Sunrise with ND8 filter @Bedok Reservoir

[Stanly]

I'm trying out sunrise/sunset pictures soon. Read on some magazines that the use of ND filters will create a more dramatic skies and silkier water. If I were to use the ND8 filters, what are the things to look out for? Any tips?

Btw I was wondering which spot at the Bedok Reservoir will be a nice spot for sunrise? Thanks.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I'm trying out sunrise/sunset pictures soon. Read on some magazines that the use of ND filters will create a more dramatic skies and silkier water. If I were to use the ND8 filters, what are the things to look out for? Any tips?

Btw I was wondering which spot at the Bedok Reservoir will be a nice spot for sunrise? Thanks.

Do you know what ND filters essentially do?
Then you will know why ND8 is ideal or not for sunrise/sunset.

 

[Smiles88]

I'm trying out sunrise/sunset pictures soon. Read on some magazines that the use of ND filters will create a more dramatic skies and silkier water. If I were to use the ND8 filters, what are the things to look out for? Any tips?

Btw I was wondering which spot at the Bedok Reservoir will be a nice spot for sunrise? Thanks.

Is there anything to look out for? :think: I think you should read up on filters.

 

[night86mare]

I'm trying out sunrise/sunset pictures soon. Read on some magazines that the use of ND filters will create a more dramatic skies and silkier water. If I were to use the ND8 filters, what are the things to look out for? Any tips?

Btw I was wondering which spot at the Bedok Reservoir will be a nice spot for sunrise? Thanks.

hi,

suspect the "more dramatic skies" refers to graduated nd filters.

please do more reading up, the understanding is still not very clear. as to what to look out for, nothing much actually, you just have to be clear on what they are for, otherwise you will just snap a filter on and achieve nothing substantial.

bedok reservoir is a tough nut for composition, very insubstantial foreground, but it's definitely worth exploring. at the very worst, you can always just shoot reflected sunrise sky.

 

[candycaine]

suspect the "more dramatic skies" refers to graduated nd filters.

Either that, or it could be "more dramatic skies" arising from cloud movement+long exposure.

Either way, it's quite clear that TS' understanding is not quite there.

 

[iarshad]

I'm trying out sunrise/sunset pictures soon. Read on some magazines that the use of ND filters will create a more dramatic skies and silkier water. If I were to use the ND8 filters, what are the things to look out for? Any tips?

Btw I was wondering which spot at the Bedok Reservoir will be a nice spot for sunrise? Thanks.

When you say silkier water, it means you have taken shot in long exposure and water seems smooth in long exposure shots.
Now in order to have longer exposure one would set the lowest iso and the bigger aperture value(smaller aperture like f/22 or even more if you have). But its limited that shot still may not give you the desire shutter speed, to reduce shutter further now you need some filter which cuts the light and you can set even slower shutter. I guess thats what it means by silkier and dramatic. Hope it helps and goodluck with shooting. Shoot more and more and as suggested by some senior member read more too for better understanding.
I am also learning like you. I also caught sunrise some time back at bedok reservoir. You may see in my flickr link below.
http://www.flickr.com/imm_arshad
I dint have ND filter
Imran

 

[dingaroo]

Question:

If body of water, like at Bedok Reservoir, is very calm and still, how to make it more 'silkier' when there is no gust of wind?

Just me wondering aloud.

Consider hiring several propellers and have them placed at the opposite end of where you are shooting, or persuade Mother Nature to blow some wind for you.

Cheers!

 

[dannyfoxy]

i think ND doesn't make different.. I have tried ;p
You need clouds.. sun.. wind.. and HDR to make it dramatic.

 

[candycaine]

Now in order to have longer exposure one would set the lowest iso and the bigger aperture value(smaller aperture like f/22 or even more if you have). But its limited that shot still may not give you the desire shutter speed, to reduce shutter further now you need some filter which cuts the light and you can set even slower shutter.

Do remember that using f22 will lead to diffraction which leads to image softness. If you are willing to trade this for a longer shutter speed, then it's your call

 

[Smiles88]

Question:

If body of water, like at Bedok Reservoir, is very calm and still, how to make it more 'silkier' when there is no gust of wind?

Just me wondering aloud.

Consider hiring several propellers and have them placed at the opposite end of where you are shooting, or persuade Mother Nature to blow some wind for you.

Cheers!

Very true bro. If there's no wind or there's no movement of the water, I don't think even a shutter speed of 24hrs will be of any help.

TS, by dramatic skies, do you mean the movements of clouds or the "end of the world" effects?

 

[night86mare]

Question:

If body of water, like at Bedok Reservoir, is very calm and still, how to make it more 'silkier' when there is no gust of wind?

Just me wondering aloud.

Consider hiring several propellers and have them placed at the opposite end of where you are shooting, or persuade Mother Nature to blow some wind for you.

Cheers!

that is like using a big rock to smash an egg.

there is a much easier way, you can always jump around in the water if it's shallow enough. out of the frame, and not so much that you knock your camera over, of course. after all, it is a reservoir, usually the water edge is quite shallow.

that said, reflections are equally appealing in their own way. i'm not sure why people like "silky waters" all the time, smokey waters work better with dramatic landscapes, for the small small rocks that you usually find in reservoirs, i tend to prefer reflections.

 

[dingaroo]

that is like using a big rock to smash an egg.

there is a much easier way, you can always jump around in the water if it's shallow enough. out of the frame, and not so much that you knock your camera over, of course. after all, it is a reservoir, usually the water edge is quite shallow.

that said, reflections are equally appealing in their own way. i'm not sure why people like "silky waters" all the time, smokey waters work better with dramatic landscapes, for the small small rocks that you usually find in reservoirs, i tend to prefer reflections.

Guess soulfly has influenced most people with the LE effects ... but like you said, even a calm body of water has its beauty ... but to each his or her own.