Fun Tricks

One photo trick I get asked about all the time is the rushing water flowing as a smooth blur trick.

Here's how you can do it with a digital SLR:

Get a tripod, set the camera up and frame the shot.

Select a mode other than the green full auto mode. Even P will work, but the cameras usually will not allow the changes we need to make while in full auto.

On your camera's menu, set the ASA/ISO to the lowest setting.

Select an exposure that gives you the longest shutter speed possible. An easy way to that and still have auto exposure is to set the camera to A (aperture priority) and choose the smallest f-stop. This gives a longer shutter speed.

It will depend on how fast the water is moving and how bright the scene is to record the blur. A neutral density filter can cut down on scene brightness if it's still too bright for a long enough shutter speed.

This example has some pretty fast moving water, plus I used a 2 stop neutral density filter. This gave me about a 4 second shutter speed. Even 1/4 second might give enough blur for some scenes, but the longer the better.

Try it out at a local park or trail, then you'll be familiar with the technique for your next vacation trip.