How to Photograph Waterfalls: 9 Tips

Have you ever wondered how to take awesome photographs of waterfalls? In the below video, landscape photographer Mads Peter Iversen shares nine tips on how to capture stunning images of waterfalls.

"In this episode, I visit two waterfalls in Lofoten, Norway," Iversen says. "Waterfalls are favorite subjects of mine in landscape photography. If you go through my portfolio, you'd see many of those photos. Lofoten is not known for waterfalls and the two I visit were fairly small, which had me work a little harder. While photographing the waterfalls I share 9 tips, such as camera settings and shutter speed, but also composition, and practical tips in regard to filters and tripods."

Here are the nine tips for photographing waterfalls that Iversen discusses and demonstrates in the below video.

#1 Determine if you need filters BEFORE you find your composition

#2 Pick a shutter speed between 1/4 second and a one second

#3 Composition: Foreground – Midground—Background. Where is the waterfall and how do you use it?

#4 Change your perspective and focal length to change the relative size of the elements in your scene.

#5 Rain and melting snow feeds waterfalls. More downpour = larger waterfalls.

#6 Take a long-exposed photo of the entire waterfall and analyze parts/sections of it.

#7 Think holistically about your photo. What you include/exclude in your scene should benefit the entire photo.

#8 You can plan all you want in regard to the weather. In my experience, you should just go -- you never know!

#9 At small waterfalls, you have to get low. As in…really low!

Watch the video where Iversen explains everything amidst stunning shots of Norway. Then go visit his YouTube channel for more great photography tutorials.

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