New Improved Water Drops

[Dr. Jeff]

Finally got the water drop collisions down. Well that's a stretch. 400 or so pictures to get 5-10 good collisions, but they're damned cool!

For those that don't know, the collision is one drop hitting the water and splashing up into the air, and then another drop colliding with the drop that's splashing up. Its what gives you the mushroom at the top.

Damn I love this stupid stuff! [smilie=crazy]

I told you I'd get some better pictures Busta, give me some time and I'll get something frame worthy for you! :mrgreen:

http://huebner.smugmug.com/Things/Water-Drops/IMG0654-Edit/803259530_qAk9c-L.jpg

http://huebner.smugmug.com/Things/Water-Drops/IMG0670-Edit/803260486_T3tA4-L.jpg

[36Tango]

Pretty cool stuff!

[BDM]

DJ, can you explain your setup for these?

I'm pretty interested in trying to replicate your success, but as you could see from the others I messed around with.... I wasn't nearly as successful as you've been... :)

[Dr. Jeff]

The biggest two tricks that I've learned since starting this are:
- Get your angle low so you get good reflections
- Control the drip rate. The drops have to land in the same place every time otherwise you can't focus.
- The flash is the key. It took me FOREVER to figure this out. I spend what seemed like an eternity getting my focus right, but every other picture was blurry especially if there was a lot of motion like in the collision pictures. The solution is to turn my flash WAY down. These were shot at 1/64 power. Not only does that allow a fast recycle which = more pictures, but more importantly, a 1/64 powered flash is MUCH faster than a full powered flash. It wasn't that my focus was off, it was motion blur that was getting me. By increasing my ISO a little and turning the flash way down I was able to freeze the motion.

[ggspot]

wow[smilie=appl]

[wet pleasure]

cool pics. I thought the camera was for girls, boats,cars and trucks. [smilie=hah]

[My Corona]

those are nice but i still like boob pictures better.

[msboogieman]

Really cool. Isn't it great how something so simple can be so beautiful?

[Sea Esta]

Nice work! Really like the first one.

[bustag]

Ok Jeffrey, now you have me wanting to frame a series of four. [smilie=101.gif]:mrgreen:

That is some crazy cool stuff. [smilie=appl]

I've asked you many times in the past and I'll ask again, do you ever sleep???? How much more can you fit on your plate? :roll::mrgreen:

[smilie=042.gif]

[FlyenBrian]

Those are just amazing. For your next project, may I suggest water drops bouncing off....bunns. :}

[Video Bob]

What are you using for a background and lighting? Is the flash on a stand or the camera?

[Dr. Jeff]

What are you using for a background and lighting? Is the flash on a stand or the camera?

Right now I'm using an on shoe flash bouncing against white paper behind the drop, it allows me to then change the color profile in Lightroom and get whatever color water and lighting I want.

My goal (once my damned remote reciever gets here from Hong Kong) is to add a second off shoe flash and bounce them into different colored paper or gels. The way I'm doing it now works okay because the water is transparent, but I'm kind of cheating by doing the colors in LR or photoshop. I plan on trying colored water and things like milk, and when I do, I'll need to have the lighting and color actually coming from the flashes.

[Dr. Jeff]

Oh ya, and one from today. The two drops have already collided above the third drop, and the third drop is going up through the mushroom created by the first two hitting.

http://huebner.smugmug.com/Things/Water-Drops/IMG1323/804832705_qPSmd-L.jpg

[Video Bob]

WOW. that's cool! The trigger finger on your pimp hand is quick!

[Lawrence]

Really cool pictures. Cool pastime while waiting for spring and warmer weather.