[smaulpaul]

I was wondering how to get pictures similar to the one in the link below:
http://www.tonyrogers.com/images/200...9829_900px.jpg

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ-5 and a shutter speed of 8 seconds max. I hear it's something to do with the shutter speed?

Can someone advise?

thanks

[etaf]

yes - you need to use a low shutter speed to get that effect -
set the camera to shutter priority and take a few pictures at say 1sec 2sec 4sec etc and see the effects, you will need to put the camera on a tripod - do not hand hold. To avoid camera shake it may be worth using the timer to take the picture once composed

i'll look up your model

EDIT
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/fz5.html

you have shutter priority - so my advice above is oK.

[erick295]

1-4" is too high for a scene like that... to get soft water you need something closer to 1/8 or 1/4". Don't forget you'll need a tripod or a stable place to put the camera.

[PopPicker]

The slower the shutter speed the "creamier" the result .

If the ambient light is too great and prevents you from obtaining a low enough speed, you may need to use a neutral density filter or a polarising filter and set the iso to 80.

Personally I use a Pola on my Lumix FZ30, and have obtained some very pleasing results indeed.

The beauty of digital is that it's so easy to see how you went.... and try again.

PP

[trogers99]

Hello. I am the photographer that took that photo.

It was shot at 1/8th of a second and F/21 and ISO 100.

There was quite a bit of daylight at that point, so I had to stop the aperture pretty tight at f/21 to get the water to turn to the "silk" look.

Usually on this river where the photo was taken, I compose images at night or at least at dusk to get a better focal length.

Thanks for everyone who weighed in on this composition. Indeed, you need to go to shutter priority on your camera, on a tripod, and fire images at least as slow as 1/8th of a second, and preferably longer to get that effect. To go longer, shoot in low light at daybreak or after sunrise.

Sincerely,

Tony Rogers

[slipe]

Looking at Tony’s settings it is obvious you can’t just put the camera on shutter priority and dial in a slow shutter.

If you put the camera on aperture priority with the smallest aperture (largest number) and lowest ISO, the camera is using the slowest shutter it can for the given lighting. That wouldn’t be slow enough with most non-DSLR cameras in that lighting because you can’t get down to f21. Your FZ5 goes to only f8 and ISO 80. You could probably shoot at 1/16 second in that light without blowing too many highlights.

To go slower than that you would need lower ambient light or a neutral density filter as PopPicker suggests. A polarizer acts as a lower power neutral density filter and would probably get the shutter slow enough in that light.

Creamy water has become a photographic cliché – I’m tired of it.

[buck52]

Howdy

This was shot at iso 400... 1/13s... f/5.6... handheld but [leaning on the car window] I might add...

Was not looking to silk the water as I'm not a big fan of that like slipe...looking for atleast a tiny bit of DOF...

http://forums.techguy.org/3608057-post484.html

buck

[smaulpaul]

thanks all for your comments. I like to have the odd one in my collection that is nice and "creamy" to make my photos look different when the family see them.

thanks again for your help and the pm trogers!

[trogers99]

Cliche or not, people like these.

--Tony

[PopPicker]

I agree, six of the last twelve 16x20's I've sold were "creamy water" shots. That's 50%, that's worth doing.



PP

[kath100]

I like them. I think the posted photo is superb.

[jdl]

I think it is nothing less than incredible that the person who shot the posted picture responded to the request for help...with his first post here no less. Thanks trogers99.

[trogers99]

You are very welcome.