14-Minute Study in Water Flow
This was a week of experiments during which I tried a number of settings and scenarios to get a 14–15-minute exposure using my 10x neutral density filter. Running out of time, I tried this on our kitchen faucet and made an amazing discovery. The photo you are looking at is a 14-minute exposure and I expected the water to be blurred and soft. Instead, it illustrated the stunning consistency of the stream outlets.
It turns out the science of designing nozzles is fairly complex.
- See this informative PDF, "
What's in a Spray." - Or this range of products from a company that specializes in nozzle design https://www.tecpro.com.au/productcat/spray-nozzles/
Then look around, they are everywhere. From your car windshield washer, to your shower, faucet, refrigerator, garden house, deodorant, all forms of makeup and so much more.
Assignment
Photography is all about capturing a little slice of time, but a really cool way of shooting is to go the opposite route and grab a larger amount of time - that's what a Long Shutter speed photo is all about. You can get some truly magical shots with this technique. Think in terms of seconds as opposed to fractions of a second. Think of landscape photos with smoothened out cloud movements or those silky water falls. If you're in the city, light trails from the taillights of moving vehicles or the blurred hustle-bustle of a crowd in a market - these are real sweet ways of grabbing not just moments, but whole experiences. Night shots with long shutter speeds help you take those wonderful cityscapes, and let's not forget those absolute amazeballs Astro shots of the night sky and stars. Got a local celebration with fireworks? - that's a fantabulous opportunity for some literally lit af shots. There are plenty of ways you can use long shutter speeds creatively—maybe to show some movement with motion blur or panning like an action portrait of a kid going down a playground slide. Got some rainy weather? Stock up on your patience and grab some dramatic lightning strikes. In the end, just take your time, go slow, stay steady, and breathe…
