Photographing Silky Waterfalls this Spring

Spring is in the air. As such, the water is falling, not only from the sky, but from the mountains as well—cascading down from lakes and peaks, streaming down hillsides, and gushing over precipices in showy displays of one of nature's most powerful forces. Here in the Northwest, we love our waterfalls.

Capturing a waterfall in a photo however can be a tricky prospect, as simple snapshots usually render waterfall images dull and uninspired. What moves us are those dramatic images of silky, streaming waterfalls, rich in color and ethereal in their mood. It's not difficult to capture these kinds of photos. It just takes a little patience, practice, and switching your camera off the "auto" function.

In the recent issue of Washington Trails, photographer Buff Black details just how to go about taking photographs of silky waterfalls with just a few easy steps. The keys: switch out of "auto," use a tripod, and get creative. Check out Buff's article, "Blurring the Lines," then get out there and shoot some of your own spectacular waterfall images this spring.