Photography Gifts for the Holidays

As the advertisements and commercials have made quite clear, the holiday season is just around the corner. Now is a great time to start thinking about how you can use your photographs to make creative gifts, cards, and artwork. This article will cover some of the most common photography holiday gifts, and the second article in this series will provide an introduction and overview of some of the most common retailers to use when creating and ordering such products.

Holiday Cards

Holiday cards have become one of the most popular uses of photography during the holiday season, and this is an important one to start thinking about early. You want to have enough time to create, design, print, and receive your cards so that you are able to mail them when you want.

Many companies offer a wide variety of formats and designs for holiday cards, including layouts for one to many pictures, space to add your own message, and even already created messages for many occasions including Christmas, New Years, Hanukkah, and others, even more general celebrations of the season or the year. Sites also allow you to upload and print your own designs or collages created through other software or applications.

Tips for Holiday Cards

Family group shots or individual collages of the family members (human and animal alike) are very common for holiday cards. When taking a group picture for a holiday card, think about allowing space around the subjects for a design or text overlay. If you have time, you may want to browse card designs first to help you decide whether you want a horizontal or vertical image, for example.

A formal, posed family shot works well for a holiday card, but you do not have to limit yourself to this particular style. Unposed, candid moments also have great potential for cards, particularly if they share something unique or interesting about the subject captured.

Consider also the message that you wish to send. Most people who receive holiday cards are looking forward to seeing what everyone looks like or how much the kids have grown or learning of exciting news from the past year. Photographs from a recent trip or vacation are great, but showcasing each of your children on a different, exclusive vacation can send more of a message of bragging than of catching up with old friends. Think about the kinds of photographs you would want to receive and use that to help guide your choices.

Prints and Canvases

Printed and framed photographs or canvases can make great holiday gifts. There are many sizes and options available. The most common issues to consider with prints are the size of the print and the resolution of the image.

Standard US print sizes, such as 4 x 6, 5 x 7, and 8 x 10 are readily available, and it is easy to find frames for images of this size. Keep in mind that the size of print you choose may require some cropping of your original image. Different cameras shot images at different aspect ratios. (An aspect ratio is a comparison of the length and width.)

My DSLR, for example, shoots at an aspect ratio of 2:3, which means that if I wanted to create a 4 x 6 inch print, it would be exactly right, and I would not need to crop the image. If I wanted to create an 8 x 10 inch print, however, the aspect ratio of my original shot would scale up to an 8 x 12 print, which means that I would need to crop the equivalent of 2 inches off the longest edge. Read more about Aspect Ratio: Know Before You Crop.

Gray shaded areas show what would be cropped going from an 8 x 12 to 8 x 10 print.

You can do this in two different ways. The first way would be using an editing program on your computer or tablet to crop your photograph to an 8 x 10 aspect ratio. If you choose this route, you should first make a copy of your original photo file and only crop the copy. This allows you to change your mind and have the original image preserved. The second way would be to upload the original file, as is, and use the cropping view of the retailer you are using to purchase the print. (Most retailers will show you a preview of your print image and allow you to adjust which portion of the image is cropped for the final print.)

The second important factor to consider with prints and canvases is the resolution of your original image. Resolution refers to the number of pixels and how those pixels are divided when printing the image at a specific size. The confusing thing about resolution is that people often discuss resolution in terms of DPI. DPI refers to dots per inch or the number of pixels printed within each inch of a printed image. The problem is that DPI contains two variables: the dots (pixels) and the number of inches. You can only know the DPI of a specific image IF you know the size you will be printing it at (the inches).

For example, let's say that you have an image that is 2400 x 3600 pixels.

• Printing that image as a 4 x 6 inch print will have a resolution of 600 DPI
• Printing that image as a poster print of 16 x 20 inches will have a resolution of 150 dpi (and you will need to crop the image down from 16 x 24)
• Printing that image as a large canvas print of 24 x 36 inches will have a resolution of 100 DPI (no cropping needed)

The industry standard is to recommend a DPI at or above 72, while 300 dpi is a general recommendation for a high quality print. If you print an image at a large enough size that the DPI falls below 72, then you may start to notice pixilation (the presence of individual pixels) in the image. The chart below can be used as a guide for what size of original image you would want to have in order to print it at the sizes below.

