Weekly Assignment #86: Submerged

NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
edited October 1, 2008 in Assignments
We did shoot reflections, we had fun with bottles and liquid surfaces... This time we're going to shoot a (completely) submerged subject, incorporating both the object and the surrounding liquid into a single frame.
Use of a polarizer to kill the reflections is recommended. As always, try not only to be theme-compliant, but actually deliver a message, i.e. provide some good quality image.

Fresh captures only. Moderate post-processing. Shot should be taken from above, i.e. through the liquid surface...

Let's get submerged!
"May the f/stop be with you!"
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Comments

  • JAGJAG Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator
    edited July 25, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    We did shoot reflections, we had fun with bottles and liquid surfaces... This time we're going to shoot a (completely) submerged subject, incorporating both the object and the surrounding liquid into a single frame.
    Use of a polarizer to kill the reflections is recommended. As always, try not only to be theme-compliant, but actually deliver a message, i.e. provide some good quality image.

    Fresh captures only. Moderate post-processing.

    Let's get submerged!

    Ahhh..you are definately challenging us aren't you! Putting my thinking cap back on...headscratch.gif
    ~JAG (Joyce) - My site: JAG Creations JAG Creations be a fan.
  • spb13spb13 Registered Users Posts: 133 Major grins
    edited July 25, 2008
    "Under the Sea"

    338775228_H6BTG-L.jpg

    By the way...pineapples float. :D
    Sean

    http://spbdesigns.com
    http://gallery.spbdesigns.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 25, 2008
    spb13 wrote:
    "Under the Sea"
    By the way...pineapples float. :D
    Sean, thank you! thumb.gif
    Actually, I must apologize bowdown.gif , I wasn't clear: the shot must be taken from ABOVE, through the liquid surface deal.gif
    I will modify the lead post.
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • spb13spb13 Registered Users Posts: 133 Major grins
    edited July 25, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Sean, thank you! thumb.gif
    Actually, I must apologize bowdown.gif , I wasn't clear: the shot must be taken from ABOVE, through the liquid surface deal.gif
    I will modify the lead post.

    Well damn. That actually brings up a question then. In my test shots I didn't always "see" the water. I am guessing that you want it to be obvious that we are shooting through water? headscratch.gif
    Sean

    http://spbdesigns.com
    http://gallery.spbdesigns.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 25, 2008
    spb13 wrote:
    Well damn. That actually brings up a question then. In my test shots I didn't always "see" the water. I am guessing that you want it to be obvious that we are shooting through water? headscratch.gif
    Yes, that's the challenge...deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • OffTopicOffTopic Registered Users Posts: 521 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    Hmmm...now I'm confused...headscratch.gif I shot this before I read your post to Sean. Does it count because you can see the surface of the water?

    339166224_wDc78-M.jpg


    (Yeah, a composite of two frames...my "fruit dropper" had some creative ownership and insisted rolleyes1.gif)
    Lori
    My Photos
    My Blog
    On Google+
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  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    OffTopic wrote:
    Hmmm...now I'm confused...headscratch.gif I shot this before I read your post to Sean. Does it count because you can see the surface of the water?

    (Yeah, a composite of two frames...my "fruit dropper" had some creative ownership and insisted rolleyes1.gif)
    Lori, this is very good all by itself thumb.gif , but can you please redo with the correction in mind rolleyes1.gifbowdown.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • spb13spb13 Registered Users Posts: 133 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    Giving it another go...


    "Sunken Treasure"

    339181712_8rGAM-L.jpg
    Sean

    http://spbdesigns.com
    http://gallery.spbdesigns.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    spb13 wrote:
    Giving it another go...
    "Sunken Treasure"
    Sean,
    better thumb.gif , but not good enough ne_nau.gif
    I can't tell if it's a submerged object or simply a very soft shot.rolleyes1.gif
    The assignment is rather difficult, make no mistake thinking it ain't...
    You want to see the liquid, yet you don't want to see it too much.
    Very careful lighting and angling is needed to do it right...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • spb13spb13 Registered Users Posts: 133 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Sean,
    better thumb.gif , but not good enough ne_nau.gif
    I can't tell if it's a submerged object or simply a very soft shot.rolleyes1.gif
    The assignment is rather difficult, make no mistake thinking it ain't...
    You want to see the liquid, yet you don't want to see it too much.
    Very careful lighting and angling is needed to do it right...

