Jubilee River

[ctrollen]

This is my first ever attempt at long exposure! I recently bought a decent tripod[1] and a 10-stop ND filter[2] so off I went for a play. My initial plan was to visit the Virginia Water cascade but unfortunately there is no water cascading currently! I didn't really have a plan B in mind but but ended up at the Jubilee River near Slough where I seemed to remember there was a weir near a small car park. It wasn't the ideal sport but at least it gave me some moving water. I know that the trees are blurred but I was limited as to my vantage point.

[1] 3 Legged Thing PUNKS Billy which is seems rather good, although anything would compared to my £50 Velbon which I've just taken to the charity shop.
[2] Hoya Pro ND1000 to fit my 15-85 lens.

Comments, critiques and any helpful advice for a LE newbie gratefully received. I am off to Norfolk next month and hope to have some more opportunities for LE then.


Jubilee River Weir by Chris Trollen, on Flickr

I also had a quick play with the NIK Silver Efex plugin:


Jubilee River Weir by Chris Trollen, on Flickr

[tesarver]

Re: Jubilee River

Nicely done Chris. I Like the BW version. As for LE in Day light the 10 Stop will keep you under 30sec. When I shot LE in the daytime, I’m looking for a 2 to 3 minute exposure time to smooth out the water. I use a 10 stop + a variable 8 stop NDFilter. Before Putting the filters on the lens, I set the exposure for Av, set the ISO for 100, and then f/16 and then see what he shutter speed is for a normal shot. I also set the focus point, then switch the focus to manual and turn off the vibration control. Next I place the filter combo on the lens, then dial the variable to the # of stops to give me the 2 - 3 minute Exposure. Normally with the 10 stop al I need is an additional 3 stops for that time. I set the camera up for live exposure and the shutter release for a 2 sec timer. For the 6DMKII and the 80D when I set the camera to Bulb mode, in the menu, you can set. Timer for Bulb exposure. I set the exposure time based on the normal exposure taken earlier + 13 stops (Found a app for the Phone) then press the shutter release and wait.


Tom

[tesarver]

Re: Jubilee River

Also I photo a lot of waterfalls. What I’m looking for in a falls is a 6 to 13 sec exposure. Most Waterfalls ar in the woods so a 10 stop will give you a very silky look, what you need is a 8-stop variable ND filter so you can control the exposure time.

Tom

[ctrollen]

Re: Jubilee River

Thanks a lot, Tom. I used the same technique as you but started off at f8 which only gave me about 4 seconds and had to stop down to f16 or even f22 in bright sunlight to get me to 30 seconds.

I thought 10-stops would be enough but can see the benefit of another few to decrease shutter speed even further. As mentioned, we are off to the coast next month so I am hoping to have more goes with the sea. It's very flat in Norfolk though, so no waterfalls!

[tesarver]

Re: Jubilee River

Keep in mind that sensor size and lens have a sweet spot for the best sharpness. When you push past that sweet spot you start to lose sharpness, normally for a full from that starts around f/18 and I believe for a smaller sensor it is around f/12. Correct me if I'm wrong but the point is once you pass that sweet spot you start sacrificing image quality for smoother water. That is another reason I use the 10 stop + a 8 stop variable ND as well.

Tom

[ctrollen]

Re: Jubilee River

Yes, I didn't want to be f22 but had little choice at the time. Perhaps investing in a variable ND will be worth it although I can't see me doing a huge amount of LE.

[Trev B]

Re: Jubilee River

Lovely shot Chris - I to like the B&W