Unlike Love Actually, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find water rather than love is all around when it comes to photography.
An essential element, we drink it, swim in it, float on it, watch it fall from the sky, tumble down rapids, roll into the shore, and freeze it.
For this issue of Exposure, we’re taking a look at the many ways you can creatively capture its liquid beauty whether it’s frozen or flowing.
Taking photos of water involves understanding and adapting to its unique characteristics and movement. each state, whether solid or gas, poses specific challenges and requires different photographic approaches and creative techniques.
What a 'berg! Hemingway's iceberg theory not in play in Iluissat, Greenland.
Composing Water within the Frame
When incorporating water within your shot, first assess how relevant it is to the overall purpose of the shot. Some creative techniques will work well when water is the main focus, others will be best if it’s a small part of the bigger picture.
Are you capturing a river winding through the city centre, in which case it takes up less than 20% of the frame? Composition is key.
Will you be using water as a reflective surface while photographing a distant mountain peak? Where you position yourself and the camera will play a crucial part in the overall outcome.
Are you capturing an open ocean, with no other subjects in sight and only deep blue water and sky to work with? Light and movement will be the tools that will produce a beautiful image.
Seeking details and sparkling features? Grab a zoom lens and explore the textures!
Banff offers no shortage of photogenic opportunities, like Castle Mountain.
THE BIG WHITE
The finer details of Frozen wonders
THE BIG WHITE
The finer details of Frozen wonders
Glaciers, icebergs and snow-covered landscapes are subjects that require some extra consideration when taking photos because the colour palette is typically quite bright and shots can easily by over-exposed.
Whites and vibrant blues will be illuminated quickly with light, so if you’re shooting ice and snow in the sunshine, you will need to keep your exposure in check to avoid over-exposing your image.
Next up, you’ll want to take some time to observe the scene and decide how you want to compose the shot. Because you’re working with a somewhat mono-tonal landscape, how you incorporate shadows, patterns and subjects will determine the impact of your image.
Incorporating shadows can have a big impact on the impact of your image.
"Where you position yourself and the camera will play an important part in the overall outcome."
Turquoise streams of water at Lillooet Range, British Columbia, begin appearing in spring, around May.
Creative Focus
Sparkling ice or delicate snowflakes can be captured by using a zoom or macro lens to capture those highlights, patterns and textures.
Try to get close to the subject to showcase the intricate details of frozen water, and even compose your shot with various layers of ice, using some in the foreground for sparkle and bokeh blur, then others for the detailed patterns. Shooting ice in low, afternoon light can produce a stunning glow that will reveal shadows, shine and stronger textures.
Gear Tip
We’ve taken my OM SYSTEM cameras to the depths of a Greenlandic winter where temperatures dipped to -37C° degrees, and the batteries withstood the rapid chill, never failing and always holding their charge.
It’s essential to know your equipment can handle the cold as lithium batteries are known to lose power quickly in freezing temperatures. Always have a few backup batteries, and if it’s below freezing, it can be a good habit to store them in your camera bag with a reusable heat pack, keeping them warm and charged.
DYNAMIC & DRAMATIC
Waves & Waterfalls
DYNAMIC & DRAMATIC
Waves & Waterfalls
Trickling creeks, whitewater or raging waterfalls are all ideal for experimenting with long exposures, it’s all about adjusting the shutter speed, based on available light.
To create silky water streaks, you should use an aperture of between f8 & f14 to throttle the amount of light coming through the lens, while slowing down the shutter speed to create a longer exposure that reveals the water movement in a single frame. You’ll need to stay still to ensure any surrounding features of the landscape remain sharp and in focus, so find your composition, then use a tripod or take advantage of innovative gear like the new OM-1 MKII by OM SYSTEM which has an industry-leading 8.5 EV stops of stabilisation meaning you can capture long exposures without a tripod!
Working with waves
Ocean scenery presents an ideal opportunity to experiment and capture watery images.
