Creating Silky Smooth Water Effects in Photography

One of the most visually striking effects you can achieve in photography is making water appear silky smooth. Rather than freezing the motion of rushing water and making it look crisp, using a long exposure blurs the movement and creates an almost ethereal, glossy look. Streams, waterfalls, ocean waves, and even rain can take on an incredibly smooth, dreamy quality with this technique. Here’s how to master creating silky water effects.

The Gear You’ll Need

• A DSLR or mirrorless camera that allows full manual control over settings

• A sturdy tripod to stabilize the camera during the long exposure 

• A neutral density (ND) filter to allow longer shutter speeds in bright conditions

• A remote shutter release or self-timer to avoid camera shake when pressing the shutter

Setting Up Your Camera

1. Mount your camera on the tripod and frame your composition. Try to shoot at an angle looking slightly down at the water surface for the smoothest look.

2. Set your camera to Aperture Priority mode and choose a small aperture like f/16 or f/22 for a wide depth of field.

3. Set your ISO as low as it will go, usually 100 or 200, to minimize noise in the long exposures.

4. Attach your ND filter – start with a 6-stop ND and go higher (like 10 stops) for even longer exposures if needed.

Calculating Shutter Speed

To blur the movement of the water smoothly, you’ll need a long shutter speed, usually several seconds or more. The exact time depends on the speed of the water flow.

For slower flows like gentle streams, start around 1⁄4 second. For faster rapids or crashing waves, try 2-4 seconds. Adjust up or down based on your initial results. You may need 15-30 seconds for extremely rapid water.

The camera’s light meter and exposure settings will guide you, but don’t be afraid to experiment with much longer times than the meter suggests for an extreme smoothing effect.

Other Tips

Use a remote or self-timer to avoid blurring from touching the camera. Watch your histogram to ensure you aren’t blowing out highlights. Try both horizontal and vertical orientations to vary the sense of motion. Look for unique perspectives and interesting foregrounds.

With some practice adjusting your shutter speed, you’ll be able to transform any body of water into an atmospheric, velvety flow. Perfectly smooth water can make for some incredibly artistic images with an almost painterly look.