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River Landscape Photography: How to Photograph Moving Water

Watch this photography video lesson to learn how to shoot moving water.
Article By Robert Grant Video By Robert Grant

91

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Have you ever wondered how to photograph a stream and get that wonderful motion in the water? I was in school taking a photo class and that assignment came up. We were to show the motion of a stream at many different shutter speeds. I had never done that before, it sounded intriguing. Of course we were using film then so I needed to take each exposure and document it so that when I got the film back I would know which frame produced which effect. Today that is not necessary. With your digital camera you can see the exposures immediately on the back of your camera. In this tutorial we go step by step through the process and you can see how the motion is controlled by the speeds in the camera. You have total control. Make sure to a tripod with you. At speeds slower than 1/60 of a second you will begin to pick up camera shake if you try to hand hold it. This is really fun in the winter as well with all the ice and snow around river banks. So get out there and be creative.


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Sasha Gitin
This Article was produced by Sasha Gitin and Robert Grant: co-founders of LearnMyShot.com.  Sasha is a fabulous food Photographer shooting for advertising and editorial industries. Robert Grant is a very creative Commercial Photographer shooting advertising and editorial, based in Connecticut. Two humble guys trying to keep you educated and entertained.

Tags: exposure, landscape, long exposure, motion, river, shutter speed, Tripod, tutorial, water

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91 Comments

Airton Morassi
6 years ago

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Cachoeira da Casa Amarela

Cunha – Sao Paulo – Brazil

Rafi Ashkenazi
6 years ago

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Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, Canada

HDR F/20 F/25 F/11, 1.3 Sec, ISO 100I just love this type of water flow photographs

Rafi Ashkenazi
6 years ago

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Johnston Creek, Banff National Park, Canada

Canon T1i, EF-S17-85 IS USM, HDR – F/14 F/20 F/25, 3.2 Sec, ISO 100

bryan reed
7 years ago

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Flowing water

I finally got a good one. This was shot at F/22 and 1/10 of a sec . These lessons are really helping me very much I can not thank you guy’s enough .

    Richard LeDoux
    7 years ago



    Good shot

Tony Thibodeaux
7 years ago

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Smoky Mountain Stream

Canon 7d, Tokina 12-24, 9-stop ND filter, 66 second exposure, ISO400

Larry L.
7 years ago

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Little creek @ Yosemite

This one was shot a few months back at Yosemite. But it was one of my very first attempts trying to shoot the flowing water with long exposure.

    Richard LeDoux
    7 years ago



    Nice one

Rudi Poppes
7 years ago

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Hot rock in water

The red “burning” on the rock is from a street lamp about 10 meters away. The long exposure made the rock looking hot.

    SASHA GiTiN
    SASHA GiTiN
    7 years ago



    really amasing

    SASHA GiTiN
    SASHA GiTiN
    7 years ago



    amazing I meant !

Rudi Poppes
7 years ago

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Second attempt

Hopefully a bit better. They look quite dark I realised when they are smaller than the original.

    Robert Grant
    Robert Grant
    7 years ago



    really good, moody and inteesting

Talbot Fuller
7 years ago

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Little River

This found between two lakes in my home town

    Antti Ramstedt
    7 years ago



    very nice

    Robert Grant
    Robert Grant
    7 years ago



    nice peaceful image. Looks like a nice place to spend some time

Jimmy K. Phua
7 years ago

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Singapore beach. Excuse me not a river

Singapore is not Known for its beaches or river, however this one is exceptional using long exposure.

    Jimmy K. Phua
    7 years ago



    No it was dark already, Thanks for viewing

    Robert Grant
    Robert Grant
    7 years ago



    I would like to see the shoreline cropped out.. The crop should be just above the last rock. the real beauty is in the foreground

    Rebecca Wagner-Campbell
    7 years ago



    Love this

    Jimmy K. Phua
    7 years ago



    Ok will try it out thanks

    Robert Grant
    Robert Grant
    7 years ago



    great Jimmy!!

    mumtaz yıldız
    7 years ago



    wow dear Jimmy really i like it…

    mumtaz yıldız
    7 years ago



    did u used any polarize filter?

Gerard Gaudet
7 years ago

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Thanks Sasha…


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