How to Splash: Tutorial
Never thought I’d be writing one of these. But my dear friend Johanne Brunet suggested that I give it a try and so here goes – (just let me know if I’ve not explained anything clearly).
I’ve seen shots like this a hundred times in the photography books and in various websites. These types of shots always interested me, but I never found the opportunity to do one myself. I also thought it required specific equipment that I didn’t have. A rainy day made me try and see what it would look like if I tried this with the equipment I had and frankly I didn’t expect any ‘keepers’.
I figured that the two hardest things about the shot would be the set-up (getting my strobe fast enough to stop the motion while blancing the light properly) and timing the fruit/object fall.
SET UP
Camera – Nikon D80. I chose this camera as well, that’s all I have!!
Lens – Nikon 105 AF-S VR micro – (for obvious reasons – though I’m pretty certain I could have used any lens over 50mm – I chose this lens as it’s sharp and I had been ignoring it for a bit.)
ISO – 400 (needed a little speed for the depth of field)
Shutter speed – 1 / 180
Aperture – f/11 (I needed a decent amount of depth of field because there were going to be some variables in where the fruit was going to be dropped. Even though I was looking for “happy accidents”, I thought good focus would be important no matter what.)
Tripod – Manfrotto 055XProb with a 488RC2 ball-head. Use any sturdy support you have (it’s essential) as you need to prefocus at where the lime/object will likely drop and then just leave it there in manual-focus.
Strobes/Flashguns – I used 2 of them. Nikon SB600 and Nikon SB800 – I didn’t want any light source from the camera as it would have hit the vase/tank and caused all sorts of hot spots and so didn’t use the on-camera flash and instead used both these flashguns off-camera in manual mode triggered wirelessly using the Cactus V2s trigger.
You could use any flashguns triggered by an optical slave instead of a wireless one (you’d still need to use a diffuser to block direct light on the glass) and if you’ve got a strong enough light behind the tank you don’t really need the second flash. I won’t go into the flash settings as it’ll vary depending on your room/studio, distance, power, ambient light (best to switch off all other lights when photographing glass – it tends to reflect the weirdest of things).
Snoots – I use Pringle boxes cut out at one end and just slip them over the flash head. I used them as I wanted the light directed to a pretty small area and the snoot/can acts like a funnel in providing directionality to the flash-light.
Reflectors – put the vase/tank on a white acrylic base (essentially to bounce maximum light back up). Used another white board about 3 ft behind the tank/vase to bounce flash off (you can use different colours for the back-ground (I experimented with a number of colours and will put those up some other day).
Set – I’ve been wanting to use an aquarium but the darned fish are still alive (they never stay alive when I want them to otherwise!) and so used a small rectangular glass vase about 10 inches high and 6 inches broad.
Remote – I used the small wireless Nikon remote to trigger the camera. Absolutely invaluable if you don’t have help as otherwise you’ll be dropping with one hand and clicking with the other!
NOTE:
Initially I just set-up and used a spoon in the vase to focus at and then kept firing test shots till I got all the parameters on the flashguns correct – so essentially kept experimenting with the placement of the flash as well as power and distance of the flash.
Finally worked best with one flash pointing down into the water and the other behind and below the tank pointed at the background.
TIMING
Nothing I can do to tell you about the timing except that after the first 10-20 shots, you develop a ryhthm that is pretty easy to maintain and the number of ‘keepers’ will increase.
That’s all – just needs a little more patience than normal in setting up – once you’re done, you can try anything you want – I tried colour in the water, multiple objects (need a larger tank), coloured backgrounds ….
Nathalie Chaput
Great Work Vikram!
Will try it one day.
micklyn
Thanks, Vikram!! great tutorial ( :
gato
awesome! thank you for this!
TickerGirl
Thank you Vikram. There are so many things I want to try out…
lucin
A fascinating read, said the woman with the compact digital. :)
Vikram Franklin replied
:-( – I’ll need to try it with my compact to figure what all needs to be changed. But yeah it would need some kit to be borrowed/bought.
Wayne Holman
So clever in it’s simplicity, great tutorial Vikram and you’ve captured some fantastic images. It’s something I’ve had in mind for a while, thanks mate =)
blueeyesjus
Thanks for that Vikram, there’s some equipment there I don’t have, I might have to bust out the old print SLR and have a go..thanks again
Karen Tillotson
Fabulous information….thank you very much for sharing!
Lois Bryan
Vikram this is just SOOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOL!!!!! OOOO … I’m printing this baby out immediately!!!!! Fabulous, fabulous!!!!!!! I’m just so excited about your fabulous results!!!! What FUN (and I’m glad you didn’t flush the fishies, lol) ... Hugzz!!!!
Pete Costick
Excellent work Vikram, thank you for sharing this with us, really appreciate that.
Another project for me to try at some point…...just gotta find the time :)
ccwri
Awesome turn out!! Thanks for all the tips!!!!
Carolyn
IndraniGhose
Wow1 Thanks for this.
Vicki Ferrari
Amazing and time consuming tests, well worth while too, Vikram! I also have the Nikon remote but mine doesn’t seem to be instant…. very frustrating! If you were having a similar problem with yours I doubt that you would be able to take these photos…. have you ever had any problems with yours? Fantastic images, BTW!! Your talent is amazing and you have a wise way of teaching! :)
Vikram Franklin replied
Thanks so much Vicki – glad you found this interesting.
