60 Second Photo Tip: Finding the Best Shutter Speed for Waterfalls

One of the most common questions I get from students is what's the best shutter speed for photographing waterfalls. The best answer is "it depends" but this is not very helpful. There's a technical answer to do with speed of water flow, relative size of the waterfall in the frame, etc. but, equally important is the effect you're looking for. Here's how typically choose the shutter speed that suits me in the field.
Hope you enjoy!
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Follow me at: www.iansmissen... / iansmissen
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Photography, video and editing by Ian Smissen
Incidental Photography by Joanne Smissen
Music
On My Way Home (sting) by The 126ers
Fractal of Light by Chris Haugen
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Gear I use:
Cameras
- Panasonic Lumix G9 Camera
- Panasonic Lumix GX8 Camera
- Apple iPhone Xs
- GoPro Hero 4 Silver
Lenses
- Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8
- Panasonic Lumix 35-100mm f/2.8
- Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f/4-6.3
- Panasonic Leica 8-18mm f/2.8-4
- Panasonic Leica 12mm f/1.4
- Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro
- Panasonic Lumix 25mm f/1.7
- Olympus M.Zuiko 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3
Filters
- Nisi V5 100mm Kit (now superseded)
- K&F Concept ND2-ND32 Variable ND Filter
Tripods
- Jobu Design Algonquin Tripod
- Jobu Design BWG-HD3 Gimbal Tripod Head
- Really Right Stuff BH-55 LR Tripod Ball Head
- Sirui N3203X tripod + Sirui K-30X ballhead
- K&F Concept KF-TC2534 Travel tripod
Gimbal
- DJI Osmo Mobile 3 for Smartphone (Combo)
Drone
- DJI Mavic Air (Combo)
- Apple iPhone 6s
Audio
- Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ Microphone
- Rode SMARTLAVPRode Microphone for Smartphones
- Rode VMGHORode VideoMic On-Camera Shotgun Microphone
- Zoom H1N Handy Recorder
- Apple iPhone 5
Camera Bags
- Mindshift Gear Backlight 26L
- Tarion RS-01 Canvas Photography Bag
- LowePro Sling

[@Teddy-ne3gd]

Greetings from Germany, good to hear and see you again. Very helpful approach and information and thank you.

[@650thunderbird]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@mikekay6288]

Agree; it sounds a good procedure to take several, at varying speeds, and select which one rings your bell. Many suggest around 1/6 of a second, but as you say it 'lies in the eye of the beholder' so to speak. Any news on the Great Ocean Road trip? My wife and I are thinking of doing it in late October 2022. Good to see you back YouTubing.
Mike in Oz

[@IanSmissenPhotography]

Thanks Mike. Hoping to make a start on the GOR videos in the next week. School holidays will make it busy but I can’t keep putting it off 😀

[@Foxglove963]

Try several and select one you like the best? So you don't know exactly what you are doing? Start photographing with FILM and learn!