Mokoroa Falls by Chris Everall
Chris Says… I enjoy all kinds of photography, but landscapes are my favourite. I booked a photo hiking tour while on holiday in New Zealand when I took this shot of Mokoroa Falls. I used an EOS 760D and EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, which is small and light to carry, even for a full day’s walking. I used a neutral density filter to cut down the bright light and allow a slower shutter speed to increase the blur of the water flowing over the falls. I transferred the image to my mobile phone and did some simple adjustments with the Snapseed app.
Brian Says… Chris’s photo shows the value of taking filters with you, even on a holiday walk. In bright light, the neutral density filter has enabled the 1/10 sec shutter speed to blur the water flowing over the falls. My first look at the picture made me wonder how big the falls were; a closer inspection makes me think they are smaller than I first thought. Putting the camera in a lower position would have improved the composition – the EOS 760D’s vari-angle LCD would have helped, or Chris could have used remote Live View via his phone. I do think the picture can be improved, even in Snapseed, by cropping the shot a little. I would lose most of the still water above the falls and the space on the left side.