Shutter Speed Choice for Waterfall Photography Shutter speed determination is a critical factor that determines how the waterfall will appear in the final image. If you want to make the waterfalls appear silky smooth, you need to use a long shutter speed such as 1 second or more. This gives a dreamy effect to the waterfall. The volume of water flowing down the water also determines how long your shutter speed should be for the waterfall to appear smooth. Lower the volume of waterflow, the slower