    It is certainly not an easy one. :D

    From the same session I have this one. Making the water move a little makes it show up better, but I wasn't sure about all the reflections.

    339196514_KaVdJ-L.jpg

    By the way...thanks for the challenge. thumb.gif
    Sean

    http://spbdesigns.com
    http://gallery.spbdesigns.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    spb13 wrote:
    It is certainly not an easy one. :D

    From the same session I have this one. Making the water move a little makes it show up better, but I wasn't sure about all the reflections.

    By the way...thanks for the challenge. thumb.gif
    I think this one is better theme-wise. The primary gotchas at this point:
    1) way not enough light hence very soft borderline oof images
    2) very muddy feeling to the whole shot
    Think of sumbission to "Fishtank Quarterly"...deal.gifmwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • spb13spb13 Registered Users Posts: 133 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    I think this one is better theme-wise. The primary gotchas at this point:
    1) way not enough light hence very soft borderline oof images
    2) very muddy feeling to the whole shot
    Think of sumbission to "Fishtank Quarterly"...deal.gifmwink.gif

    OK then...back to the drawing board. :Dheadscratch.gif
    Sean

    http://spbdesigns.com
    http://gallery.spbdesigns.com
  • JAGJAG Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator
    edited July 26, 2008
    bubbly submerged
    Ok after much consideration and seeing how this thread progressed...this is what I came up with. Shot in a clear glass bowl with red food coloring and white shell. Only lighting was ambient light from under the cabnits overhead and a pen flashlight held by my lil one. Bubbles and water effect made by stirring things up with my hand (which is now a pretty pink color).
    339219478_dDSA2-L-2.jpg

    iso 500
    ss 1/30
    aperture f/5.6
    48mm FL
    taken today.

    I originally was thinking of doing boiling eggs...but I was concerned about the steam that could cause camera problems.
    ~JAG (Joyce) - My site: JAG Creations JAG Creations be a fan.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    JAG wrote:
    Ok after much consideration and seeing how this thread progressed...this is what I came up with. Shot in a clear glass bowl with red food coloring and white shell. Only lighting was ambient light from under the cabnits overhead and a pen flashlight held by my lil one. Bubbles and water effect made by stirring things up with my hand (which is now a pretty pink color).

    iso 500
    ss 1/30
    aperture f/5.6
    48mm FL
    taken today.

    I originally was thinking of doing boiling eggs...but I was concerned about the steam that could cause camera problems.

    Joyce, I like it a lot! thumb.gif
    It's clearly in the right direction. Great lighting/colors! clap.gif
    My only gripe is that the surface is clearly in focus while the submerged primary subject (shell) is not...ne_nau.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • JAGJAG Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator
    edited July 26, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Joyce, I like it a lot! thumb.gif
    It's clearly in the right direction. Great lighting/colors! clap.gif
    My only gripe is that the surface is clearly in focus while the submerged primary subject (shell) is not...ne_nau.gif

    Thanks Nikolai. I had a hard time with this. I would focus on the shell...then mix the water...it made the shell look blurred in all the shots that I mixed the water to get ripples and bubbles. Do you have any suggestions on how to not get this? This is the only picture that came out with bubbles that were somewhat clear...I think the focus was more on the surface of the water in the other shots the water and bubbles were really blurred...along with the shell. I was thinking that when I shot and the shell was clear...and the surface was still....you could not really tell it was underwater.
    ~JAG (Joyce) - My site: JAG Creations JAG Creations be a fan.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    JAG wrote:
    Thanks Nikolai. I had a hard time with this. I would focus on the shell...then mix the water...it made the shell look blurred in all the shots that I mixed the water to get ripples and bubbles. Do you have any suggestions on how to not get this? This is the only picture that came out with bubbles that were somewhat clear...I think the focus was more on the surface of the water in the other shots the water and bubbles were really blurred...along with the shell. I was thinking that when I shot and the shell was clear...and the surface was still....you could not really tell it was underwater.
    I think you need to use f/8 or smaller (larger f/values), focus manually on the shell when the water is still and then start fooling around with the surface.
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • OffTopicOffTopic Registered Users Posts: 521 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    I asked my husband if he would jump in the pool and make funny faces at me while holding his breath under water and he said "absolutely not"! ne_nau.gif


    Absolutely...... hmmm....