Resolution translated into DPI

For larger prints, there are a variety of formats available. You can print an image as a poster print, which will require a frame to display. Images printed on metal often come with their own means of hanging and do not require a frame. You can also print an image as a wrapped canvas print that is hung on the wall by itself.

Canvas prints are printed at a larger size than the final image and then wrapped around a wooden frame (often an inch or so in thickness). You need to factor in that wrapping area when choosing an image. If you have something important too close to the edge of the print, it will be wrapped around the edges and not visible when viewing the canvas from the front.

There is now a growing collection of other ways to display printed photographs beyond basic prints or canvases. These include desktop display plaques, photo cubes, ornaments, and even wall decals. Different retails offer different options, which will be covered in more detail in the next article.

Photography Gifts: calendars, mugs, placemats, and more

There are a wide range of other products that you can personalize with photographs. Many of these products offer a wide range of customization including colorful borders, backgrounds, designs, and text to accompany your images.

Calendars

Calendars are a great gift idea, as they are functional and used throughout the year. Most calendars can be designed with one photograph per month or a collage of images. You also have options for customizing the look and style of the calendar itself and for adding personal facts on specific days. You could create a calendar of extended family birthdays and send one to each family or fill a calendar full of funny memories linked to specific days. Many programs will even save this information to your account so that you can reuse it for future calendars.

Table Gifts: mugs, plates, placemats ...

There are many accessories for your table that you can make out of your photographs. Coffee mugs are a useful daily item and a creative way to remember a special vacation or a favorite moment. Plates and placemats are functional as well as decorative. Consider making plates or placemats that also celebrate a special season or holiday. Bringing them out at only certain times of the year will help make them more special and fun to use.

Blankets and Pillows and more: endless customization

Blankets and pillows can turn your photographs into flexible and functional decorations. You can create a cover for your iPhone, Samsung phone, or a tablet. There are so many different options available for fun photography projects, that you can really tailor your gifts to the recipient. Think about objects or displays that they would be most likely to use or appreciate, and choose your images and designs accordingly.

Photo Books

The final photography gift is the time-honored photo book. Rapidly replacing the standard binders full of plastic sheet-pockets of photographs, photo books allow you to widely customize and individualize your photographs. Photo books are available in a wide variety of sizes and styles, and most retails offer a large range of customizable options. You can upload an album's worth of photographs and have them inserted into a book automatically, or you can choose your own design template and individually place and arrange each photo and piece of text.

Photo books are a great project to work on gradually, as it can be overwhelming to try and put together all at once. Most retailers allow you to save your projects in process and work on building your book up over time. Consider also narrowing the scope of your book to a specific length of time, holiday, child, or other organizing principle. For example, each year I make a photo book that features the 365 daily photographs that I have taken during the past year as part of my 365 project. Doing the book about a month or two at a time as I go along makes it much easier to wrap up after the year has ended.

Summary: Holiday Photography Gifts

There are many possibilities for using your photographs to create lasting holiday gifts for yourself and others. Holiday cards are a great way to share an update with friends and family. Prints and canvases get your photos off of your computer and up on to your walls. Other photography gifts allow you to create and customize a wide variety of daily life and display kinds of items. Finally, the photo book preserves your memories in a printed, concrete form that is ideal for sharing and reading with others.

The next article will cover some of the common online retailers for photo gifts and products to get you started creating great photography gifts.

Make the Shot: Slow Sync Photography

A "slow sync" photograph is one where the length of the shutter speed is longer than that normally used with a flash (either external or on-camera). This allows more visibility for background objects or dimmer lights and can have many creative applications. This post will talk through the process behind making this shot using slow sync:

Slow Sync Apple Cutting - straight out of the camera (SOOC)

The shot above was created using a single exposure and without any digital manipulation. The critical elements of making this shot or a similar one is the use of slow sync and second curtain flash.

