CHAT - July monthly competition - Water Drop Photography

[DigiDiva]

hi Im back from sunnier shores and had a great time. great theme and one of my favourites........i will take this on with relish.......Grisabella, I set the drips away whilst i set up the camera so the drips have steadied themselves before i take a shot. I use live view, focus on the general drop area then, using the point of a needle , I place the point where the water hits the tray. I then focus on the point of the needle. Then its pot luck..Try to fire the shot in time to capture the drop as it hits the tray. Side lighting is as help too, either an off camera flash if u r lucky enough to have one or a desk lamp. Expect to take a few hundred (seriously) shots, for a handful of decent shots. Be patient and experiment with faster drips, deeper or shallower water for the drops to hit in the tray (this varies the shapeof the drip), and try milk, plain white or coloured with food colouring. Good luck and, as this monthly comp was my idea, I really need support from you guys out there. Use the comps as a way to learn, have fun and improve, rather than a chore.

Welcome to both Sabrina De Winter and Grisabella, its fantastic to see new faces.

[Kerry Holt]

I've finally got my act together and got some pics for you this month but I didn't use a drip bag I used a straw full of water and shot continuously so I didn't miss it!! I'll show you my attempts later or tomorrow! It is quite fun and I love some of the effects.

[Kerry Holt]

so here is my best first attempt shot with no editing so far........

feedback please..........

i used a stainless steel dog bowl!!

[zigga01]

Hi Kerry,

The timing of the shot looks really good and I like that the ripples have been captured as it pulls my eye back into the drop. The shot looks really crisp and I like the angle that it was taken at as most tend to want to get the drop at eye level (much like my effort below )

Personally I am little distracted by the grey background as it doesn't make it easy to separate the drop. I wonder if it was black whether that would make a difference? Just my opinion.

I like it though...

Here's mine: -

[Kerry Holt]

zigga01 i agree my background colour needs adjusting to something which separates the drop more as its a neutral colour i used. yours looks good to me. how did you get it pink? is it reflected onto the water surface or coloured from below the water?

[DigiDiva]

Glad theres early interest. Because the monthly comp was my idea I need to keep it going.

[zigga01]

Originally Posted by Kerry Holt

zigga01 i agree my background colour needs adjusting to something which separates the drop more as its a neutral colour i used. yours looks good to me. how did you get it pink? is it reflected onto the water surface or coloured from below the water?

Basically it was an A4 pink piece of paper that was blue tacked to the wall behind the container of water (which was a clear roasting tray). I then switched all the lights off and fired my flash directly at the paper.

The problem then was that I couldn't actually see the drops coming out of the balloon so I had to continually count the seconds in between drops to try and get the timing right.

Some 300-odd shots later this one came out

[Kerry Holt]

Originally Posted by zigga01

Basically it was an A4 pink piece of paper that was blue tacked to the wall behind the container of water (which was a clear roasting tray). I then switched all the lights off and fired my flash directly at the paper.

I think the quote above is the vital piece of info i need thanks i'll try again because i had my flash firing straight at my drops on lowest power.

Also i shot continuously with a fast lens instead of timing it - it seemed easier but the flash sync is obviously not exact on all of the shots but could probably edit those ones easily enough

[zigga01]

Oh, just to add, I think I set my flash on 1/8th power as well.

[kerbside]

Kerry, you can also use a gell in front of your flash. Don't go and purchase photographic gells as they are so expensive, go to somewhere like W H Smith's and purchase some coloured plastic A4 ring binders they work just as well and are a lot cheaper.

Took this at the weekend and could be my entry depending on what time i have at the end of the month