Coastlines are a popular environment for those learning photography, as you’re treated to recurring subjects that roll into the shore again and again, if you get the first few attempts wrong, you’ve got an endless supply of more waves on the way.
Working with waterfalls
Similar to waves, waterfalls present the chance to take your time and move around to seek out the ideal composition.
If you’re photographing a waterfall like Skógafoss in Iceland, it’s not going to run out of water anytime soon, so you can practice various creative techniques and capture a series of unique angles.
When shooting long exposures of a large body of moving water, always review your shots 'on camera' to ensure the exposure you're using is allowing in enough light, for all the details to be captured.
FINDING REFLECTIONS
Lakes & Puddles
FINDING REFLECTIONS
Lakes & Puddles
You may arrive at a lake and notice the reflection immediately, or, you may have to look a little closer to find it.
Early mornings typically work best to capture reflections as the wind hasn’t yet picked up and you can also get lucky and be treated to a misty surface, bringing an extra sprinkle of magic to the scene.
Banff National Park.
Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park. Another pro photography tip: go to Canada.
"Knowing where to focus will determine the outcome of a reflection."
Get low to discover the reflections and don’t be afraid to rest your camera (if it’s weather-sealed) just above the water level to photograph the full extent of a reflection.
Focus
Knowing where to focus will determine the outcome of a reflection and this all depends on what you’re trying to achieve with the shot.
If you’re aiming for arty, blurry and mystical, you can try focusing on the water to see how it changes your image. Alternatively, focus on a distant subject to ensure it’s in focus, for example a mountain, and use an aperture of around f/8-f/11 to let the reflection work its magic across the water and still be quite sharp.
BELOW THE SURFACE SNAPS
Working in the underwater world
BELOW THE SURFACE SNAPS
Working in the underwater world
When shooting underwater, you’re in it, there are no horizons to use, no real sense of distance, just a big, watery space to play with.
Having subjects like fish, coral or people, will make it easier to focus and compose your shot, and it can work best to be lower than your subject. Diving deep and tilting your camera upward will produce a better angle than swimming on the surface and looking down.
It's important to get deep and tilt up.
The pro photographer life.
"Diving deep and tilting your camera upward will produce a better angle than swimming on the surface and looking down."
Look for light leaks coming through the water's surface, and try to have one point of focus so your image isn’t just a big blue haze. You can use the sand patterns on the sea floor, water ripples just below the water surface, or find a subject and opt for a minimal composition that includes a whole lot of beautiful blue tones, with a single subject using the rule of thirds.
Quick tips
› Get your feet wet and use various subjects like rocks and ripples
› Watch where the water is flowing – this can help in determining how to compose your image to ensure it ‘flows’ through the frame
› Know the tides when photographing in tidal zones, high tides will produce great movement, low tides can enhance patterns and reflections
› Don’t miss the opportunity to bring water into an urban environment too
› Filters (the OM-1 has an in-built Live ND filter)
› When shooting still water reflections, the closer you get your camera to the water, the more extended and effective the results will be
› Experiment with photographing water at various times of the day
All the gear
A wide-angle lens like the M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 pro lens can work wonders when photographing water in a landscape environment, as it’ll allow you to incorporate the flow of water as it weaves through the frame.
If you’re venturing underwater, make sure you’re using an underwater housing that’s designed for your specific camera make and model. You don’t want any surprise leaks into your equipment!
Ensure your camera is weather-sealed and can handle a few splashes or accidental dunks. If you’re worried about getting your camera wet, investing in a compact waterproof camera like the TG-7 can be a fun addition to your kit.
THINK YOU'VE GOT A WINNER?
Send us your best travel photos for a chance to win an OM-5 + 14-150mm Kit, valued at AU$2,399, plus have your image featured in the magazine!
This stylish, compact, interchangeable-lens camera is perfect for travel. explore.omsystem.com
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