High Sierra Topix

Hi Rich

The wispy, cotton candy effect that one can get from using a high f stop, or a high
f stop (16 and up)+ polarizer combo, or by using a 3,6, or 9 stop ND filter, is cool, but
can be over done, and doesn't suit every picture.
See what appeals to you as the photographer, and what are you trying to convey in your
picture.
Sometimes movement, and power is what will bring that photo to life, which is better
captured using faster shutter speeds, experiment with different shutter speeds, and
f-stops to see which resembles the scene, and your artistic vision.
Also taking shots at different exposure levels like -2,0,+2, and then blending them will
work well, and preserves your highlights, and shadows like in this shot, but this technique
doesn't work with every shot, and of coarse a tripod is needed.
http://WildernessApertures.com/img/v26/ ... 6290-6.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

richlong8 wrote: but I think I need to start carrying a tripod. The picture are just not as sharp as they should be. My aperture may be opened up too much also.

depends - sometimes a good rock or in the case of one of my earliest moving water shots, a wooden bridge can serve as support. I shot the below image in 1985, F22, low light 100asa with a Nikkormat EL, self-timer, sitting on the bottom of a bridge., 24mm Tokina el-cheapo lens that died a horrible lens death years later in Corsica. It was cloudy and it was in the woods - dark enough to get at least 2-3 seconds exposure

That's is a wonderful blurred look in that photo. I know the slowest shutter speed I have used is 1/10th. And then I am using some exposure compensation, Neutral density filter, just to get the exposure right. Hmmh.....I have to spend alot more time with my camera this winter if I am ever going to significantly improve my High Sierra landscape type photos. Thats for sure....

forgot to mention a little cheater trick in case you can't get the exposure down low enough. Requirements are a) camera on solid tripod and use of remote trigger to make sure all exposures you take are aligned, and b) a copy of photoshop and the ability to understand this blog post:

http://snapify.blogspot.com/2008/11/fak ... falls.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks. That is an interesting post. Do you know if photoshop elements is capable of that trick?

richlong8 wrote:Thanks. That is an interesting post. Do you know if photoshop elements is capable of that trick?

never used it, but if you can do layers and adjust opacity for each, that's about all it takes

I know photoshop allows you to add layers of the waterfall to the movement and adds different effects. I bought an ND2, ND4, ND8 filters. Going to walker this upcoming weekend, will comeback with photographs. hope to get some nice star trails while up there too...

With Canon Elfs or a Panasonic Lumix, how do you get these effects?

East Side Hiker wrote:With Canon Elfs or a Panasonic Lumix, how do you get these effects?

don't know these cameras very well, but the basics are

- set to the lowest ISO and make sure any "auto iso" is off so the camera doesn't crank it back up to make up for low light

- add a neutral density filter or at least polarizer to cut down the light, use tape if you have to to mount it

- mount camera on tripod, set the aperture to f22 or something similarly dark and have the camera meter the exposure time

- use self timer to take the shot so you don't have to touch it