At my own expense, I offer all of this to you: a humble tribute to Mother Gaia. I hope that you will spread my art and message to others, uplifting and inspiring their souls.
May my works guide photographers illuminating their path toward creating dynamic and impactful images that show the raw beauty and essence of life in all its transcendent glory. —Pamela Goodyer
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If you’ve ever wanted to get great milky water long exposure waterfall shots, you’re reading the right article. That’s because you’ll discover our step-by-step method for getting dynamic images.
And the good news is that this method works even if you don’t know much about photography yet.
Use these instructions for waterfall photography and any moving water photography. This is how you will get the milky water effect, as we call it. These are basic instructions that will apply to all moving water shots.
The most important thing here is an excellent Neutral Density Filter that allows you to slow down your shutter speed. Neutral Density Filters Explained.
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STEP 1: PUT YOUR CAMERA ON A TRIPOD
You must use a tripod to achieve silky water effects in your photograph. This is called long-exposure photography. Whenever you keep your shutter open for more than about 1/50th of a second, you must be on a tripod, or you will get one big blur.
STEP 2: PUT A NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER ON
Even on a cloudy day, you will want to use a Neutral Density Filter. It’s like sunglasses for your camera. You can do more prolonged exposure, making the water movement silky. The darker the ND Filter, the longer you can expose it. A ten-stop ND is the darkest one. We like the Promaster ND ten-stop and Tiffen filters.
STEP 3: SET YOUR CAMERA TO MANUAL MODE
You will want to control both the shutter speed and the aperture. Manual mode allows you to do this. Most cameras use the letter M for manual mode.
STEP 4: SET THE APERTURE
Set the aperture to the smallest one (most will be f/22, some f/29). This will allow the least light to enter the camera, allowing you to do the longest exposure possible.
STEP 5: SET THE ISO
Set your ISO to 100 or the lowest your camera will allow. Some cameras go as low as 50. Like the aperture, we are trying to block the light from coming into the camera so we can do a long exposure of at least two seconds or more.
STEP 6: SET THE SHUTTER SPEED
Now, looking through the camera, roll the shutter speed using the main dial so the exposure level indicator goes to ‘0’ on the exposure scale at the bottom of the screen. Without a filter, you may not get lower than 1/15th sec. or even that low on a sunny day. This is why a neutral density filter is so important.
Step 7: SET YOUR 2-SECOND TIMER
Instead of using a shutter release, you can utilize a timer to take the photo. This ensures that when you press down on the button to take the image, you won’t cause any camera shake or blur. The 2-second timer is a setting on your camera under the Drive Mode section. You will see continuous shooting, single shooting (or something similar, depending on the camera and 2-second timer.
That’s it. Once you do it several times, it’ll be effortless.
Evaluate the image. If your image has hot spots (areas of overexposed white spots), adjust your shutter speed and test again until it is just right. Remember, the darker the ND filter, the longer the exposure, and the milky flow looks better.
TIP: The longer the shutter stays open (1 second, 2 seconds etc.. the more light will come in.) If the image is hot, as explained, lessen the shutter speed to a lower amount. With a ten-stop filter, this will never happen. It may happen with a filter that is not as dark.
Review your images on your camera’s screen and zoom in to look for overexposed areas. You can always lighten them in the post, but you cannot fix blown-out, overexposed highlights. If you have overexposed images, use your exposure compensation to go down until they are no longer blown out.
This is the ND filter that Pamela Goodyer uses. All of her more recent photos are done with this filter. The Promaster filter doesn’t alter colors at all! LINK TO PROMASTER FILTER
This technique is for ALL moving waters. Check out the dynamic feel to this long exposure image.
Pamela has the Canon 16-35 lens (below), so she uses the 82mm version of this filter.
TIP: If unsure what mm to order, look under the lens cap; it will tell you there.
We strongly recommend immediately investing in a 2.8 lens if it’s within your budget. While you can opt for a cheaper lens initially, you might regret not choosing the better option once you gain more experience and seek superior image quality. Ultimately, the decision depends on your financial situation.
BUY A CANON 2.8 LENS HERE. Don’t get the bundle, get the Promaster Filter – link above.
