Photographing water droplets is one of the most interesting and exciting types of subject photography. You don't need any special equipment, special lenses or skills. All it takes is patience and a willingness to experiment. As you learn to shoot drops, you will inevitably try different apertures and shutter speeds, so that you will have a good understanding of how they affect each other. And unique and amazing shots with which you can amaze all your friends are simply provided for you.
It is necessary
- - a camera with very short shutter speeds, starting from 1/2000 and less;
- - lens for macro photography;
- - external flash that can work at short shutter speeds;
- - tripod;
- - a vessel with water;
- - napkins;
- - straw;
- - White background.
Instructions
Step 1
Place a bowl of water on the surface of your choice. It is convenient to make large drops with a straw. You can submerge it slightly in the water, then close the hole with your finger, remove the straw from the water, and then open the hole. A large beautiful drop will fall from its end. You can automate the process by hanging something over the vessel, from where the drops will fall. Use an upside-down bottle with a mug slightly unscrewed, or you can use a plastic bag with a very small opening.
Step 2
Fix the source of drops above the bowl so that the water always falls in the same place. This is important because you can focus once and not worry about it anymore. A straw is useful for focusing. Place it where the drops are falling and focus.
Step 3
For a more accurate definition of sharpness, use one trick. Take a piece of plasticine or chewing gum and place it on the bottom, under the spot where the drops are dripping. Place a pin or stud on it so that its end sticks out of the water. This way you can sharpen the focus very accurately. Do not use autofocus, the manual settings will give the most accurate result.
Step 4
Set a white background behind the vessel. Lighting can be done in two ways: direct the flash at a vessel filled with water, or put a light source behind the background, pointing it towards the camera, so you get backlight. Try different options for best results. If the plate of water is glass, use the light on the bottom - you will get unusual results.
Step 5
Experiment with water droplets. You can get interesting splashes by throwing objects into the water. A foil ball is good for these purposes. Due to its complex surface, it produces a large amount of splashes.
Step 6
Use burst shooting. A drop of water falls so quickly that the human eye does not have time to capture some moments, and it is quite difficult to catch the desired frame even out of habit. Disable any settings that prevent the camera from shooting quickly. Usually this is noise reduction, stabilization and autofocus. With burst shooting, you will notice in what sequence and how a drop of water falls and merges with the surface. Over time, with some practice, you will learn to capture moments and press the shutter button in time and without bursting.
