12-25-2025, 04:12 AM
I recently got a sturdy tripod and an ND filter to try my hand at long-exposure photography, specifically to capture smooth, silky water in coastal scenes. My first few attempts at a local waterfall were frustrating; the images came out either completely overexposed or oddly blurry despite using a remote shutter. I'm shooting in manual mode on a DSLR. I think my issue is with calculating the correct exposure time when the ND filter is on and finding the right balance between aperture and ISO in changing light. For those who specialize in this, what's your step-by-step process for setting up a shot? How do you meter the scene initially, and what are your go-to settings for a bright daylight waterfall versus a dusk seascape?