The subject for next weeks competition is .....
"Droplets"
Allways wanted to give this art form a try. I know a few of you have done this with great results, so if there are any tips for set up please post them :beer:
Rules:
Pictures to be taken between 00.01am Monday 28th to Sunday 3rd January.
Pictures to be posted in the entries thread no later than 23.59pm Monday 4th January.
Poll will be up Tuesday 5th January until 23.59pm Friday 8th January.
Winner to be announced Saturday 9th (winner should post the new topic no later than 23.59 Sunday 10th January).
The Rules for the weekly competition are...
By entering you agree to take responsibility to
post a topic on the Sunday following your declared win
create an entries thread
create a chat thread
create a poll for that weeks comp and declare the winner on the Saturday
(if for any reason there is a problem and no subject is posted by the winner by Monday night admin will advise second place winner to post the topic asap, do the poll etc)
In case of a tie, the first entry posted wins.
photos to be taken during the specified dates, ie sunday xx to Monday xx
pictures to be posted in the entries thread no later than 23.59 Monday night
Poll to be created Tuesday to run till Friday, winner declared Saturday
Editing limits to be specified by the person choosing the competition subject, if nothing is mentioned then there is no limit to editing allowed.
Montage images should only contain images taken within specified dates
Please don't vote for your own entry
Everyone is welcome and comments and critique on the entries are also welcome
Posting your entries, and settiing up the poll. Instructions are here: http://cameracraniums.com/forum/index.php?topic=382.0
I've had a go at this once before without too much success. Must be time to improve on past c*ck-ups.
Of course, a droplet does not have to be on of those carefully crafted shots of a water drop causing a splash!
So a close up of a droplet on a leaf or hanging off a leaf is equally is interesting.
Condensation on windows is made up of hundreds of droplets.
I'm definitely gonna try and give this a go - just not sure what angle to take on it yet.
Looks like I had a go at this a day too early & posted a couple from the kitchen sink. Have a read of this http://drippy2009.blogspot.com/ there are some great shots and surprisingly shutter speed has nothing to do with it, set up in a darkened room and flash duration is the key. The blog suggests using a flash off camera (but I dont have a trigger) and using coloured gels over the flash, had to use my flash on camera with an empty stella bottle as my gel.
Simon
interesting article.
Now to find the space to test it out
Quote from: bones615 on December 27, 2009, 09:18:52 AM
Looks like I had a go at this a day too early & posted a couple from the kitchen sink. Have a read of this http://drippy2009.blogspot.com/ there are some great shots and surprisingly shutter speed has nothing to do with it, set up in a darkened room and flash duration is the key. The blog suggests using a flash off camera (but I dont have a trigger) and using coloured gels over the flash, had to use my flash on camera with an empty stella bottle as my gel.
Simon
i tried this tip with the Stella but it wasn't any good....but there again i do buy cans. :legit:
Well looking at Bones's entry this week, it's going to take an awesome picture to beat it. :tup:
Yup, I now truly appreciate your entry bones :tup: had my first attempt at this art form earlier today with no success at all lol..
After having a go I did some reading and I see what you mean about shutter/flash etc.
So have been doing some thinking on my plan for tommorow, mirror lock up, remote release, longer lens (I dont have a macro lens), flash off cam, set at a low power to make the duration less, f16-22 ish, baking tray for recepticle and I am going to try and put an interesting background into the mix. I am not confident lol, as I have no good way to produce the drops from a good height, but I will enter something :beer:
:legit:
Quote from: oRGie on December 30, 2009, 09:44:43 PM
Yup, I now truly appreciate your entry bones :tup: had my first attempt at this art form earlier today with no success at all lol..
After having a go I did some reading and I see what you mean about shutter/flash etc.
So have been doing some thinking on my plan for tommorow, mirror lock up, remote release, longer lens (I dont have a macro lens), flash off cam, set at a low power to make the duration less, f16-22 ish, baking tray for recepticle and I am going to try and put an interesting background into the mix. I am not confident lol, as I have no good way to produce the drops from a good height, but I will enter something :beer:
:legit:
Had another go tonight & the one i posted must have been a fluke, got some nice shots though. Its difficult to get enough light with the flash turned down, 1/32 seems a happy medium. Mirror lock is not needed just set the drips going click the shutter release until the battery dies. I put a pint mug in the top cupboard & a siphon tube with a tap on the end making the drips (knew that homebrew gear would come in handy).
Posted the best of the rest here if you are interested.
http://cid-c3b781754176c72e.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Water%20Drops
Simon
The one you posted is the best so far, but I like quite a few of the ones you got, I like the crown type too..
