How slow is too slow? (Page 2): I've seen a couple - not more - of waterfalls that were so silky they didn't look good at all - just sloppy. I think there's room for sharp and silky.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

rydabyk wrote:

Just out of curiosity and I know this is HIGHLY subjective, but irrespective of the complete photograph, do y'all prefer the slow misty/silky waterfalls, ones that show just slight movement or the clear/crisp completely stopped ones?

I've seen a couple - not more - of waterfalls that were so silky they didn't look good at all - just sloppy. I think there's room for sharp and silky. Long exposures are also good for clouds and large bodies of moving water.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

rydabyk wrote:

Just out of curiosity and I know this is HIGHLY subjective, but irrespective of the complete photograph, do y'all prefer the slow misty/silky waterfalls, ones that show just slight movement or the clear/crisp completely stopped ones?

I think it's up to you to decide this for your own taste.

I like it stopped sometimes and I like it silky, the reason for this is each photograph is different do to it's situation.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

rydabyk wrote:

Just out of curiosity and I know this is HIGHLY subjective, but irrespective of the complete photograph, do y'all prefer the slow misty/silky waterfalls, ones that show just slight movement or the clear/crisp completely stopped ones?

IT's all up to the photographers discretion. Personally I like slow for fast moving water where it flows around stationary objects that suggest speed. I like posing folks in and around streams where the subject is still and the water is blurred. But it is all up to the photographer, it is yet another tool we can use to bring an otherwise dull scene to life.

Swede Loc: Trail, BC Canada

I HATE the "Misty" look, it looks to------fake

Swede

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Swede wrote:

I HATE the "Misty" look, it looks to------fake

Swede

So does OVER post processing.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

rydabyk wrote:

Just out of curiosity and I know this is HIGHLY subjective, but irrespective of the complete photograph, do y'all prefer the slow misty/silky waterfalls, ones that show just slight movement or the clear/crisp completely stopped ones?

Depends but slow. Not waterfall shots but here is a slow one and one of my son climbing Half Dome.

Bison Bud

I generally try to make my outdoor shots look as much like it did to my eyes as possible, which leans toward the quicker shutter speed, but too fast can look unnatural as well. This doesn't mean that I haven't tried to get creative by blurring and/or freezing water motion, but I do lean more towards the natural look most of the time. Good luck and good shooting to all.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

I like both, but it depends upon what I am looking at.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

rydabyk wrote:

Just out of curiosity and I know this is HIGHLY subjective, but irrespective of the complete photograph, do y'all prefer the slow misty/silky waterfalls, ones that show just slight movement or the clear/crisp completely stopped ones?

Both. They are both effects not reality.

pecohen Loc: Central Maine

dpullum wrote:

Thought of creativity... how about one of each sharp and silky and combining.... humm

I was thinking the same thing, though I've not tried it. The effect I would want would be like a slow-sync shot, freezing each drop at the very end of its path. But the exact paths are probably always changing so I have my doubts.

Probably the right way to get that effect is to actually use a flash with slow-sync.

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Cascades in sylvan streams look best to me if the water looks like it is "flowing" gently over the rocks, generally. For large, impressive falls (like Niagara and Blackwater), I try to shoot so that the might/majesty of the falls shows through, so less "flow" and more "show". Just my preferences.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Rich1939 wrote:

this has been asked before and I think the responses were about 50/50.

Right on

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Cream is cream and water is water. They aren't interchangeable.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

ecrocker wrote:

I like clear/crisp. Never thought water should look like cotton candy.

mflowe Loc: Port Deposit, MD