# First attempt at water droplets and I'm struggling!



## RP Stevie (Jan 24, 2007)

Hi folks,

Still trying to practise my photography and took a notion of trying water droplets in the bathroom sink but I'm finding it very difficult.










Any comments and hints would be welcomed!

Thanks

Stephen

PS. I'm looking for things to photograph around the house for inspiration since I can't get out much. Any ideas for that as well would be welcomed!


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

1) washing-up liquid: add a drop to increase surface tension
2) flash
3) bounce the flash off of card to colour things up
4) the height of the splash is extremely important. Try the shower instead, and into a bowl. Protect your flash(es) as necessary!

Bret


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

you want something like this, I presume? 








Bret


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## MR Ray (Jun 29, 2007)

Try taking photo closer to water level


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## RP Stevie (Jan 24, 2007)

bretti_kivi said:


> 1) washing-up liquid: add a drop to increase surface tension
> 2) flash
> 3) bounce the flash off of card to colour things up
> 4) the height of the splash is extremely important. Try the shower instead, and into a bowl. Protect your flash(es) as necessary!
> ...


Thanks for the replies. Add the washing up liquid to the water and then let it drop in? I was using the on board flash so I'll try using the Speedlite and using a higher drop. Your picture is exactly what I was trying to do.

Thanks

Stevie


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Also, try adding some food colouring to give some contrast. clear splash on clear water is hard.

That and the bounce card above.


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

the washing-up liquid - just add a drop to the bowl you're dropping in to.

Use the onboard flash to trigger the offboard one, set the power to 1/4 or so and the drip to be relatively frequent. You should get a feel for what works and what doesn't and when you need to hit the button. I'd put the flash at 120 degrees from you and a piece of foil on the other side of the bowl to reflect the light back towards the crown.

If I was doing this now, I'd probably set the flash to HSS and use the big strobes to hit speeds of around 1/250. However, this is a science for itself, so....

Bret


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## RP Stevie (Jan 24, 2007)

Thanks Bret, more experimenting to be done!


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## Adrian Convery (May 27, 2010)

What are the best settings to shoot something like this?


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

don't go too fast. The metadata for the previous shot: 

Camera make PENTAX Corporation
Camera model PENTAX K10D
Orientation Horizontal (normal)
Exposure 1/50
Aperture f/16.0
Exposure Program Manual
ISO 160
Date/Time 2009:10:18 11:57:42
Metering mode Spot
Flash Off
Focal length 50.0 mm
Exposure Mode Manual
Contrast High
Sharpness Hard
Circle Of Confusion 0.020 mm
Focal length 50.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 75.0 mm)
Hyperfocal Distance 7.80 m

- Bret


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Hey Stevie, i feel your pain mate. Ive tried this a few times and as Brett has said trying with just water is pretty much failsville :[

I did have some success but water is to viscous/thin on its own. Some cool it right down or add clycerin or something to thicken and slow it down. If you have none of this to hand i found as soon as i started dripping food colouring from an eye dropper i started getting better results..

This was my first ever shot using just water, first time! 

Untitled by gizto29, on Flickr

Timelapse of me and a friend trying again..


__
https://flic.kr/p/5462835030

Result

Untitled by gizto29, on Flickr

Now with Food colouring, the double collision which is what i was aiming for! 

Woohoo! by gizto29, on Flickr


Double Collision...CHECK!  by gizto29, on Flickr

Next i added some milk which helped even more..
Heres a couple of shots showing my set up..


The set up by gizto29, on Flickr


SOOC by gizto29, on Flickr

Final Result after my lass brought a halt to activities due to food colouring up the walls 


FIRE! by gizto29, on Flickr

I found 1/200 worked best but ideally a macro lens and a lower angle would help alot. Check out this lass on Flickr. Unreal!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/
She has loads of set up shots which is helpful. BAre in mind these guys use programmable timers now to get these shots that activate the drop, flash and shutter electronically!

Hope this lot helps 

Phil


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## RP Stevie (Jan 24, 2007)

Thanks, awesome pictures! Think the missus will go mad when I get the food colouring out!!

Stevie


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

Phil, that green double collision is probably the best water drop shot I've seen.

There's a guy on talkphotography shoots the droplets, as in shoots them with an air rifle.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=361462

Some cracking shots in this thread.


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

Google Harold Edgerton and leave it at that tbh. His shots haven't been improved upon in 80 years and I'm surprised people bother.

Sorry :thumb:


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## ovolo (Jun 7, 2009)

Phil that "fire" shot is awesome matey thanks for sharing it:thumb:


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

RP Stevie said:


> Thanks, awesome pictures! Think the missus will go mad when I get the food colouring out!!
> 
> Stevie


Its bloody messy mate! I had a eye dropper held against the kitchen cupboard to do it. I did a belly slide when i got the first double collision! 



pooma said:


> Phil, that green double collision is probably the best water drop shot I've seen.
> 
> There's a guy on talkphotography shoots the droplets, as in shoots them with an air rifle.
> 
> ...


Haha, cheers Pooma. As i say check out corrie on Flickr, she has some ridiculous shots!
Theres a guy on Flickr who shoots allsorts lol, awesome stuff.


Spiderman by *Corrie*, on Flickr

The Time Machine by *Corrie*, on Flickr

Pink Carousel by *Corrie*, on Flickr



Brazo said:


> Google Harold Edgerton and leave it at that tbh. His shots haven't been improved upon in 80 years and I'm surprised people bother.
> 
> Sorry :thumb:


I'll check him out...



ovolo said:


> Phil that "fire" shot is awesome matey thanks for sharing it:thumb:


Thanks


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

I know i'm probably sounding like a killjoy but I find these water drop shots a technical shot rather than a creative shot. And given it was 'mastered' years ago I personally see little reason to flog it.

And to contradict myself that spiderman shot is great :thumb:


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Brazo said:


> I know i'm probably sounding like a killjoy but I find these water drop shots a technical shot rather than a creative shot. And given it was 'mastered' years ago I personally see little reason to flog it.
> 
> And to contradict myself that spiderman shot is great :thumb:


Yeh, i see what you mean but if you look at her stuff she has taken it and been very creative. She uses all kinds of stuff to do it, adds bokeh and bubble domes which are amazing.


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

I disagree on the "tech vs creative" and I'll explain why: Understanding how to take the shot is only ever half of the story. The other is showing what you want in the way you want. Whether that means water is pink, the focus / position is perfect for spidey or the rate of drops for a pic is another story. Yes, it's slightly easier to deal with something which is predictable - and gives an easy win - which is also positive for them, and encourages them to deal with something that's a bit more difficult. 

I don't have a problem with someone starting off dealing with technically relatively simple but logistically challenging shots, as it gives them a baseline from which to work and allows them to understand the breadth of the challenge they begin to face.

Bret


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## RP Stevie (Jan 24, 2007)

pooma said:


> Phil, that green double collision is probably the best water drop shot I've seen.
> 
> There's a guy on talkphotography shoots the droplets, as in shoots them with an air rifle.
> 
> ...


Some of the photos on that thread are just unreal!

Thanks for all the comments folks - might have bit of more than I can chew with this subject!!

Stevie


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