Monthly Photo Tip - December 2009

Silky and velvety water effects are best photographed with a tripod for optimal image quality and minimum blurriness of the surrounding landscape during the desired longer exposure times. The polarizer filter not only reduces image brightness and provides longer exposure times but also eliminates reflections from wet surfaces and increases color saturation.
Shutter speeds at around 1/2 through 1/15 of a second produce velvety and silky effects for streams, rivers and cascading water. A good starting point for waves and surfs are shutter speeds up to 1 second or more. Freezing action starts with shutter speeds of 1/30 of a second or faster depending on your focal length.