River Rapids

Western North Carolina has plenty of rivers, beautiful basins and lots of features. The problem I have always had is, I can’t always seem to find the shot inside all of that chaos. Today was a bit different, I had stopped to shoot a waterfall, but it was low flow, uninspired, and a bit messy, all in the attempt to test my new lens. 8-16mm f2.8. Those extra 2 mm at the ultra wide end really makes a difference. When the waterfall didn’t pan out, I began appraising the river, and these rapids stuck out to me. So, to do the most I could with the time I had I crawled down the bank and perched atop a large boulder. The tripod set at an awkward angle as I worked with the environment to get the best composition I could without getting into the water.

Water is a difficult thing to learn to shoot, you want texture, but you need to balance it at the same time. Some people dislike fast shutter speeds, some people love it. This is a personal decision for you as you approach the scene. How do you want to see the end result? I try to blend exposures with water, so you get a mix of textures inside of the image that doesn’t look out of place. This is a 1/2 exposure blended with a 1/8th second.

When you approach the scene in a river scenario like this one, you should always make safety your first priority. Find a place you will be secure while adjusting your settings. Make sure your tripod is secure, not vibrating form the water passing between the legs. Vibration will kill your image. Next, work the scene as much as you’re able, if need be, find a new place to set your tripod up. That’s when you begin adjusting your shutter speed, ISO, and Aperture. Take your time, work with what you have, and don’t be afraid to throw out a hundred or more shots just to get the ONE you want.

Until next time.

Aperture: f7.1
ISO: 800
SS: 1/2 Second
Focal: 14mm

Fujinon 8-16 f2.8