Waterdroplet photography

[007singh]

Hi all,

So after having read a few items on water droplet photography, I decided to have a little play. Used no extra photography equipment, just my DSLR with a popup flash, and my new lens (though any kit should work).

I setup as expalined in another guide on the web with:
- Glass bowl full to the rim with water
- Coloured item below the bowl, I used blue lid off a plastic container
- Adjust the tap to give drips at a speed you like/need
- Set camera to 1/200 sec, f5.6, 55mm focal length, with flash on, and manual focus
- Mark where the drops fall (with camera in a fixed position) using a cocktail stick, then manual focus to get the focus correct
- Start the drips and start shooting

I got the following two, which I slightly cropped and adjusted the light levels, but not bad start and fair results for only 5 minutes of playing.

Just thought I would share (comments, advice, feedback all welcome):

Edited by 007singh on Thursday 16th September 12:52

[Simpo Two]

Top one works well if cropped top and bottom into 'letterbox' format.

[MartinP]

Nice.

I took some water drop shots a week or so ago. It's good fun as its so random what you get. I did mine in a tray so as to have a large enough area that I didn't include the water's edge in the shot. To get the colour I used an off camera flash bounced off coloured backgrounds to illuminate the water. These are some of the results:

[007singh]

Those are superb! What setting are you using, and what kit?

How did you manage to set focus, is there a better way to do it?

[MartinP]

I was using a Canon 40D with a Sigma 24-70mm lens and a 2x teleconveter with a Canon 430EX II flash gun off to one side with wireless trigger to light the background. The lens was set to around 50mm (so double that with the converter) and shot at 1/125sec @ f/8.0.

I did similar to you for focusing, using a pen as a marker for where the drips were landing and then manually focusing onto that.

Have a look here for the strobist "how to" guide and it also has links to a couple of interesting videos too:
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-photog...

[Whitefly Swatter]

A few of mine

on an upturned glass



glass correct way up (60mm deep)



and just too early but I like the reflection

[paul911]

My new flash arrived this evening. First play…

100mm, ISO 100, F10, 1/250sec

[Whitefly Swatter]

894 photos later

[xrrr]

I was inspired enough to give it a go this morning.

Not sure where I am going wrong as I could not get the flash to freeze the action. e.g. the blob of water in the middle has motion blur. Where am I going wrong?

100mm macro, f/10, 1/250s, ISO100


ETA: flickr link was broke

Edited by xrrr on Saturday 18th September 14:06

[Whitefly Swatter]

xrrr said:

I was inspired enough to give it a go this morning.

Not sure where I am going wrong as I could not get the flash to freeze the action. e.g. the blob of water in the middle has motion blur. Where am I going wrong?

100mm macro, f/10, 1/250s, ISO100


ETA: flickr link was broke

Edited by xrrr on Saturday 18th September 14:06

looks like too much ambient light and/or a slow shutter speed

try to use the fastest shutter speed you camera will sync at or shoot out of direct sunlight

Mine (above) were setup in my 'boys room' with the blinds drawn flash about 300mm from the drip and camera set to 1/250 f18 (camera set to manual)

Bob

[karl_mx5]

Here are a few of mine taken this afternoon. C&C welcome, although I must add that I've just borrowed a colleagues d90 and these are the first photo's taken, so please be gentle!


Waterdrop1 by Ollerton57, on Flickr


Waterdrop2 by Ollerton57, on Flickr


Waterdrop3 by Ollerton57, on Flickr


Waterdrop4 by Ollerton57, on Flickr

edited to add another 2 pictures

Edited by karl_mx5 on Monday 20th September 17:40