Water droplets

[George Farmer]

I've been meaning to have a go at this technique for ages.

I help run my local photography club at RAF Marham and thought I'd demonstrate this technique to the other members, even though I've never done it before. No pressure then!

Water is dripped from a suspended poly bag above a blue plastic bowl, and captured with my macro lens and off-camera flash. The technique is surprisingly simple, and once you get into a rhythm with the drops, it's not too hard to get the timing right.

 

[Themuleous]

The second one is very nice indeed love the perfect spheres of the first two droplets.

Sam

 

[Gfish]

Didn't you take photos like this for a certain mobile phone network????
Excellent second shot! Now you have to try get cool reflections in the droplets.

 

[ceg4048]

Good stuff mate. Nice and clean with sweet focusing.

Aperture/f-stop data?

Cheers,

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks, guys.

Clive - 1st shot - 100mm, f/8, 1/8000, ISO 400.
2nd shot - 100mm, f/11, 1/8000, ISO 400.

Pre-focus was the trickiest part.

 

[ceg4048]

Thanks. I didn't realize you could flash sync at 1/8000. Cool.

Yeah, the focusing was going to be my next question. Seems to be spot on. Well done mate!

Cheers,

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks mate.

Yes, usually flash sync is 1/250 max, but there's a high-speed mode on my flash gun.

To pre-focus I had a colleague place a pen lid at the point where the drops hit the water, so it was easier to focus on that.

Here's another shot.

 

[ceg4048]

Good idea, makes sense.
Did a good job on aperture/distance selection as well. Small enough to ensure sharpness on subject while isolating it from the background.

My only niggle with this last one is that the drops aren't centred within the "crown" and the aft splash drops are outside the DoF. You'd probably have to repeat the shot 50,000 times to get it perfect though...

Cheers,

 

[Mark Evans]

Quality mate!

I reckon, for many new to photography, or for anyone wanting learn and understand their camera, This simple but effective style of photography is the way to do it.

It can be set up at home easily, and will bring the user up to speed relatively quickly with F stops and shutter speeds.

 

[John Starkey]

Hi George,i love the second shot,its nice and colourful and very sharp,here,s a pic of one i did earlier this year,

like you said once you have it all set up its just a case of timing,
regards,
john.

 

[George Farmer]

Thanks, guys.

Great shot, John. I remember well the first time you posted that and I asked how you did it!

 

[NeilW]

Seeing your great photos this may be up your street George;

 

[LondonDragon]

Nice shots George, tried this a few years back, not that hard once you get the hang of it an external flash is a must though!

 

[George Farmer]

Seeing your great photos this may be up your street George;

http://vimeo.com/14955603

Fantastic video - thanks, Neil!

Nice shots George, tried this a few years back, not that hard once you get the hang of it an external flash is a must though!

Thanks mate. Yes, quite simple really if you have the right gear.

 

[Mark Evans]

at one point in the vid, it shows a dslr fitted with the 65mm MP-E.

awseome vid. I may try this to get 'in touch' with my gear.

 

[George Farmer]

at one point in the vid, it shows a dslr fitted with the 65mm MP-E.

I wonder if that was when the guy was referring to the 1mm DoF?

 

[Mark Evans]

I wonder if that was when the guy was referring to the 1mm DoF?

possibly, but the high speed camera reference, shows it was shot on a high end, HD canon video camera. Not sure what the DSLR was their for. It definitely shows it though.

DOF on the 65mm is unbearable at times.