Another option is the Promaster Variable ND filter, which allows you to adjust the darkness by rotating the outer ring. While we prefer the fixed version mentioned earlier, the variable filter is ideal if you want multiple settings in a single filter, saving you from carrying and purchasing several different ones. SEE THE PROMASTER FILTERS HERE.
Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens
EF 16–35mm f/2.8L III USM is an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for professional and enthusiast photographers. It features a 16–35mm focal range for superb perspective control, a fast, constant aperture and the outstanding image quality you can expect from a Canon L-series lens.
For beginners in photography, using a lens with a lower aperture, such as a 2.8, is crucial for achieving high-quality photos.
You can read about the details of each location. You can get your gear and head out for a long-exposure milky water photo shoot!
As you can see in the last image below, it is not only for waterfalls, but also for any moving water. Pamela Goodyer ALWAYS uses this technique when there are any moving waters. It makes the image much more dynamic!
So that is it. Many people who are new to photography don’t even realize that they need to do this step before they can easily create these advanced-style images. That’s why many people who try to create dynamic photos end up failing—they’re simply missing one of these steps.
So, the first thing you need to do is set these camera settings.
You’ll find that this part of the process goes much more smoothly if you apply these tips and tricks:
The right ND filter is crucial! There are several different types. We like the ten-stop filter because it’s dark.
WHERE TO LEARN WATERFALL PHOTOGRAPHY
Pamela Goodyer will teach you.
Are you struggling or want to learn more details, tips, and tricks? You can do a Zoom lesson on nights and weekends and Pamela will have you doing milky water shots on the same day!
WATERFALL PHOTOGRAPHY – WHEN TO GO
Forget about blue skies and sunshine – overcast days are a good time to photograph the beauty of waterfalls. The diffused lighting creates an even glow across the entire scene, making it easier to balance exposure and avoid blown-out highlights.
BUT if you have a ten-stop ND filter, the filter is so dark that you can shoot moving waters at noon on a sunny day, get the milky water effect, and not have blown-out highlights.
NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTERS – Attention, fellow photographers! This is important information for getting the perfect waterfall shot. Make sure you have a neutral density filter handy. Don’t assume you can skip it, even on a gloomy day in the woods. Without a neutral density filter, you won’t be able to achieve exposure times longer than 1/15th of a second. To create that smooth, “milky” water effect, you’ll need at least one to two seconds of exposure.
If you’re feeling fancy and heading to the beach for milky ocean shots, you might need a whopping 4 to 5 seconds with a 10-stop filter, depending on how fast the water moves. The water doesn’t move as much near the bay areas, so it’s almost always at least three seconds to get blurry. Our new Promaster one is the real deal – trust me, your Instagram followers will thank you for those dreamy water pics!
CIRCULAR POLARIZING FILTERS – These filters remove the harsh glare from the water, providing a more accurate depiction of its colors. However, they do not reduce enough light to get long exposure shots that create a milky effect on the water; unless the water is moving at a rapid pace, and it is an overcast day, you may have a shot with it.
We wear a belt with a filter pack to carry six filters. The pack is always on our hips, so we can easily try it. If it doesn’t give us a long enough exposure, we just put the neutral density filter back on. Having a variety of filters is always ideal.
CONNECT TO MOTHER GAIA AND EXPERIENCE NATURE
For those new to waterfall photography, Pamela Goodyer advises that the key is to fully immerse yourself in the experience, connect with nature, and ground yourself to Mother Earth. If you feel overwhelmed or distracted, take a few moments to meditate. Photography can be meditative, allowing you to tap into your creativity and create stunning images. Your art will flourish when you are in a state of mindfulness and connectedness with the environment.
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Athabasca Falls & Sunwapta Falls
Two waterfalls—Athabasca Falls and Sunwapta Falls—are located in the Canadian Rockies, off the famous Icefields Parkway. The powerful rush of cascading water spills over ancient, jagged rocks and glistens under the warm sun. The air is crisp and invigorating, with the faint scent of pine and fresh glacial melt. It is a true natural wonder, a sight not to be missed on any journey through this picturesque landscape.
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