Check the droplet pic in this thread over at potn, about half way down the page
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=760327&page=141
It was that shot that got me interested in trying this out.. seen even more fantstic work on teh web since I set the comp, amazing stuff when you get it down.
Quote from: oRGie on December 30, 2009, 10:14:16 PM
The one you posted is the best so far, but I like quite a few of the ones you got, I like the crown type too..
Check the droplet pic in this thread over at potn, about half way down the page
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=760327&page=141
It was that shot that got me interested in trying this out.. seen even more fantstic work on teh web since I set the comp, amazing stuff when you get it down.
Those type are pretty impressive, you need to time the drop to hit the spout from the previous one then hit the shutter at the right time, no idea how???
Have a look through this http://drippy2009.blogspot.com/ he is using 2 different coloured liquids to make some really nice images.
Amazing stuff in that blog, I allways thought droplet shots were good, but now trying to do it I realise just how good they are..
I havent managed to get a good shot yet (2 hours messing about in the kitchen), I need a better set up, more height especially. This one is allmost an hdr, not my entry, far too much photoshop to be fair to the spirit of the comp, but at least I have a reasonable exposure and starting to get focus. I just needed to share something from my efforts tonight lol
(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_droplet_0632a.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/droplet_0632a.jpg)
:beer:
That looks good to me, I like the gold but how did you get it just around the drop? I have been using a piece of coloured card against the back wall that casts a reflection over everything.
We need to be careful on the amount of time spent in the kitchen, my wife thinks I may be turning into a "new man" and finds it very easy to call and say "while you are in there could you just....." , I might even have to learn how to operate the washing machine >:(
Don't forget the trickling / dripping tap method, that's what I used for these old shots. Catch the droplets as they fall. ;)
(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_Tap-water.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/Tap-water.jpg)
A few shots colourised and put together in Elements.
(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_Water-Droplets.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/Water-Droplets.jpg)
1: Canon 30D with Tamron SP 90mm macro lens
2: Glass of water standing on (empty) beer can in sink. Frying pan behind to provide background lol...
3: Turned on tap to a slow trickle, and fired a few shots hand held. Onboard flash was used, and manual focus.
Shot from about 5" and cropped the shot.
Wish this had been last week during the freeze
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4215360858_a6d35b4419_o.jpg)
Zenmer, thats a lovely photo :)
Mick, I was using the dripping tap method lol, but I was trying to catch the bounce, first in the washing up bowl and then on a baking tray, but my tap is one of those swan neck types and is too low to have enough force to make a good splash :) Love the shots, must give catching a falling drop a try too :)
Bones, sadly I cheated :D 1 raw with different colour temps, blended and masked.. I did use a gold reflector, but for the blue I just cooled it down a lot. Thats why I wouldnt enter it. If I could actually get that with lighting I would be over the moon :beer:
Todays attempts are getting better, got more height by using the shower this time :tup: still a ways to go to get this subject as I had imagined I would, but got some pleasing images to me anyway and no photoshoppery this time apart from a bit of sharpening, contrast and crop adjustments.
Tripod, 1/160 F14 off cam flash 430ex at 50% power + popup, remote release, manual focus (not nailed it as I would like yet), gold reflector and black plastic bag in various ways, about 1 meter drop.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2619/4232221700_379c7c8a74.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/4232221496_22ffa24bd6.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/4231453491_58a3a61779.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4232220750_5506b16fa2.jpg)
Love the colouring in the third one orgie
Quote from: wendoureecat on January 01, 2010, 10:02:52 AM
Love the colouring in the third one orgie
Thanks, that was a gold reflector underneath a glass baking tray :)
Just realised what that shot reminds me of.........liquid amber ;D
Droplets on my mind lol, hopefully this is a sign of spring coming..
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4240362969_0dc3f547b0_b.jpg)
This is my reject as I've gone with the frozen droplets instead. ;D
Drops:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2485/4241584864_53a3d42a95.jpg) (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2485/4241584864_53a3d42a95_b.jpg)
Click for bigger size.
Thats gorgeous Andy, but I think you chose well, your entry is stunning :tup:
Howard, I like the watermark you used for the background, also a lovely shot. I'm with you on needing a macro lens
Well so far some amazing shots in this week :beer:
Quote from: oRGie on January 03, 2010, 06:13:31 PM
Howard, I like the watermark you used for the background, also a lovely shot. I'm with you on needing a macro lens
There is indeed a watermark background, embedded at 2% opacity. Bottom line, if this is clearly visible without applying any adjustments to the image then might I be so bold as to suggest that some monitor calibration chez oRGie is pretty much essential. ;)
You should be able to discern all of the graduations in this greyscale with even changes between each division. Although because it's been compressed a second time the darker three (XYZ) are less distinct than in the original chart.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4241092403_962b490eac_o.jpg)
Spent about ten minutes trying some more out. Here's a couple of rejects. If I can improve on my entry then it may change.
