Folva River

The Folva River runs through a dramatic rocky channel in the Norwegian highlands, where the water breaks into a series of cascading rapids and small waterfalls spread across a wide stretch of the riverbed. The constantly moving water, textured granite, and surrounding mountain landscape give you a lot to work with. A wide angle lens lets you get close to the rushing water and emphasize the foreground rocks, while a telephoto compresses the layered cascades nicely. Use a slow shutter speed, around half a second to two seconds, to smooth out the water and contrast it against the sharp stone surfaces. Overcast days are ideal here since the soft diffused light eliminates harsh shadows in the rocky terrain and keeps detail in both the bright water and darker stone. The riverbanks are accessible on foot and you can move up and downstream to find fresh compositions throughout this section. (Folva, Vestland, Norway)