Slow Shutter Photography

I love to capture water falls in a slow shutter action so that it looks like a sheet or freezing water.
Where ever I find a water flow and water falls, I would waste almost close to 2 hours capturing the water falls in the camera. I normally carry a small tripod in my camera back pack which is very handy and light weight. Most of the shots I have taken are using this small tripod. Very rarely I have used the bigger tripod.

The best time to get the freezing motion or sheet effect would be early morning or late evening after 4 pm when the light is less. It would be even better if the sun rays are not visible. Any lens with a max aperture > 18 can be used. So far I have used an 18-135mm and 18-105mm lens for most of the shots. Other additional things which you need to carry are a ND – 4, 8 (Neutral Density Filter) which would cut down the light so that you can take the picture with more exposure settings. I have used manual settings to control both aperture and shutter settings. I would recommend using matrix metering if you are using Nikon camera and Evaluative metering if you are using a Canon camera.
Make sure the tripod is steady, quite often my camera has been saved falling into the water since it was on a rock.
Carry an umbrella with you, which is always handy

Photos from Slow Shutter settings.

Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains

One of the most favourite destinations visited in NSW, approx around 125 kms from Sydney CDB.
There are various reasons why the mountains were called Blue Mountains.
The Blue Mountains is densely populated by oil bearing Eucalyptus trees. The atmosphere is filled with finely dispersed droplets of oil, which, in combination with dust particles and water vapour, scatter short-wave length rays of light which are predominantly blue in colour. (Source Internet)

I took an explorer bus to roam around the Blue Mountains. Total 29 stops Hop on Hop off anywhere on the 29 stops.


I like capturing water falls in freezing motion (Slow Shutter). Weather was also good, misty weather and low light will be an added advantage for long exposure.
I decided to visit Leura Cascasdes and if possible Gordon falls. The trail was slippery due rain. After hiking about 40 mins i could see the Leura Cascades.



I wanted to go to the base of the water fall, so that I could get some clear shots. But the evening light made it tough to walk to the base of the water fall. I took some photos on the way back.





Leura Cascades Hiking trail


The trail was slippery due to rain, I wanted to get down of the water fall but couldn’t manage to get down of the water fall.
As the light started to fade I hiked back to the station.
Reached YHA hostel for a good sound sleep


Woke up little late, due the cramps. I guess this happens if you trek once in a while.
The plan for the day was to visit the Scenic world and then hike to Katoomba Falls.

Back on the explorer bus stop number 10 to Katoomba cascades. After that back to stop no 12(Scenic World). The silver pass is valid for a one way single ride on the each of these Scenic Railway, Cable way and Skyway.

One the way best way to use the silver pass is to take a scenic railway and then Scenic Walkway, way back to scenic world via cable way. Return to stop no 9 via Skyway.

Scenic railway: It is the world’s steepest railway, inclined @ 52 degrees
Info from Web: World's steepest incline railway (Guinness Book of Records 1997+)
Maximum gradient: 52 degrees or 1 in 0.82 or 122%.
Length of incline: 415 metres (1360 ft)
Vertical descent: originally 229 metres (750 ft), now 178m.


Scenic Walkway: This can be done in 10 mins to 45 mins depending on your fitness. I decided to take the longest route. It took me about an hour to finish the walk. It was worth going through the rain forest. I was able to watch couple of Lyre female birds on the trail which is one of the rarest sights. The Lyre bird could imitate any bird’s voice, even human voice.
The major difference between both is the two long feathers that the male Lyrebird has on his tail which he develops after he is two years old

Cable Way: The Scenic Cableway takes you on a 545 metre ride into - or out of - the World Heritage-listed rainforest of the Jamison Valley.

Skyway : Nowhere else in the world can you experience this thrill.
The Skyway takes you on a 720 metre journey, 270m above ancient ravines and dazzling waterfalls. You are suspended over Jurassic rainforests as you glide smoothly across the sky.
The 360 degree bird's eye view from the Skyway takes in the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls, Mount Solitary and the never ending expanse of the Jamison Valley.

The best part of the skyway is an Electro-Sceniglass floor. At the flip of a switch, breathtaking views are revealed through the cabin floor. This gives a complete view the canyon.





The katoomba falls looks gorgeous from the skyway, falling down approx 801 ft in three layers.

Back to Busstop no 9, while waiting for the last explorer bus i took some photos of the Autumn beauty at Blue Mountains.



The maple leaves looks beautiful during autumn. Autumn color change of leaves around blue mountains cover the canopy.


It was worth spending couple of days at blue mountains, I wish i could spend a week to cover all the water falls around blue mountains.