The Digital Photography Companion

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WHITE BALANCE

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turn on the fill flash (see Flash Modes earlier in this chapter) and stay within 10 feet

of your subjects. In addition to improving the lighting for outdoor portraits, the flash

helps to freeze the action.

Running water e effect you want determines the shutter speed you choose. If

you want to freeze the water and see droplets suspended in air, use a fast shutter

speed such as 1/250 or 1/500 of a second. If you’re shooting a waterfall and want

a soft, dreamlike effect, select a slow shutter speed, such as 1/8 of a second. In this

case, make sure you have your camera securely mounted on a tripod.

TIP ▼

If the scene is too bright for you to use a slow shutter speed, hold your sunglasses

over the lens while making the exposure. Not only will this create a longer exposure,

but you’ll also get a nice polarizing effect as a bonus! (I describe this in more detail

in Chapter 3, in the aptly-named section, Use Sunglasses as a Polarizing Filter. If your

camera does accept accessory filters, one of the best to have in your kit is a polarizer,

which is much easier to use than holding sunglasses over the lens.

Streaking lights To show motion, use a very slow shutter speed, such as two, four,

or even eight seconds (if your camera provides those options). is method is par-

ticularly effective at twilight to capture cars’ lights as they drive by. Again, mounting ...