Water Drop Photography: I am a relative beginner and am looking for anyone currently slogging through this; I'd like to trade notes. Yes, I know there is a ton of videos, many of them...

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

I am a relative beginner and am looking for anyone currently slogging through this; I'd like to trade notes.
Yes, I know there is a ton of videos, many of them good - what I have been doing
is picking something good from each one and incorporating it into my routine.
Still, it would be nice to chat with someone else and perhaps polish my routine even more.

jcboy3

Howard5252 wrote:

I am a relative beginner and am looking for anyone currently slogging through this; I'd like to trade notes.
Yes, I know there is a ton of videos, many of them good - what I have been doing
is picking something good from each one and incorporating it into my routine.
Still, it would be nice to chat with someone else and perhaps polish my routine even more.

Instead of using a prime lens, I use a zoom lens. If I zoom out, I can see the drop falling and adjust timing until the drop is near the water. Then I can zoom in and get the shot.

I use a frosted glass goblet for ice cream sundays, and the water looks frosted from the flash hitting the frosted glass.

I fill water bottles with my colored solutions, so I've got a variety of colors ready to use.

I put a light stand with a clamp behind the setup, and use colored poster board to change the background.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Neat shot!

compilot Loc: ARIZONA

That shot requires zero polishing, nice!!! Cheers -- Dan.

CindyHouk Loc: Nw MT

Cool shot....I was just practicing this the other day but i don't have a flash so it was pretty tough and I am just learning also.

Vector

Nice!

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

jcboy3 wrote:

Instead of using a prime lens, I use a zoom lens. ... (show quote)

OK; here's a few of my suggestions.

I use Alexa to turn off/on the "Studio" lights; it beats walking around in the dark.

I set the power option of my computer (which is in the same room (Studio) as my water drop setup) to turn off the monitor in 1 minute; it beats trying to cover and uncover the monitor with a dark material.

I move the camera farther away so as to be able to see the drop from the spout to the tray of water and then move it in for the actual shooting. Yes, I do have to refocus but I want to use a prime.

I use a white background and shine colored lites onto it; I'm currently waiting for Adaptalux lights to take over that job.

I will post a photo of my setup when it's more organized.

BTW, the Nikon Z9 is capable of being used for water drop photography, and it doesn't require a flash to do the job. It's an expensive way to go but if you own one, you should give water drop photography a try.

jcboy3

Howard5252 wrote:

OK; here's a few of my suggestions. br br I use ... (show quote)

I don't turn off the lights. I let the controller trigger the camera and dropper, and the camera triggers the flash.

If your use of the Z9 is high frame rate shooting, there are less expensive cameras capable of 120fps that even shoot in RAW (Z9 is limited to JPG). But you need a lot of light to get high shutter speeds to freeze motion, which is where the flash excells.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

jcboy3 wrote:

I don't turn off the lights. I let the controller trigger the camera and dropper, and the camera triggers the flash.

If your use of the Z9 is high frame rate shooting, there are less expensive cameras capable of 120fps that even shoot in RAW (Z9 is limited to JPG). But you need a lot of light to get high shutter speeds to freeze motion, which is where the flash excells.

My point was that if you own the Z9, it would be relatively easy to try some water drop photography. The Z9 has an option that guarantees you will capture the entire trip of the drop from the nozzle to the end of the splash.No timing involved. Yes, there are other cameras that might do the job - I don't own them so I can't say for sure how well they would work. All I said was if you own a Z9, try water drop photography. That was it ... nothing more.
BTW would you tell me your camera settings - when I tried in daytime, I tended to see a faint trail of the drop, caused by the light in the room. When I wrote I was a relative beginner, I meant that I have not yet gotten to multi drop photos. I am still in the one & two drop stage.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Great capture. Is the top drop a second drop falling or is that bouncing back up?

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

Howard5252 wrote:

I am a relative beginner and am looking for anyone currently slogging through this; I'd like to trade notes.
Yes, I know there is a ton of videos, many of them good - what I have been doing
is picking something good from each one and incorporating it into my routine.
Still, it would be nice to chat with someone else and perhaps polish my routine even more.

You might be a beginner but you're a quick learner. Great work.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice shot!

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

tcthome wrote:

Great capture. Is the top drop a second drop falling or is that bouncing back up?

tcthome wrote:

Great capture. Is the top drop a second drop falling or is that bouncing back up?

Actually it's an unintended third drop. What has happened is that a second drop coming down has collided with a spike (an after effect of the first drop) going up and has spread the spike out to the shape of a funnel. The drop you see is an extra drip that came out of the nozzle and is falling. There is A-LOT OF happenstance involved in water drop photography ... at least at my level.

When everything goes as planned (HAH!) the second drop coming down should collide with the first drop going up and the collision begets the mushroom or umbrella effect. There is a ton of YouTube photos and videos that show many of the wondrous possible outcomes of water drop photography.

Skibbyshot

👍👍

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Great shot Howard. You are well on your way!

Don