Photographing Water.....

King of Groove

King of Groove

Suspended / Banned
Messages
6,956
Name
King
Edit My Images
Yes
In the March 2008 issue of Practical Photography there is a rant on the letters page about how water is shown in photography magazines. I reproduce it.

"I think I shall go mad and scream and stop buying photographic magazines altogether if I see another photograph showing water as a frozen, featureless slab of white nothing, as it is so often portrayed today. In all my long working, and photographic, life, I have never, never, never seen water looking like it is portrayed today. Water has life, depth, light and shade, it has form, and it has texture. Where are these in today's uncritical, slavishly copied, modern images? Are there no thinking photographers left? It's becoming a total bore."

The highlighting is his not mine.

So folks is the person right or wrong?
 
I've never seen a shot of water that looks like a frozen, featureless slab of white nothing
 
Northstreet1 said:
In the March 2008 issue of Practical Photography there is a rant on the letters page about how water is shown in photography magazines. I reproduce it.

"I think I shall go mad and scream and stop buying photographic magazines altogether if I see another photograph showing water as a frozen, featureless slab of white nothing, as it is so often portrayed today. In all my long working, and photographic, life, I have never, never, never seen water looking like it is portrayed today. Water has life, depth, light and shade, it has form, and it has texture. Where are these in today's uncritical, slavishly copied, modern images? Are there no thinking photographers left? It's becoming a total bore."

The highlighting is his not mine.

So folks is the person right or wrong?
Click to expand...

well (s)he's allowed their opinion
not sure it's one I share, though

water taken at high shutter speed so it becomes frozen has its place, as does a slower shutter speed to reveal the patterns

no-one's forcing them to buy the magazine - so scream away dear:nuts:
 
(Clive quickly dons hard hat!)

I'm in two minds on this topic. It is clever how it's done but it's not natural nor is it what the eye sees.
 
Am I on the wrong track here?

I THINK he is referring to the countless shots of slow shutter speed water shots that make it look like a white slab of nothing.

He likes to see droplets and spray and all sorts.

I have to agee up to a point........I too have begun to tire of these images I see daily.

there is a fine line between these two types of shot and most people just go way too slow in my opinon and lose an awful lot. Yes it looks arty... but not at all natural.
 
Janice you're not on the wrong track here!
 
I agree you can so over do movement of water so it no longer looks like water. A sky can also look alien sometimes when long exposed. Blurred shots also seem to be the arty in work of the moment too and it wasn't that long ago we were all shooting with our R72 filters and thinking great ;)
 
I agree it can be overdone, but so what? I dont like pretentious arty toss, dont hear me banging on about it though. :D
 
No, no, no, no, yes I’m in the make it look real brigade the slow shutter speed effect has its place but not in every water, waterfall and seascape you shoot.
 
Hehehe, I love slow water shots, and I'm not ashamed to admit it :)

I actually love the 'alien' look it can give to some shots.

But you have to vary it according to the shot. It depends a lot on the nature of the water as to the effect you get. It also depends a lot on the type of shot you want as well. Obviously not everyone will like the same thing!

If you'll forgive me, here's a selection of mine to illustrate:

1/30s:
Jersey_AM_by_HairyToes.jpg


1.5s:
Out_of_blue_by_HairyToes.jpg


4s:
8_37_by_HairyToes.jpg


10s:
Padley_Gorge_by_HairyToes.jpg


20s:
Beams_by_HairyToes.jpg


30s:
252465-8-porth-nanven-i.jpg


1min+:
Predawn_by_HairyToes.jpg
 
I like both

However if someone pushed me off my fence, I'd probably fall on the side that prefers to see the spashes and droplets frozen rather than the dreamy silky smooth long exposure style. Each has its place.
 
Maybe what the chap should have said was, "I'm tired of seeing photographic clichés". Would have been simpler... :)

TomB love those shots dude!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top