Second curtain flash means that the flash will fire at the end of the exposure, rather than at the beginning. Dig around within the settings on your camera, and you will find an option to choose second curtain. (On my Canon T1i, it is under flash control, built-in flash function setting, and shutter sync.)

In order to set a longer shutter speed and use the flash, you will need to use the manual shooting mode on your camera. Keep your ISO low (100 or 200) and use a wide aperture to maximize the amount of light gathered from the background during the portion of the exposure before the flash. The speed you select for your shutter will depend on the amount of time it takes for whatever movements or effects you want to try. The final settings for the image above were ISO 100, f/5.6, and 20-seconds.

Wide view of the set up for this shot (before turning the lights off)

The setup for the final shot was fairly simple: I needed an apple, a knife, and a cutting board. My end table / sewing machine acted as a stand-in for a wooden table, and a sheet strung up between the two curtain rods acted as a backdrop. I deliberately placed the end table a little distance away from the backdrop so that the backdrop would be outside the plane of focus.

Because I suspected that it would take me several efforts to nail the timing and get the shots of the knife spaced out the way I had envisioned them, I knew that I did not want to be trying to actually cutting the apple during the photograph. An extra touch of realism could be added by cutting the apple in half before and finding a way to keep both halves upright and slightly separated with room for the knife to move through.

Sample composition set up shot, taken with surrounding lights on

After getting all the parts in place, I set my camera up on the tripod and zoomed in to establish the composition I wanted. I used the apple to set the focus while all the lights were still on and then switched the focus to manual to keep it fixed at the apple. The 10-second countdown timer on my camera gave me enough time to start the countdown and get into place before the exposure started. I also turned off all of the lights around the set up, leaving on just the lights in the hall behind the camera.

Moving the knife smoothly through the entire exposure resulted in the picture above. (The astute among you may notice that I also had not finished moving the knife when the flash fired and the camera stopped taking the photograph.) While this smear effect has a lot of interesting applications, it was not the look I wanted for this particular image.

The real trick behind this kind of shot is in the timing. In order to have the knife visible in each of the different locations, I figured out that I had to hold it in place for about 3 seconds in each spot before quickly moving it down to the next position and holding. When the knife made it to the bottom, behind the apple, then the exposure would finish and the flash would fire, illuminating the apple, cutting board, and background.

There are lots of creative applications of slow sync photography and second curtain flash. This technique is particularly applicable to creating ghostly images by moving slowly or partially during the final exposure. Give it a try, and see what you can create!

Ghostly Book Filing

Shoot a Successful Self-Portrait

Self-portraits or selfies are one of the most intimidating categories of photography for many photographers. To speak in broad generalizations, many photographers would prefer to remain the person behind the camera and avoid becoming the person in front of the camera. Yet, self-portraits are one of the best ways to learn and experiment in your photography – all without subjecting anyone else to your ideas or attempts. If you don't like how your selfie turns out, you can always delete it, and no one will be the wiser. This article will answer some of the most common questions you may have about self-portraits and offer some suggestions to help boost your confidence and get great results.

This self-portrait was captured by wrapping a GorillaPod around an opposite bar on the merry-go-round. Read more about GorillaPods and how to take this shot here.

How Do I Focus?

If you are simply turning your camera around and shooting directly into your own face, then focus is not a big issue. For all other kinds of self-portraits, the fundamental issue is how to get and keep yourself in focus. When you are use to spending your time behind the camera, it can be confusing to try and figure out how to set focus from behind the camera when you need to be in front of the camera to be focused upon!

The easiest solution is to use a tripod and a remote shutter release. A remote allows you to trigger the autofocus and the camera shutter after you are in position in front of the camera. Pressing the button on your remote halfway will set the focus and pushing all of the way will take the picture. The tripod allows you to compose the picture exactly as you wish. If you do not have a tripod, find a stable surface like a table to support your camera.

