When you shoot moving water with long exposure, its chaotic, defined form disappears. The rushing flow transforms, turning from sharp liquid into something ethereal, almost like mist, fog, or swirling gas.
To capture this silky-smooth, dreamy effect:
- Mount your camera on a tripod (essential to prevent any camera shake during the long exposure)
- Switch to Manual mode (M) for full control
- Use a low ISO (100 or 50 if available)
- Set your aperture to f/16 or more
- Aim for a shutter speed of 0.5 to several seconds
- If you're shooting in daylight and can't get a slow enough shutter speed, screw on a neutral density (ND) filter (start with a 6-stop or 10-stop) to reduce incoming light without affecting color
- Use a remote shutter release or 2-second self-timer
Experiment with exposure times, the right duration depends on how fast the water moves and the mood you want.