Been trying to get something for this weeks comp but have to admit that I'm strugling to get a decent shot! Not quite sure where I'm going wrong.
Camera is on tripod with remote release, off camera flash (tried in various positions) with a baking tray of water and dripping water in by hand from a bottle\jug from between 1 to 2 feet high.
Most have been between f/10 & f/16 with a shutter speed of 1/250 but have also used 1/20 which seemed to help. Focus is set to manual and used a prop to set the focus of where the water drops would be.
I've read through plenty of blogs, tips etc but just can't seem to get anything I'm happy with.
Will see if I can get a shot before close of play tomorrow but I doubt it will compete with some of the stunning entries already posted.
Steve
Steve, I'm doing mine on a monopod with on camera flash,manual focus,250th sec,f7.1 and 800 iso. It's all about timing.The shutter is set for one shot due to the recycling time of the cameras flash. Can't be bothered with the speedlite.
Quote from: stevebedder on January 03, 2010, 07:30:10 PM
Been trying to get something for this weeks comp but have to admit that I'm strugling to get a decent shot! Not quite sure where I'm going wrong.
Camera is on tripod with remote release, off camera flash (tried in various positions) with a baking tray of water and dripping water in by hand from a bottle\jug from between 1 to 2 feet high.
Most have been between f/10 & f/16 with a shutter speed of 1/250 but have also used 1/20 which seemed to help. Focus is set to manual and used a prop to set the focus of where the water drops would be.
I've read through plenty of blogs, tips etc but just can't seem to get anything I'm happy with.
Will see if I can get a shot before close of play tomorrow but I doubt it will compete with some of the stunning entries already posted.
Steve
Have you turned the light in the room off & the flash power down, I read that it will give a shorter flash duration, stopping motion.
i have to say that although my efforts won't win any gold stars, a combination of getting a new lens and a curiosity to see the results, i have actually gone out of my way to have a go at this comp, i set up a carboard box, a tripod with a couple of different vessels filled with milk/water/fruit juice and tried it with a torch light passing thru a bottle of Rosa Faustino Rioja, assisted by a less than enthusiastic wife and slightly less so daughter i have taken about 1000 shots and only have about 12 to show for it, bad light stopped play in the end, i even brought in a lamp from the conservatory (wife not happy) but just couldn't get the shutter speed. I will have another go at this next week.
milk
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_5743.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_5783.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_5904.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6276.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6276.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6308.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6368.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6391.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6450.jpg)
dropping olive oil onto milk
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6580.jpg)
water/wine
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6859.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6868.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6949.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y221/gunniglealan/liquid%20splash/DSC_6960.jpg)
I'm also struggling like hell to get something decent enough to post :( My problem seems to be getting the focus in the correct place even though It in manual and pre-focus - AAAAaaargh who :( came up with this subject :2funny: :2funny: :2funny:
Quote from: bones615 on January 03, 2010, 07:55:19 PM
Quote from: stevebedder on January 03, 2010, 07:30:10 PM
Been trying to get something for this weeks comp but have to admit that I'm strugling to get a decent shot! Not quite sure where I'm going wrong.
Camera is on tripod with remote release, off camera flash (tried in various positions) with a baking tray of water and dripping water in by hand from a bottle\jug from between 1 to 2 feet high.
Most have been between f/10 & f/16 with a shutter speed of 1/250 but have also used 1/20 which seemed to help. Focus is set to manual and used a prop to set the focus of where the water drops would be.
I've read through plenty of blogs, tips etc but just can't seem to get anything I'm happy with.
Will see if I can get a shot before close of play tomorrow but I doubt it will compete with some of the stunning entries already posted.
Steve
Have you turned the light in the room off & the flash power down, I read that it will give a shorter flash duration, stopping motion.
Yep, have tried with light off, small light on on, big light on.
My problem is getting a crisp focus on the droplet that is made!
Steve
If I carry on much longer the pub will be shut. :o Tried a piece of plastic in the bottom of the middle drainer and seemed to be more pleasing on the eye. Now decided this is my entry. Getting the drops in focus is hard work but sometimes you get lucky.