A wireless remote (either using infrared (IR) or radio frequencies (RF)) allows you to trigger the camera from a considerable distance away, while a corded remote shutter release typically has a cord of about 3 feet. When I use my corded remote for selfies, I use it in conjunction with the 10-second timer. That way, I can press the remote shutter to set the focus and start the countdown, and then I simply let go of the timer, which swings down out of the picture before the 10-second count expires and the photograph is taken. Read more about why a Remote Shutter Release is an easy photography upgrade.

If you do not have a remote shutter release, then you need to rely on the 10-second timer and a stand in. The 10-second timer will give you enough time to press the shutter and then get into position in front of the camera before the photograph is taken. The stand in is what you will use to set the focus.

Stand in

Selfie with Candles

For this self-portrait with birthday candles, I used a stuffed snowman as my stand in. You want something that you can place roughly where your eyes will be in final picture, so that you can set focus for your eyes. You also want something easy to move, so that you can toss your stand in out of the way before your 10-seconds are up. (Alternatively, you can use the stand in once, set the focus, and then turn the camera to manual focus, MF, which will keep the focus in that same point for all subsequent pictures.)

The final way to address the focus issue is to put yourself behind and in front of the camera at the same time – by using a mirror. Reflection photographs are common in self-portraits and are usually the first kind that people try. Once you have your shot lined up and composed, consider moving yourself or the camera slightly if you want your face seen – or leave the camera in place and keep your face hidden, if you'd rather. If you can see your face, remember to look directly into the barrel of your lens if you want to be looking at the camera for the final picture.

Mirror reflections work best without cues that you are backwards - avoid lettering.

But I Feel So Awkward or Self-Conscious or … insert excuse here

You can come up with infinite reasons to avoid taking a selfie, but you can also come up with infinite ideas to keep your creativity flowing and your motivation high. Try some of these ideas or themes below to help get you over your initial self-inflicted self-portrait hurdles.

Be a Character

No one said that a self-portrait had to be a true reflection of you. Tell a story, create a role, or act out a part. In the photograph below, I was trying to recreate a well-known photograph by Julia Margaret Cameron of Julia Jackson in 1867. Having a model for how to act and an expression to make made it far easier for me to 'get into character' and lose a little self-consciousness about the process.

Replica Self-Portrait

Go Over the Top

Selfies are often all about emotion, and extremes of emotion are often easier to portray than others. The photograph below was my attempt to convey the depth of my emotion about meal planning. (Notice the inclusion of the Joy of Cooking?)

The Un-Joy of Cooking

Use Props

Think about what you can add to your picture. A self-portrait does not have to be you all by your lonesome. Dress up, set the scene, or find a unique prop that fits your vision for your final image.

 A great excuse to play in the leaves

Shoot a Silhouette

Sunset, twilight, or even indoor settings can be great opportunities to shoot yourself as a silhouette. Compose the picture and set the exposure for the surrounding light. You may need to underexpose slightly if you want less detail in the silhouette.

Christmas Eve in Silhouette

Just Show Part of You

A self-portrait does not have to be a full body shot or even include your face. Cropping and composition are your friends here. Think about what you can convey with less.

Cozy with my Kindle (shot with my right hand)

Walking On. This photo is more evocative and mysterious without the rest of the body.

Have Fun with It

Selfies should be about fun and an outlet for your creativity. You will never know what you can come up with until you try. Maybe you will even discover that you can fly!

Learnin' to Fly

(For a shot like this, your best results will come from using the 10-second timer set to capture multiple shots in a row. Around 4 to 6 is a good place to start to insure that you will capture at least one or two midair shots.)

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Boost Your Photography: Set a Personal Goal or Challenge

If you want to improve in a sport or learn to play an instrument, you know that setting a goal or a personal challenge is an important strategy to motivate and encourage yourself along the way. A goal helps you to measure your progress and celebrate your accomplishments. A goal can also help you push through when things are difficult or keep you motivated when you are going through a slump.

