Water is a great subject for photography that enables photographers to implement their creative ideas in order to capture magnificent clicks. It can allow a person to take cool clicks of mother nature and also capture some fishes and underwater creatures, making it look even more interesting.
But what about the most brilliant clicks that most professionals are taking these days? You might be aware of some of the coolest photographers who go into the wild and capture some of the most breathtaking photos. Well, there is a beginning for everything. If you want to shoot and capture some awesome clicks by taking advantage of the water, then this guide is for you.
Here we will be sharing some of the best creative water photography ideas every photographer should try. You must be fully prepared before you start. So we will be explaining what you need, what settings will be best for you, and what are the best tips that you can follow.
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What is creative water photography?
It involves capturing the movement of water in unique and imaginative ways. You are doing creative water photography when you take photos of water with a slow or long shutter speed to create a sense of motion or stillness.
Quick Settings for Water Photography
Aperture – f/4 – f/8
Focal length – 35mm to 75mm
Contrast Parameter – +1
ISO – Around 100 – 200
Shutter speed – 1/15, 1/2 or slower
Exposure Value – 0, -1,
White Balance – Automatic
Best and Most Creative Water Photography Ideas
Once you are set, now you will want to apply some creative techniques that we are sharing below in order to enhance your water photography skills.
Try Capturing Water Droplets/Drops
The drops of water can make an image look pretty amazing. These drops can be captured from a tip of a nozzle or when the water is dropping from any corner of something at a certain height. Consider taking pictures of water drops on a flower, or you can make it even better if you catch a live-action shot of a drop that is just about to fall.
When you have a perfect background, such shots can catch the heart of the viewer. You will be capturing some of the coolest shots if you have a high-quality camera that has a good aperture and shutter speed settings.
Capture Underwater Objects
To go underwater, it is preferred that you should use a GoPro camera which is waterproof. You can start using your camera to click photos if you have a comfortable grip on it so that you can press and release the button to capture photos instantly. Get inside the water to stay up close with the object you are trying to capture such as a stone or a fish.
Set the camera to manual focus and keep it stable while keeping the shutter speed high and ISO balanced for a perfect click. Then continue snapping and slightly adjust the settings if you are not getting desired results.
If you are using your phone for underwater photography, then you can use the Outdoor Swimming Smartphones Underwater Housing by Willbox on your phone to protect it from water.
Shoot Near Waterfalls
Everybody loves waterfalls, right? And taking some cool photographs also includes the use of waterfalls for your photography. You will be getting much better shots of an after waterfall if it has been raining before. Everything will be clear and more vibrant for your camera to be captured. You can stand at a certain distance from a waterfall and try capturing a shot with a wide focal length and fast shutter speed.
You will be getting all the details of the water in this way which will improve the overall look of the landscape that you are capturing, along with every bit of the details from the waterfall and the greenery and rocks around it.
Pro Tip: If you use a polarizing filter for your photograph, you may even have an ultimate shot that you ever dreamed of!
Capture Splashing Water With Fast Shutter
You can also find a place where there is a stream nearby or a river that is splashing water. Using fast shutter speeds, you can capture the moment to be still with every single drop being rushed and floating here and there in the photo. This will be a cool photograph if you can adjust your angle and find a spot where you can capture the splashing moment of the water in a frame.
Blur Water Effect With Long Exposure
Long exposures are generally the best way to capture moving water. If you use a low exposure, the water will seem frozen, like ice; you may enhance the effect of the water shots by applying motion blur. Shutter speeds of 1/30 second or higher will typically begin to distort flowing water.
Shutter speed of moreover a few seconds provides a “misty” effect, with clarity and smoothness in the water beginning to fade. Generally, a shutter speed of 1/8 to 1 second produces the best results, blurring the water while preserving some texture, although results may vary given the speed and volume of the running water.
Get Benefit Of Water Reflections
Water reflections are a great way of showing your photography skills if you can set a perfect angle and the perfect timing to click a shot. So find a method to include reflections in your photo to give a splash of color and impressionism. Moving water generates a less defined image, frequently little more than a dreamlike swirl of color, but still, water acts as a mirror, providing a flawless reflection.
Take into account that various bodies of water reflect light unevenly. To guarantee that the entire image is crisp and in-focus, search for a single layer and use a small aperture, more like f/16 in most circumstances. If the surface is rough, a tripod and a slightly slower shutter speed can be used to capture softly blurred reflections for a more artistic photo.
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Getting Yourself In The Water
Now here’s the funny thing. You can get yourself into the water, considering you have a waterproof camera to capture the best shots that you ever wanted. By getting into the water, you have more chances of finding suitable clicking angles, such as a wide angle of a pond/river in front of you.
Or you can get your camera close to the water surface and capture a wave splash or a long-distance shot for a landscape click by taking the benefit of the reflection. You can try a few clicks and see how that works out for you.
FAQs
Which Camera is best for underwater photography?
Based on our experience, we would recommend Sony RX100 VII to every photographer who wants to shoot some cool photographs underwater.