(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_IMG_6587-web.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/IMG_6587-web.jpg)
I went out today to take some pics of icicles. Got lots, including some which were dripping. But I'm very sad to report not one worth submitting. The darn things are transparent! Some pix showed their shadows and that's as close as I came! But the walk wasn't wasted - the day was beautiful, the snow in the woods deep and clean and the air clear and cold.
Cracking shot Jim!! Enjoy the pub :tup:
Quote from: stevebedder on January 03, 2010, 09:06:07 PM
Cracking shot Jim!! Enjoy the pub :tup:
Cheers and I'll try my best to. :beer: :beer:
Quote from: Tringle WP on January 03, 2010, 06:56:05 PM
There is indeed a watermark background, embedded at 2% opacity. Bottom line, if this is clearly visible without applying any adjustments to the image then might I be so bold as to suggest that some monitor calibration chez oRGie is pretty much essential. ;)
You should be able to discern all of the graduations in this greyscale with even changes between each division. Although because it's been compressed a second time the darker three (XYZ) are less distinct than in the original chart.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4241092403_962b490eac_o.jpg)
I think I used that chart to set mine up, I can see all the definitions perfectly, but I notice now that my monitor has moved slightly on the stand over time and was at a flatter angle to the desk, or not flat to my face, but even corrected I still see the watermark ;)
Quote from: irv_b on January 03, 2010, 08:16:43 PM
My problem seems to be getting the focus in the correct place even though It in manual and pre-focus - AAAAaaargh who :( came up with this subject :2funny: :2funny: :2funny:
Haha, it really does make you appreciate the skill in some of the shots I have seen on the web :2funny:
Puzzling about the greyscale. You really shouldn't be able to see a 2% change unless the brightness is turned up too much. The only thing that I can suggest is that the slope is wrong. I don't mean the angle on the desk. Do you have a colorimeter like a Spyder or Pantone Huey or somesuch?
And indeed, many of the shots on the web are quite astounding. One of my flickr contacts (known also to most of us here) Duckprints does excellent work with this topic : http://www.flickr.com/photos/21257890@N04/sets/72157608292249309/
This was the best of my water droplets attempts - it's water with some paprika mixed into give it some texture and colour. I think I may give it another go in the future -way in the future ;D
(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_splash.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/splash.jpg)
I adjusted my brightness down a little, but can still see the watermark (not the sig, the background) in Howards shot, in fact I can now see it even in the darker green areas of the leaf too, before I spend any more time fiddling with this, can anyone else see the watermark in Howards shot ?
I can see it in the green on normal brightness and just about see it in the black when brightness is turned up fully.
Yes I can see it both in the background and on the leaf. Very faint but easily discernible the longer one looks at it. This is when the image is clicked upon to enlarge it by the way, not the small posted shot in which I see nothing. My monitor was recalibrated earlier this morning to a luminance of 120 and a gamma value of 2.2 - recommended settings using my EyeOne2 and posted many times on the Adobe forums. I can also see all the gradations in the scale that was posted.
aha, ok thanks for putting my mind at rest. I dont see it in the small version also, only on the full size. It is faint, but I think because its white on a black background and the dark green of the leaf its showing.
Sorry, I won't put a 2% mark on again. Most of my other postings have been watermarked in this way - and it is definitely more obvious in the larger size. And the © on the leaf is the most evident part.
I calibrated my monitor about a week ago.
Sorry to be brief, got guests at the mo'
Later: we've just looked at the picture on my visitor's Macbook pro and on an Acer netbook. There is only a very faint © visible on the leaf and I had to point out to them where it was before they could discern it. Even with the brightness turned right up the text on the black background was barely visible.
I did notice, however, that on my non glossy monitor that the watermark became distinctly visible if I looked at the screen off axis - particularly if viewed from higher than the horizontal.
Quote from: SimonW on January 03, 2010, 08:59:49 PM
I went out today to take some pics of icicles. Got lots, including some which were dripping. But I'm very sad to report not one worth submitting. The darn things are transparent! Some pix showed their shadows and that's as close as I came! But the walk wasn't wasted - the day was beautiful, the snow in the woods deep and clean and the air clear and cold.
With Icicles shooting at an angle usually works, or find one that forms around a blade of grass or plant stem make it easier, as you have something to focus on. :tup:
Yes, it's great walking through the deep crisp snow with winter sunshine, but had to wait until gone noon before the sun appeared. ;D
Unfortunately will have to give this one a miss...........everything I freeze melts within about 2 minutes after taking it out of the freezer ;D talk about extreme weather conditions.
or extremely effective heating system :tup:
See how hot it is here. It has addled my brain. I posted this in the wrong thread ;D