The same is true in photography.

Ask yourself: What is my goal?

Setting a goal or a personal challenge for your photography is a great way to keep yourself motivated, help you measure your progress, and provide a reason for you to celebrate your accomplishments. Goals and challenges help you grow.

Take some time to think about what would be an appropriate goal for you. Try to keep your goal tangible and within a limited time frame. An abstract goal like "Improve my photography" is much tougher to evaluate than a more concrete goal like "Take portraits of five different people in the next month." A shorter time frame, like a week or a month also helps keep you on track and provides an opportunity for reflection. If you wait six months or a year before you check in on your goal, you are much less likely to have accomplished it.

Ideas for Goals or Challenges

Stick to just one lens or one focal length.
If you want to push yourself creatively and learn more about what your lens is capable of, limit yourself to just one lens for a week or a month. (If you are just starting out and only have one lens, then push yourself to stick to just one focal length - like as wide as your lens can go or as narrow.) Limiting your lens and focal length will force you to be more creative and use your feet and body to change your perspective or point of view. Read more in Zooming vs. Cropping: Perspective in Photography.

Changing aperture can change your image.

Stick to just one aperture. 
You can learn more quickly about what a specific aperture can do for you by setting your camera to aperture priority (Av) mode. Try choosing either your widest aperture (like f/1.8 of f/3.5) or your narrowest aperture (like f/22). Take a range of shots in different light, different situations, and different perspectives (where you are relative to your subject). See how the impact of that aperture changes when you are nearer or farther from your subject. Read more about Aperture and the F/Stop Conundrum, What an Aperture of F/1.8 Can Do for You, What an Aperture of F/22 Can Do for You, and the Middle Range Apertures: F/8-F/11.

From Where I Stand, a collection of feet photographs

Start a Series.
If you want a bit of a longer-term goal, think about starting a photographic series. A collection of images related by a common subject or theme can be powerful. A series can also help keep you focused and keep you thinking about ideas or ways to add to your collection. Maybe you are interested in windows and their views, or you want to look through old photographs and take updated versions. Even images of your own feet can be a great way of demonstrating where you have been. Finally, consider making a collage of your collection to display and share.

Celebrate a home-town tradition like a Local Farmers' Market

Try a New Style or Genre of Photography.
Are you comfortable shooting architecture and landscapes when you travel but leave your camera sitting in its case at home? Get it out and try shooting portraits or close ups or street shots in and around your own home. Do you only shoot portraits of people? Take your camera out to the park and explore landscapes and flowers for an afternoon. Trying to photograph different styles and subjects will take you outside your comfort zone and push you to understand more about photography and the photographic process.

Even gutter puddles can create unique and memorable images.

Try to Capture a Specific Type of Image.
There are so many photographic subjects and techniques out there, but it can be hard to find the time and effort to try one unless you sit down and commit yourself to doing it. Always wanted to try light painting? Grab a flashlight, cell phone, or LED key chain and learn how to do Light Painting and Spin an Orb. Or, make the most of a rainy day by trying Puddle Reflection Photography. Give a new technique, like panning, a try. Want an extra level of challenge? Grab some friends and try Spinning Fire with Steel Wool.

Seek Out Accountability.
Photography is often seen as a sole endeavor, but you can learn so much more in partnership and community with other photographers. Find a local photo buddy, join a local photography group, or join an online photography community and get involved. Share your goal or challenge with someone else and have them check in with you about it. Being accountable to another person can help push you when you are lacking motivation on your own, and it is a great way to seek out and receive feedback and encouragement. Read more about how to Improve your Photography: be accountable. Consider joining the Boost Your Photography 52 Weeks Challenge - take a photograph a week and get feedback and encouragement.

Summary

Improvement comes through effort, and creativity requires both inspiration and perspiration. If you are looking to give your photography a boost, then consider setting a goal or challenge for yourself. Pick something that will push you in a new direction or force you to try something you have been putting off. See if it doesn't help you grow, improve, and be more motivated in your photography.

