Go with the flow
One reader, one pro… a keen outdoor photographer chases waterfalls in the company of Jeremy Flint
Words and location
photos: Niall Hampton
The Pro
Name: Jeremy Flint
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Based in Oxford, England, Jeremy Flint gave up his previous career as an accountant to become a pro travel photographer nine years ago. He has since received various prestigious awards, including one from National Geographic Traveller, and has been a six-time finalist in the Travel Photographer of the Year contest.
Insta: @jeremyflintphotography
The Apprentice
Name: Liam Matthews
Camera: Canon EOS 70D
Based in south Wales, Liam is a keen enthusiast who enjoys outdoor and aviation photography. Before joining us in Waterfall Country, he had recently been shooting at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford and was keen to develop his skills at capturing the wonder of waterfalls.
Insta: @liam_matthews_photography
Welcome to Digital Camera Apprentice, where we pair a reader with a professional photographer for a day of shooting together. The concept is simple: the pro acts as a photographic mentor, sharing their expert insights to help the reader improve their favoured genre of photography – it’s like having a one-to-one workshop, but a wider audience gets to see what happens. This month, we’re in Wales, at Waterfall Country in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, where Canon pro Jeremy Flint will be mentoring a keen reader looking to improve their photography of moving water. Liam Matthews has travelled up from Swansea to join us today and, as a fellow Canon shooter, speaks the same camera language as Jeremy. And we can thank our pro for bringing us here – the Four Falls Trail is one of Jeremy’s favourite locations in the UK for waterfall photography and allows visitors to enjoy the breathtaking sights and soothing sounds of cascading water.
Waterfall photos 101
Things to bear in mind when capturing water in motion
1 Water protection
Working close to water, there’s always going to be a risk of spray contacting the front element of the lens. So take a microfibre cloth with you to wipe away any water from the waterfall, but take care to avoid creating streaks.
2 Sturdy tripod
Liam would be the first to admit that his tripod wasn’t the most robust on the market, but he needed to travel light. Banish any likelihood of wobble by using a tripod that is substantial enough to offer a rock-solid shooting platform.
3 Shoot raw files
Bring out the best in your captures by shooting raw. There’s more latitude for making adjustments at the editing stage afterwards and the sedate pace of waterfall photography means you’re unlikely to fill your memory card.