Water as seen by our tiny critters - Series

[Stagecoach]

You are doing some really interesting work. So much so that I am thinking maybe time to get back to the macro lens and do ice and snow and forget the birds for a bit....

Hi Bobo,

I have to find something to do in the evenings and this keeps me amused and the knowledge gained with the lighting should assist with shiny backed bugs hopefully.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

They are all nice but #3 is just great!

Hi Binnur, again.

No competition of other drops with this one so I tried to get it larger.

Grahame

[deetheturk]

Grahame,

Well done on #3,you have worked the flash perfectly

Cheers David

[Brownbear]

I really like these because it is like a view into another world (setting aside how beautifully you photograph these scenes) The drop here is beautiful but the 1st image is still my favourite because it provides a clearer view of the vista inside the drop.

This is the final shot from last nights session where I finally got to get flash to give me the result I was after on the water drop.

1/250s, f22, manual flash 1/8th power from behind through a diffuser panel angled at 45 degrees down on to the subject


Grahame

[ClaudioG]

Amazing images Grahame..RALLY inspiring bud..keep it up..great work...may i ask..is that plain water u using?

[Wavelength]

These are winner shots!!!!!

[GeorgeM]

Splendid work, Grahame. #1 is a favorite for me.

[Stagecoach]

Grahame,

Well done on #3,you have worked the flash perfectly

Cheers David

Thank you David. Whilst this back-lighting has provided good lighting for the drop I'm wondering what the result will be if I am lucky enough to introduce a critter to the scene?

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

I really like these because it is like a view into another world (setting aside how beautifully you photograph these scenes) The drop here is beautiful but the 1st image is still my favourite because it provides a clearer view of the vista inside the drop.

Hi Christina,

You make a good observation there and I suspect the loss of detail of the reflection in the drop is due to me getting in closer for this one hence less DoF. This shot was purely concentrating on lighting (flash positioning/power) so I need to repeat now using the same lighting but increase aperture to get the greater DoF and sharper reflection.

A test for tonight if no bugs are forthcoming.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Amazing images Grahame..RALLY inspiring bud..keep it up..great work...may i ask..is that plain water u using?

Hi Claudio,

Thanks for the encouragement. I have purchased some glycerine and made various mixes but not yet come to a definitive conclusion on it's performance. The glycerine is supposed to assist adherence to the surface so its use depends upon whether you have the drop hanging or sitting and I also suspect if the drop is sitting it may affect the rate of seepage into a porous surface.

From what I remember this last shot was with pure water whereas the first two had some glycerine mixed in. I will try and record what results I get with mixes.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

These are winner shots!!!!!

Thanks Nandakumar, I'm enjoying the playing.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Splendid work, Grahame. #1 is a favorite for me.

Thank you George, I'm still torn between No 1 & 3, to date.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Tonight's objective was to try smaller apertures for greater DoF and determine how far I could push things and retain acceptable IQ (to me) for a 1200px width image.

Here's three of the results, the best of a bunch.

No 1 : 1/250s, f32, 36mm tube, Manual flash 1/2 power


No 2 : 1/250s, f36, 36mm tube, Manual flash 1/2 power +1/3EV


No 3 : 1/250s, f36, 36mm tube, Manual flash 1/2 power


Conclusion;

You think you have everything set up identical to your last session but just don't get equivalent results. The lighting reflection at the top of the drop has a shadow that I can't recognise but also the overall scene lighting just does not have the same impact as the flash image previously posted.

The smaller aperture I believe is pushing these too much and in my opinion there's a loss of overall sharpness. The images have been PPd exactly the same as all others so far.

For info the mix for these was exactly 50% water 50% glycerine.

Comments and suggestions are welcome as always especially regarding image quality with this set.

Grahame

[bnnrcn]

I most like #2..#3 doesn't look like a drop,it looks like a glass bead.I think it is because the mixture of water and glycerine makes the drop solid and #3 doesn't sit semi-spherical.

[deetheturk]

Hi Grahame,

Well done bud,i really like these,they are like something from a sci-fi movie

As for the difference in flash,i have noticed a change myself whenever i have tried smaller apertures,im afraid as you know,there's a lot of trial and error

Cheers David

[Wavelength]

Can i use them as paper weights?

[Stagecoach]

I most like #2..#3 doesn't look like a drop,it looks like a glass bead.I think it is because the mixture of water and glycerine makes the drop solid and #3 doesn't sit semi-spherical.

Hi Binnur,

Agree with the 'glass bead' look. Water drops under a certain size retain their shape better due to the surface tension of the water and as they get larger the mass of the water acting down overcomes the surface tension and misshapes them. The sizes that this will happen will also depend upon the mix of glycerine added and the change in mass it has caused.

No doubt there's some data somewhere recorded on this

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Hi Grahame,

Well done bud,i really like these,they are like something from a sci-fi movie

As for the difference in flash,i have noticed a change myself whenever i have tried smaller apertures,im afraid as you know,there's a lot of trial and error

Cheers David

Hi David,

I'll do another session concentrating on lighting and aperture to see if I can determine what happened, with these I was taking too much notice of the reflection within the drop.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Can i use them as paper weights?

Certainly Nandakumar

Grahame