Did you set a goal for yourself? Did you meet it and did it help? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

... and We've Moved!

Ok, the domain move is now official, and you can find all the great articles, tips, and advice you enjoyed from Archaeofrog Photography here at Boost Your Photography: http//www.boostyourphotography.com ! The new layout and design will be rolling out soon, as will updates to all the internal links. For now, if you click a link and receive an error message, replace the 'archaeofrog' in the URL with 'boostyourphotography,' and be sure to update any saved links or bookmarks accordingly. Welcome!

Exciting Changes Coming Soon ...

Just a heads up that some exciting changes are in the pipeline for Archaeofrog Photography including a new look and a new domain name: Boost Your Photography at http://www.boostyourphotography.com (Link not yet live). During the next week or so, you may have trouble accessing the site via the http://www.archaeofrog.com domain name. If you receive an error message, please try again at http://archaeofrog.blogspot.com , which is the temporary domain for the transition. Thank you for your views and support, as well as your patience during this transition!

Yes, Go Chasing Waterfalls

Waterfalls are a classic photographic subject, and despite the TLC song, many photographers do spend time off chasing waterfalls. With the right equipment and a little bit of planning, you can make the most out of your waterfall shots.

Equipment for Waterfalls

Many waterfall photographs feature the long, slow, "cotton candy" looking water that can only be achieved by using a long exposure, on the order of full seconds to even minutes. In order to successfully capture this kind of shot, it helps to have a few extra supplies with you. (After each suggestion, I will offer some 'how to cope without' tips in the parentheses.)

1. Tripod. A tripod will hold your camera steady for a longer shutter speed and can help you get angles or views that might be difficult while hand-holding. Read more about How to Maximize your Tripod for advice on using a tripod effectively. (If you do not have a tripod with you, try resting your camera on something steady like the ground, a rock, or a railing.)

This wide view of a waterfall in Mount Rainier was shot by setting the camera down on the bridge.

2. Remote Shutter Release. A remote allows you to trigger your camera's shutter without touching the camera. This minimizes camera shake and helps you capture a steady, sharp image. A remote shutter release also allows you to use the 'Bulb' setting on your camera to get shutter speeds longer than 30 seconds. Read more about why Remote Shutter Releases are a Cheap and Easy Upgrade. (If you do not have a remote with you, use the 2-second or 10-second timer on your camera.)

3. Circular Polarizer. A circular polarizer helps with waterfalls in two ways. First, it reduces the amount of light entering your camera by one or two stops, which allows you to shoot with a slower shutter speed. Second, turning the polarizer allows you to only record light bouncing off the water instead of through it, which maximizes the slow water effect. Read more about how a Circular Polarizer will improve your photography and how best to use one here. (If you do not have a polarizer, you can try shooting through polarized sunglasses, but this can add an unusual color cast to your images.)

Sunglasses can mimic the effect of a polarizer but often add a color cast.

4. Neutral Density Filter. A neutral density filter (regular or variable) allows you to reduce the amount of light entering your camera. A regular neutral density filter will reduce the light by a set amount of stops, while a variable neutral density filter will allow you to vary the amount of stops. The darker the filter, the less light that reaches your camera, and the longer you can leave the shutter open. (If you do not have a neutral density filter, you will not be able to get the really long, slow shutter speeds.)

Making the Most of Your Waterfall Shots

Shoot in Aperture Priority or Manual Mode

When shooting waterfalls and trying to get the long, slow water look, you want to get the slowest shutter speed you can while still keeping the overall shot exposed properly. To do this, you want to set your ISO to 100 (or the lowest value on your camera) and your aperture to f/22 (or higher if you have it). If you are shooting in aperture priority mode, the camera will then calculate the longest shutter speed that it can for the given ISO and aperture. If the picture comes out too light or too dark, switch over to manual, dial in the same settings, and adjust the shutter speed as needed.