The battery might be low in the remote – I found that it tended to either misfire or I had to press it rapidly a few times to trigger the shutter once the battery got low. The range also drops to a few feet when this happens. Otherwise no complaints from the remote at all. BTW, interestingly, I also found I could program my All-in-one remote which I use for the Home Theatre to trigger the camera – LOL!
Dean Mullin
I’m down to one word now Vik…. Legend!
Johanne Brunet
Outstanding work Vikram! I can’t wait to get some strobes and try this out properly. Thank you so much for sharing! It goes right into my favourites! :-)
Ursula Rodgers
That’s a fabulous tutorial Vikram!! Thanks for sharing :))
Paul McGuire
Nice One Vikram! You’ve covered it well! ;)
Kelly Cavanaugh
Thank you so much for this wonderful tutorial!
Vicki Ferrari
LOL re your watch firing your remote!! I can picture you confusing someone with that! i.e. can you please push this when I get in the image? and then press your watch on the way…. and then, acting as serious as you can, please wait until i am there!!! LOL
I am so glad you responded as I have had trouble with remote from day one (want to sell me your watch?!!) – maybe the batteries have always been flat and I didn’t consider that possibility, as it was new…. will let you know!
Please let me know re funny responses to anywatch gigs! I appreciate a good laugh!
:))
Saikat Babin B...
That is GR8 stuff…would be of immense help sometimes down the line Vikram :) Thanks a lot!
PeterBusser
Finally took the time to read all of this tutorial. Really great to read. And something I’d like to try sometime soon (or a bit later than ‘soon’). Thanks!
Dean Mullin
bought me a tank and a wireless flash! – (Sony F58AM) bet the turn out stink! :)
FlowersEtc
Thank you for the very helpful Journal.
Larry Grayam
This is a great report on a very interesting technique, I enjoyed it greatly, I can expect to see more of these photos now that you have opened the eyes of many RB’s to a new and exciting element of photography Well Done Vikram
Vikram Franklin replied
Thank you so much Larry! I know I got atleast one of my RB friends onto these shots. Hope you’re inspired enough :-) Though I do know that these are not your usual style! Birding is way too tough and those lenses are to die for!!
GailD
Thanks for that. I’ll save this article.
Vikram Franklin replied
Glad you found it useful Gail!!
keleka656
Wow! That was some interesting reading. Good job on relaying the detail in getting these shots. You have a lot more than I do for these shots…....lol. I have the camera. Thats it!! I would have to improvise even more than you did. I like a challenge :-)
Your photos really turned out nice. I,too, have been most interested in this type of photography. I find it fascinating. Thank you for sharing. It is inspiring.
Vikram Franklin replied
Improvisation, I’ve found teaches me a lot more somehow!!
Glad you found this useful!
ozlat
cheers buddy !
Vikram Franklin replied
You’re welcome!!
Elysia Ranking
I cant wait to try this, I know what I’m doin tomorrow! Thanks.
Vikram Franklin replied
Thanks Elysia – seeing that you’re a strobist – I can’t wait to see what you come up with!!
I gotta try the splash crown shots like yours. I’ve done drops – just need to make the water a little shallower to get it (I think).
Elysia Ranking
The splashes I’ve got are done in my kitchen sink thats full, so really the waters not that shallow. Looking at slow mo vids on youtube are always fun to really see what shapes you can get! :) Again thanks for the tutorial, I just need to find a fishtank or something alike.. haha!
maxy
Oooooooooo! this looks like fun! thank you for the tips – looking forward to trying it too! xoxo!
Karen Willshaw
Great tutorial. now let’s go have some fun!
Vikram Franklin replied
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!! Though I’d NEVER shoot an indoor shot in my life if I stayed where you do – paradise :-)
Karen Willshaw
LOL. I’ll try and put some time aside for indoor stuff. Especially when it is howling and wet – like it has been the last few days!!. If it’s the same tomorrow… well… ~ Karen <*(((><
Bryan Freeman
Thanks for sharing that Vikram, I’ll have to give it a try one day.
Linda Bianic
Hi Vik,,, I just read this, and hope to give it a go …..mmm, pringles boxes huh,,, I have been known to use an empty paper towel roll.. whatever is at hand huh??
Paulo van Breugel
Definitely something I want to try (need to find out how it works with one flashlight only, but ok), thanks for the tutorial!
Vikram Franklin replied
You’re welcome Paulo! Just wanted to share that it doesn’t need a very elaborate set up.
Like I mentioned above – you can use any strong constant light to light up the background (you’ll just need to be sure of your WB to ensure you don’t get a colour cast).
Lenka
Thanks for sharing, I can’t wait I’ll try it myself but I think it will have to wait until I get a digital camera (hopefully in next two or three months, definitely good for practicing themes like this with many shots that are less successful ;)) Have a nice day and good light :)
Vikram Franklin replied
Oh yes …. I wouldn’t reccomend shooting this on film!! I remember the days when I felt bracketing was a waste – LOL!!
constantchaos
Truly inspirational! Great shots!
Vikram Franklin replied
Thank you so much for your kind words!