waterdrop photography

[SquarePeg]

Great shots! There's someone I follow on Flickr who has some amazing water drop reflection shots (Tony.) and I really enjoy them. So creative!!! I too have always wondered what is in the water to hold the shape and what other "tricks" are used to get the shot. I read somewhere (on the internet so it must be true) that there is a plug in or function in PS that allows you to insert whatever image you like into the drops? That would take all the skill and challenge out of it of course...

 

[zombiesniper]

Your welcome.
What's wrong with my..... oh. I see. I have a little someone in my teeth.

 

[DarkShadow]

Have no idea how you got the American Flag inside a drop but its brilliant.

 

[pasknucklehead]

Great shots! There's someone I follow on Flickr who has some amazing water drop reflection shots (Tony.) and I really enjoy them. So creative!!! I too have always wondered what is in the water to hold the shape and what other "tricks" are used to get the shot. I read somewhere (on the internet so it must be true) that there is a plug in or function in PS that allows you to insert whatever image you like into the drops? That would take all the skill and challenge out of it of course...

I'm still new on this site so I'm not sure if this is my post or not, but I wanted to put my 2 cents in. I couldn't count how many times I've been asked if my drop photography are paintings and I guess in some ways that's a compliment in itself. It's hard for me to grasp the idea that simple drops of water can look like this. You probably can use Photoshop or some kind of program to place anything you want and anywhere you want in a photo, but like you say,what fun is that? All my drops I've accomplished the hard way. It's messy,time consuming and sometimes just a real pain in the butt..but it only takes that one COOL shot that keeps me back at it. And the really cool thing of it is, you will never ever get 2 the same,it's just impossible. I have managed to capture one that looks like a foot,with a big toe and4 little toes and a thumb and also a hand. It's just crazy. And in reply to someone on here about the flag picture, that is what is called a refraction drop . I placed a flag behind the drop and kept firing away until I got what I wanted. It's well worth it in the end my friends. And please, if anyone has any questions,fire away.

 

[pasknucklehead]

Stuuuunnnning pics well done.

Thank you sir!

 

[Watchful]

I'll see your water drop and raise you a thousand.

 

[pasknucklehead]

I'll see your water drop and raise you a thousand.

That is way too funny! And your on!

 

[pasknucklehead]

And here you go!

 

[SquarePeg]

And here you go!

Would love to see your set up for these. Maybe next time take a cell phone pic of your camera/lighting/props before or after you shoot?

 

[pasknucklehead]

And here you go!

Would love to see your set up for these. Maybe next time take a cell phone pic of your camera/lighting/props before or after you shoot?

I can certainly do that. The one with the many drops of water and the flag was actually done using my glass top end table. I started out by spraying the glass with rain-x that's normally used for car windshields. That makes the drops stay put better. Then I apply the drops one by one using a syringe, you have more control using that then you do with a simple medicine dropper, although if that's all you have on hand, you can use that too. You only need to place the drops in a little area of the glass which can be in a circle or square, it doesn't really matter that much. Next is the hard part, underneath the glass and not too far off the floor is where the flag will go. And since this is also a refraction drop, the flag needs to be facing the opposite direction than you would normally see it. You should use a tripod, one that would let you place your camera at an angle shooting downward at the flag below. I tried using my 105 macro lens but for the life of me I just couldn't get my focus right so I think I ended up with my 50 lens. Make sure you focus on the flag THROUGH the drops. And hey, if any of you give it a try, post the results, I'd love to see them. And if you get stuck, I'm here to help. Have fun!

 

[SquarePeg]

And here you go!

Would love to see your set up for these. Maybe next time take a cell phone pic of your camera/lighting/props before or after you shoot?

I can certainly do that. The one with the many drops of water and the flag was actually done using my glass top end table. I started out by spraying the glass with rain-x that's normally used for car windshields. That makes the drops stay put better. Then I apply the drops one by one using a syringe, you have more control using that then you do with a simple medicine dropper, although if that's all you have on hand, you can use that too. You only need to place the drops in a little area of the glass which can be in a circle or square, it doesn't really matter that much. Next is the hard part, underneath the glass and not too far off the floor is where the flag will go. And since this is also a refraction drop, the flag needs to be facing the opposite direction than you would normally see it. You should use a tripod, one that would let you place your camera at an angle shooting downward at the flag below. I tried using my 105 macro lens but for the life of me I just couldn't get my focus right so I think I ended up with my 50 lens. Make sure you focus on the flag THROUGH the drops. And hey, if any of you give it a try, post the results, I'd love to see them. And if you get stuck, I'm here to help. Have fun!

I do have a glass inert coffee table so I will at some point give this a try. I have some pretty cool fabrics that I've been collecting that would make for some interesting drops. Next time I'm going to be home for a few hours... What are you using for lighting?

 

[pasknucklehead]

For the flag one under glass, I'm thinking I sat my end table in front of my double doors to use the available light. You can't really use an on camera flash because that would cause quite a huge hot spot or glare. the other one, I think I called it hanging droplets or something of the sort, I used my sb700 to light the flowers, not the drop. That way you don't get all the glare on the drops, you will some, but not a lot. Hope that helps...Fabrics would be cool to work with. You say next time you are going to be home a few hours, hmmmmmmmmmm try a whole day, these babies are hard to figure out. It seems that all you would have to do is get the flag positioned right, but it doesn't always prove to be that simple...good luck and let us see your results..Just don't make them better than mine!

 

[pasknucklehead]

For the flag one under glass, I'm thinking I sat my end table in front of my double doors to use the available light. You can't really use an on camera flash because that would cause quite a huge hot spot or glare. the other one, I think I called it hanging droplets or something of the sort, I used my sb700 to light the flowers, not the drop. That way you don't get all the glare on the drops, you will some, but not a lot. Hope that helps...Fabrics would be cool to work with. You say next time you are going to be home a few hours, hmmmmmmmmmm try a whole day, these babies are hard to figure out. It seems that all you would have to do is get the flag positioned right, but it doesn't always prove to be that simple...good luck and let us see your results..Just don't make them better than mine!

So where did everyone go? I was getting excited starting to find some water drop friends and now I see no one...what's up with that?

 

[bobthetog]

Some superb shot here folks! At the risk of being assumptive, can we now call this "the water drop thread?

 

[nzmacro]

Must have a couple here somewhere ........

Some anyway. All the best folks.

Danny.