If you are able to use a shutter speed longer than 30-seconds (likely if you are using a circular polarizer in combination with a neutral density filter), then you will need to use the 'Bulb' setting in manual mode. In Bulb, the camera will leave the shutter open as long as you press the shutter button or hold down the remote. Using a remote with a lock allows you to keep the shutter open as long as needed to get the shot.

Gorge of Waterfalls by Archaeofrog. Available for purchase.

Aim for Even Lighting

Waterfalls look best when they are shot under even lighting: either the entire scene is in direct sun or in the shade. Dappled light can be very pretty in real life but makes it difficult to properly expose for your waterfall shot. In the shot below, you can see that the parts of the falls in direct sunlight are too bright, while the shady sections are still dark. Cloudy, overcast, or just entirely shaded falls work best, as the lighting is already a little lower, and you can use a longer shutter speed.

The bright sunlight spots make this waterfall image uneven.

Provide a Sense of Scale

Waterfalls vary greatly in size from small ripples through stones to powerful behemoths with thousands of gallons of water pouring over each minute. Think about providing your viewer with a sense of scale or context when composing your waterfall shot.

Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier

This composition emphasizes the power and scale of this waterfall in Juneau, Alaska. The falls itself fills the entire frame, and alone, the viewer would have no idea as to the scale of the falling water. The addition of the couple, however, provides that needed sense of scale, and lets the viewer understand some of the immensity of this waterfall.

Vary your Perspective

Many people look at waterfalls, take a shot of then head on from the bottom of the falls or an overlook, and move on. This can be a very lovely shot, but there is so much more than you can do.

Waterfall in Fall by Archaeofrog. Available for purchase.

The photograph above is a more traditional view of a waterfall. While it looks like this was shot head-on from the bottom of the falls, it was actually shot quite a distance away with a zoom lens. This was the middle of a series of falls in a narrow canyon, but zooming in places you, as the viewer, much closer to the falls than is actually possible for that location.

Leaves in the Falls by Archaeofrog. Available for purchase.

Get up close and personal with your waterfall! While not advised for all falls (know your limits), getting physically very close to a waterfall can provide some amazing shooting opportunities. This small waterfall happened to be right next to a fairly dry bank that allowed me to get right up to it with my tripod without actually having to wade through the stream.

Above the Falls by Archaeofrog. Available for purchase.

Looking down from above is another way to change your perspective and get a different waterfall shot. In this one, the focus is much more on the swirling leaves in the background than on the actual waterfall itself. Again, a long shutter speed (60 seconds in this case) made the swirling pattern evident.

Forget the Waterfall Entirely

Both of these next shots are untraditional versions of waterfalls shots: the falls itself is not even visible.

Serene Swirls by Archaeofrog. Available for purchase.

In this shot, the focus is on the swirling leaves and the narrow gorge that is the setting for the waterfall. This image was a combination of two shots, one for 15 seconds to expose for the swirling leaves and water, and one for 5 seconds to expose for the brightly lit background.

A Wide Look at Fall by Archaeofrog. Available for purchase.

This shot is off the water just above the waterfall. Here, the water is still and its mirror-like surface reflects the scene around it. This reflection is only slightly disturbed by the ripples as the water approaches the falls. The leaves in the foreground bring a wide-angle feel to this image. The key to shooting a photograph like this one is to get the camera physically down low to the water and to shoot with a wide-angle lens (although 18 mm was the widest that I had here).

Waterfall Summary

If you want to shoot waterfalls and want to achieve the long, slow moving water style, then it helps to be prepared. Bring along a tripod, remote, circular polarizer, and neutral density filter, so that you can get longer shutter speeds, such as 15 or 30 seconds or even up to full minutes. Think about the lighting and try to plan your visit for a time when the waterfall and surrounding scene will be in full shade (or full clouds or overcast). Once you are there, do not be satisfied with just getting the 'classic' waterfall shot. Take some time to vary your perspective and include a sense of scale. Consider even forgetting about the waterfall entirely for some shots. You may be surprised to find that your favorite shots are those where you took the time to try something new.

Waterfall in Motion by Archaeofrog. Available for purchase.

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