    I like the goose personally...

    339338334_SY84d-M.jpg

    If that's not enough surface showing, maybe this one:

    339335098_UwPCz-M.jpg

    Like those psychedelic reflections? rolleyes1.gif


    Better Nikolai? Closer? Drink more vodka and try again? :D
    Lori
    My Photos
    My Blog
    On Google+
    On DrivingLine
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    OffTopic wrote:
    I asked my husband if he would jump in the pool and make funny faces at me while holding his breath under water and he said "absolutely not"! ne_nau.gif

    Absolutely...... hmmm....

    I like the goose personally...

    If that's not enough surface showing, maybe this one:

    Like those psychedelic reflections? rolleyes1.gif


    Better Nikolai? Closer? Drink more vodka and try again? :D

    These are very nice, but they show too much of a container.
    The idea is to capture a submerged item without an in-your-face proof of a vessel holding the liquid, yet to show the liquid, too...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • hoffaladyhoffalady Registered Users Posts: 15 Big grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    okay i went a bit crazy with this assignment and had a blast at it... but i'm a wienie and want to post them one at a time... i'm concerned there is too much surface disturbance.... but i guess we'll see.... :giggle

    340658401_93xBM-L.jpg
  • hoffaladyhoffalady Registered Users Posts: 15 Big grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    this one is entirely a play on Nikolai's AV...

    340673561_8A4L8-L.jpg
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    hoffalady wrote:
    this one is entirely a play on Nikolai's AV...
    Thank you! thumb.gif
    I only wish the sink hole was out of frame:-) ne_nau.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    hoffalady wrote:
    okay i went a bit crazy with this assignment and had a blast at it... but i'm a wienie and want to post them one at a time... i'm concerned there is too much surface disturbance.... but i guess we'll see.... :giggle
    Getting refractions on the bottom is a nice way of bringing the liquid into the equation. thumb.gif A little bit of curves should also make the image less flat, only leaving a large shadow part on the bottom as a con...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • hoffaladyhoffalady Registered Users Posts: 15 Big grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Thank you! thumb.gif
    I only wish the sink hole was out of frame:-) ne_nau.gif

    i coulda cropped it but i didn't want to mess w/ the ripple at all.... mwink.gif
  • hoffaladyhoffalady Registered Users Posts: 15 Big grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    this one is probably my favorite... and no, i wasn't trying to drown my child... rolleyes1.gif

    340726990_LEP95-L.jpg

    tho this one probably has the most clear/least surface disturbance...

    340736128_yE58H-L.jpg
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    hoffalady wrote:
    this one is probably my favorite... and no, i wasn't trying to drown my child... rolleyes1.gif
    tho this one probably has the most clear/least surface disturbance...
    two red crosses ne_nau.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • hoffaladyhoffalady Registered Users Posts: 15 Big grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    better?

    they are my family (locked) galleries... i forgot to allow external linking... oops!
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 28, 2008
    hoffalady wrote:
    better?

    they are my family (locked) galleries... i forgot to allow external linking... oops!
    Nice submerged! thumb.gifrolleyes1.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • sdways01sdways01 Registered Users Posts: 151 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2008
    An old cracked metal tub in a meadow near my house. Learned a lot about my polarizing filter with this one.

    341515655_K2dhr-L.jpg

    341515437_suz3k-L.jpg
    http://www.adamclarkmedia.com

    "If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event...what kind of film would you use?" - Anonymous
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2008
    sdways01 wrote:
    An old cracked metal tub in a meadow near my house. Learned a lot about my polarizing filter with this one.
    Adam,
    thank you for the entry! thumb.gif
    Unfortunately, it's very hard to guess that there is a liquid there...ne_nau.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • sdways01sdways01 Registered Users Posts: 151 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Adam,
    thank you for the entry! thumb.gif
    Unfortunately, it's very hard to guess that there is a liquid there...ne_nau.gif

    Being in a pond on a calm day, there wasn't any ripples or anything. The only thing you really see is what is floating on the water. I didn't want to zoom way out to show it was in water.
    http://www.adamclarkmedia.com

    "If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event...what kind of film would you use?" - Anonymous
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