What Shutter Speed for Moving Water?

[Waddizzle]

I am in the NYC tri-state area.  You are not supposed to leave your home unless your purpose has been deemed essential.  This means I cannot get out take photos.  So, let's discuss tips, tricks, and techniques that you like to use.  Today, moving water.

What range of shutter speeds do you prefer to use for moving water?  I think this was shout at about 1/50 sec, or even maybe 1/25 sec.  My preference is to capture the [movement] as the human eye might see it, rather than turning it into an ice formation.

I think this shot is a perfect example of what I mean.  The water is not frozen droplets, but it doesn't look like frozen ice, or something.  This is pretty much what my brain saw as I was driving by when suddenly it exploded, "STOP THE CAR!!!"

[shadowsports]

Yours > Great photo!

I need to take some wave photos or streams.

This looks like an icicle.  1/125 Sidewalk snap.  Good for comparison. Trying to find the RAW of this but can't.

[Waddizzle]

I love the fountain.  My avatar is Poseidon, who used to have water coming out of his mouth 50+ years ago.

That is the same pond where I go to photograph the white egrets.  They rarely turn on the fountain lights.  I have no idea what the mindset is behind that policy.  When you do see the lights, there is only one fountain running.

As for the shutter speed I used, my thinking was leaning towards film and video frame shutter speeds.  The 24fps standard was selected, in part, because it was just fast enough for the human brain not to notice that the eye was watching a sequence of still frames.

But, those still frames where capturing images that the brain interpreted as natural motion.  And, that is where I got the idea to use a 1/25 sec shutter speed to photograph moving water.  The result is almost always "natural" looking.  

[EDIT] Or course, I used a tripod for the shot.  I guess I need to look up exactly what the exposure was.

[RobertTheFat]

Waddizzle's fountains look just right to me. But on the whole, I'm not a fan of the current fad of photographing flowing water with slow shutter speeds. In Rick's picture, for example, I would prefer to see the water drops sharp. Just a personal preference, but a strongly held one.

[John_SD]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

I am in the NYC tri-state area.  You are not supposed to leave your home unless your purpose has been deemed essential.  This means I cannot get out take photos.  So, let's discuss tips, tricks, and techniques that you like to use.  Today, moving water.

What range of shutter speeds do you prefer to use for moving water?  I think this was shout at about 1/50 sec, or even maybe 1/25 sec.  My preference is to capture the [movement] as the human eye might see it, rather than turning it into an ice formation.

I think this shot is a perfect example of what I mean.  The water is not frozen droplets, but it doesn't look like frozen ice, or something.  This is pretty much what my brain saw as I was driving by when suddenly it exploded, "STOP THE CAR!!!"

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That is an excellent photo and I think you are spot on with your recommendation of shutter speed range. With a fountain like that, I would use 1/25 sec. Do you recall what the ISO was?

[Waddizzle]

I did not tag this photo.  It is in my archives somewhere.  I am still looking for it.  I remember this was the first time that I tried to photograph moving water with a SS similar to what you would use in video.

[kvbarkley]

It depens on your vision. On my recent California trip

https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Share-Your-Photos/California-Coast-Images/m-p/295821#M2344

I went for fast shutter speed to catch the ocean spray, And I think P mode chose the right speed for the dual waterfall. My position was precarious and wit was in the shade, so I could not experiment much which slower speeds.

[joe_okura]

i like shutter speed from 1/15of a sec to 1000 th of a sec depends on the time and day with conditions.

storm cape cod by joseph kelly, on Flickr

fish ladders by joseph kelly, on Flickr

[links changed to proper forum format]

[ebiggs1]

If you learn how to use Photoshop, your SS doesn't matter much.

[joe_okura]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

If you learn how to use Photoshop, your SS doesn't matter much.

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very true 2 exampleson this one you see the photo but no shot data.

example 2   <----- this one while not a direct photo gives you lens cameradata and exposure things to build on

                                  joe