. With circular grads, you can't adjust where the graduation falls in regards to the center line of the lens. You can adjust this using 'The System'. Plus, you get the ability to stack filters using this system.

Good luck in your quest on getting the milky water effects that you seek!

Actually, if I had very specific needs (like I was the long lost son of Galen Rowell, did 20 mile hikes in the wilderness to get to my shooting location), I'd be willing to pay $1,500 for a tripod that was rock solid yet so light you could turn it into a paper airplane. Or if I was very tall and needed a tripod that was solid yet telescoped up to 6'8". Or if I did all my shooting with a 400mm zoom. Or shot in gale force winds. You probably got a superb tripod that meets your needs. But if someone doesn't have really unique needs, you can get a quality tripod for $200 new (I think I paid $23- for my Manfrotto...rock solid, portable, and I'm able to travel with it anywhere in my carryon baggage). And you don't even need a tripod--it's all about a stable shooting platform. I've seen people use beanbags, bungee cords, monopods. The key thing that most beginners don't get is that you need to be truly rock solid stable.