What makes a dramatic subject for landscape photographers? For Jiro Tateno, the first thing that comes to mind is dramatic clouds such as these waterfall clouds, which occur only under certain conditions. He shares tips on increasing your chances of finding and capturing them in full glory. (Reported by Jiro Tateno, Digital Camera Magazine)

EOS R5/ RF24-105mm f/4L IS USM/ FL: 63mm/ Manual exposure (f/11, 1/15 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: 4,900K
Location: Shiori Pass, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Shooting date and time: 27 September, 5:15 am

 

Waterfall clouds: Sea of clouds shot at 50mm

Like their name suggests, waterfall clouds, known as “takigumo” in Japanese, is a natural phenomenon where the clouds look like they are flowing down a mountain slope. Because they occur only under certain conditions, they are exciting to encounter—and you aren’t alone if you feel the pressure to get a good shot! But when you do, the sense of achievement is priceless.

The tips below will help increase your chances of a successful shot. While I’ve used my shots from Shiori Pass as an example, they should apply for most other places that are geographically predisposed to waterfall clouds.

 

1. When: Calm early mornings after a huge nighttime temperature drop

Waterfall clouds are like a special version of the “sea of clouds” phenomena. The conditions where waterfall clouds are likely to appear are the same as those for the sea of clouds:

- High radiative cooling (explained below)
- Early morning
- Clear skies
- High humidity

However, even if those conditions are met and you see a wonderful sea of clouds, there is no guarantee that they will also form waterfall clouds! So besides all the weather conditions coinciding at the same time, you also need luck.

At Shiori Pass where I shot the main image, the waterfall clouds are more likely to appear early in the morning in autumn. The image was shot in late September at 5:15 am.

Not enough radiative cooling

The same location on a different day. When radiative cooling is low, the sea of clouds is thinner and the waterfall clouds are less obvious.

 

2. Use a slow shutter to capture the drama

A: Wait for the sea of clouds to overflow
B: Use a slow shutter to capture the “flowing” waterfall clouds

“Waterfall clouds” happen when the sea of clouds in landforms such as gorges and valleys becomes so thick or rises so much that it overflows and spills over the surrounding peaks. The clouds are moving, and they probably move faster than you might expect!

Just like how you would capture a waterfall or flowing stream, using a slow shutter is a great way to capture the dynamism in the scene and achieve a dramatic picture. I took the main image at 1/15 seconds.

Pro tip 1: Find the optimal shutter speed—don’t overexpose the shot!

Unless you use an ND filter, a shutter speed that is longer than 1 second will probably blow out the cloud details and make the cloud motion less visible.

Overexposed at 15 seconds

Beyond a certain extent, blown highlight details will be irrecoverable even if you shoot in RAW. Use your histogram and zebra display to help you check for overexposure.

Pro tip 2: Use an ND filter when it starts to get bright

I usually bring 2 ND filters with me:
- An ND400 filter, which lets you shoot up to 9 shutter speed stops’ slower
- An ND16 filter, which lets you shoot up to 4 shutter speed stops’ slower

Before sunrise, you can use a slower shutter speed without worrying much about exposure. In fact, you probably will have to use a slow shutter speed anyway if it’s dim enough—it would be a matter of deciding how slow to go to show enough cloud motion!

It’s a different story when the sun starts rising: even 1/15 or 1/8 seconds could overexpose the shot. Using an ND filter lets you take slow shutter shots even in daylight.

Pro tip 3: Release the shutter remotely

When taking a slow shutter or long exposure shot, pressing the shutter button could introduce blurring from camera shake. I usually use a remote control to release the shutter. I have also found it useful for shooting on unstable ground when I don’t want to touch my setup.

 

 

3. Getting close-ups of waterfall clouds

If you get to the location early enough, you’ll be able to capture different variations of the scene as it unfolds, from twilight to daybreak to sunrise. Here’s some knowledge that could help plan your shoot flow (and the lenses that you use).

You will rarely see waterfall clouds before daybreak: usually, it starts with just a sea of clouds. This is a good time to take a wider shot of the entire landscape covered with clouds.

Sea of clouds shot at 50mm
Daybreak. The sea of clouds isn’t quite “overflowing” yet, so I took an overview shot.

If all the weather conditions are in order, the clouds in the valleys will build up enough to spill over the surrounding mountains like a waterfall. This often happens soon after sunrise. That’s a good time to take your close-ups of them as they cascade. They probably won’t last for long, so don’t take your own sweet time! As cloud cover grows, the “basins” where the waterfall clouds are flowing into will fill up and become another part of a denser sea of clouds.

A close-up of waterfall clouds at 500mm
A lucky shot just after sunrise, where the golden sunlight makes the waterfall clouds glow. It’s captivating to see and a pleasure to capture.

 

About the location: Shiori Pass, Niigata Prefecture

Name in Japanese: 枝折峠 (Shiori Touge)

Address: Around Hainomata through Ginzan Daira, Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture
Access: A 60-min drive from Koide IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway via Route 352. Note: The route is narrow and winding. A shuttle bus is available on some days during peak season.

More about the place: 
- There are a few shooting spots. The main image was shot at “Waterfall Cloud and Sea of Clouds Viewpoint 1”.
- This viewpoint is accessible from June till early November. Route 352 closes in early November for safety reasons.
- You get the highest chances of seeing the waterfall clouds if you visit from the end of September to November.

Site: Uonuma City Tourism (Japanese) (Other languages are available through machine translation)