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View Full Version : Droplet how-to #1 (a shorty!)



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01-09-2006, 04:00 PM
OK here is the VERY short version (since I need to go to bed!)

#1. Unfortunately this will probably not be possible if you have a P+S digicam :er:

I should also point out that I approached this VERY crudely and with no real science other than that if I " get the drops to go where I want and open the shutter at the right time I should get what is in my head" HA!!! sounds easy right?

For my shots I used . . .
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Canon EOS 10D (*note that a Canon Rebel 2000 is used in substitute for the pics here)
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DG Macro
Canon Speedlight 550EX
MICRO-BOX Flash mounted Softbox
Quantaray PZ-1 DSZ (flash triggered slave unit)
Canon RS-80N3 Remote Release Cable
Canon Off Shoe Flash Cord
2-3 Tripods (Velbon 550 Grounder for camera)
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Various household glass pans and plates
Food coloring
Water, vegetable oil, milk, and anything else liquid I feel like trying
Water droppers (various types)
Mirror plates
White and colored posterboard for backdrops
A TV stand table
A large kitchen table with tablecloth for the mess
Lots of trial and error!!!

Basically this stuff below . . .
http://aurigenmedia.com/tutorials/drop%20tut/gear4657.jpg
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To set the preliminary focus I use the tip of a food coloring bottle at the approximate site of the droplets. *A Plumb-Bob or heavy object tied to a string (suspended from the point where you will drop the liquid droplets from) would give more accurate results!

http://aurigenmedia.com/tutorials/drop%20tut/focus4681.jpg

This can/will also test your exposure and flash settings for these shots I used the slave flash at 1/64 flash triggered, main flash on Auto Fill (flash exposure locked before shutter release) and 1/40sec (not sure why, thats just what was on the camera, doesn't really matter because the flash stops the action) and f/10 at ISO 200.

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Here is where the frustration and MEGA exposure count really kicks in . . .

Set your FE Lock, grab a (food) color of choice, position it above the water dish or plate at your pre-determined (and MARKED!) point, make a drop and release the shutter at the correct moment.

Yes, I wish I could be MORE specific about the timing but you really need to experiment with it to figure out when to hit the shutter. For me and this set-up I have learned that when I see the drop fall (from that particular height- about 28") that I need to release when my eye thinks it is about half way to the glass. Different depths or lack of water in the plate affects the different types of splashes you will get depending on your timing!:confused: Also viscosity AND temperature play a large role as well.

Here is an example shot with two previous drops on the plate (in this case a mirror plate) of Green food coloring (other previous drops in background). . .

Image converted to Duo-Tone in PS, Cropped a bit, and slight USM added for web-resize . . .
http://aurigenmedia.com/tutorials/drop%20tut/ex4733.jpg

This is the setup I used for that particular shot . . .

http://aurigenmedia.com/tutorials/drop%20tut/setup24746.jpg

In this one I moved the head of the 550EX to light behind the target for a different effect. The Quantaray effectivley acted as the main light on this one.

PS- In that set-up shot you can see a piece of white label stuck to the table that was used to mark my drop point.

I'll be following up with more info in the future as I am sure this will probably be enough for it's own website by the time I am done with it :stare

jbiscuit
01-09-2006, 04:06 PM
good visual write up Ben

sloLs1
01-09-2006, 08:00 PM
Thats awesome!!!! If you could do that trick with a car in the rain.... I think that would look crazy!