Making Of..

Nikolai

Splash



1: Here's basic setup: camera, flash and a "backdrop":



2: Since there was a lot of splashing going around, some basic protection made out of sandwich bags and rubber rings:



3: I had no assistance, so I had to press the remote with my teeth:



4: Remote covered with protective layers and some padding (otherwise it's very hard to press the darn button):



5: Hold the glass with one hand:



6: And get some action from the hose with another:



Enjoy! :wink

SloYerRoll

Thanks for this post Nik!
Great use of ambient light to create dark field lighting for the outline of the glass.

Please take my humble critique FWIW. I have photographed a decent bit if glass and have learned many things from my mistakes. Just want to pass them along.
You might try to have the black background only take up the space in the focal field or slightly larger. This will help define the glass much more and really make the glass pop along w/ the water. Right now you can see the bottom outline of the glass perfectly due to ground reflection. If you "tighten up" the backdrop sides a bit, your outline will go all the way to the top of the glass.

You can also add some drops of food coloring to the bottom of the glass and let them dry. When your turn on the water works, the water will take on whatever color you put in there. You could also gel the flash blue to add some more color to the water? Your a PS whiz though and it may be easier to just do this in pp.

The shot is excellent though! Thanks again for sharing!

-Jon

evoryware

very cool technique!

dlscott56

Thanks for sharing Nik. Very cool. Guess you wouldn't want to try that while you're barbecuing though!

Nikolai

Jon,

SloYerRoll wrote:

Thanks for this post Nik!
Great use of ambient light to create dark field lighting for the outline of the glass.

Please take my humble critique FWIW. I have photographed a decent bit if glass and have learned many things from my mistakes. Just want to pass them along.
You might try to have the black background only take up the space in the focal field or slightly larger. This will help define the glass much more and really make the glass pop along w/ the water. Right now you can see the bottom outline of the glass perfectly due to ground reflection. If you "tighten up" the backdrop sides a bit, your outline will go all the way to the top of the glass.

You can also add some drops of food coloring to the bottom of the glass and let them dry. When your turn on the water works, the water will take on whatever color you put in there. You could also gel the flash blue to add some more color to the water? Your a PS whiz though and it may be easier to just do this in pp.

The shot is excellent though! Thanks again for sharing!

-Jon

thank you for the C&C!
I'm aware of the fact that the size of the black b/g s/b smaller (not that I'm smart, but I have finished the Science&Magic :-). However, the whole thing was so much a makeshift, and the sun was moving fast, that I didn't have time or will to do it properly, like Ken does:-)

Initially I thought of a high key shot with the red wine. But after experimenting a bit I realized that I'm not in the mood neither to waste gallons of perfectly good cabernet (I took some 250+ shots altogether), not to clean the backyard from what could look like blood stains to anybody who ever would have a chance to look up there :-)

So I switched to low key and dropped the color. But yes, as you could see from this other image,

I have no problem to add any color in post :-)
Besides, the jet from the hose would wash out those dyes the next instant, so it wouldn't work that way in any case:-(

Anyway, I do appreciate the feedback, and I'm glad that you still like the shot:-)

Cheers!

Nikolai

evoryware wrote:

very cool technique!

Glad you liked it, thanks for watching!

Nikolai

dlscott56 wrote:

Thanks for sharing Nik. Very cool. Guess you wouldn't want to try that while you're barbecuing though!

You're welcome!
Yeah, having flaming BBQ next to $3K worth of equipment would not be a good idea.

SloYerRoll

Nikolai wrote:

....not that I'm smart, but I have finished the Science&Magic :-)......

I don't really agree w/ that comment.
If your upgrading your grey matter, your definately smart for doing so.
BTW: LIght, Science & Magic is a fantastic book. The third edition is in full color vs. the first two that were not.

All the best,
Jon

rdlugosz

That's an awesome shot! Thanks for the setup walkthrough.

Nikolai

rdlugosz wrote:

That's an awesome shot! Thanks for the setup walkthrough.

Thank you, glad you've enjoyed it

USAIR

Very cool Nik
Great post

Thanks
Fred

Nikolai

USAIR wrote:

Very cool Nik
Great post
Thanks
Fred

Heyya, Fred, long time no hear! Been shoot'n' laltely?
Thanks!