There are many kinds of waterfalls, big and small. Their waters may flow calmly or in huge torrents, giving the waterfalls different characters. The water falling makes for a very appealing subject for photography. Here I took pictures of a waterfall, trying to capture the 'character' of the water.

 
 
Shooting Mode: S (Shutter Priority Auto); Lens: 50-200 mm F2.8-3.5; Aperture: F14; Shutter Speed: 1/2.5 second; Exposure Compensation: ±0; White Balance:  Custom 4600K; ISO: 100; Record Mode: SHQ; Metering Mode: ESP; Flash: Off; Location: Towada, Aomori prefecture; mid-May 


Changing the shutter speed to depict the movement of the water
When taking pictures of waterfalls and mountain streams, changing the shutter speed will affect greatly the resulting picture. With fast shutter speeds you can capture the water spray gushing, while slow shutter speeds can bring out the feel of movement and flow. When shooting pictures of flowing water it may be a good idea to select either fast or slow shutter speeds to get such effects. At mid-range shutter speeds the picture will fall in between and lack a clear expression.

Changing the white balance to bring out the temperature of the water
Waterfalls vary greatly in size and shape. By changing the white balance you can change the impression of the waterfall and its white sprays of water. Do not use only the [AUTO] setting but try taking pictures with other settings like [ Sunny Day], [ Cloudy Day] or [ Shadow]. Depending on the white balance setting, the water may appear in bluer hues, bringing out the feeling of freshness and coolness of the water. However, keep in mind that if the water appears in reddish hues, it will look unnatural.

Changing the ISO sensitivity to control the shutter speed
Most waterfalls can be found in the mountains. Depending on the time of day, the surroundings may be somber and you may not be able to use fast shutter speeds. In such cases, you can increase the ISO sensitivity to be able to use fast shutter speeds. Try setting a high ISO sensitivity to use fast shutter speeds and to 'freeze' in the picture the flow of the waterfall.