View single post by moonlight1811
 Posted: Tue May 22nd, 2012 21:02
moonlight1811

 

Joined: Sat May 19th, 2012
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 46
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Hello everyone!

I am fascinated with photographing water drops. It was the very first project I attempted as soon when I got my camera (Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm lens). I didn't really know what I was doing and just experimented around. I want to try and briefly describe what I did and then get feedback from anyone about how to improve anything. Any tips and tricks are appreciated =]

I set up a small bowl filled (about 3/4) with water and placed a colored sheet of paper behind it. Then about 30cm above the bowl, I created a drip. I set my camera to manual, popped up the flash, set my shutter speed to 1/200 and I don't recall what I set the f value to. I think it might have been f6.3. I'm honestly still trying to figure out what that value really does. Any help on that would be appreciated!

Once I set all that up and started the drip, I used the tip of a pen and tried to place it exactly where the drop was hitting the water surface. Then I focused on the tip of the pen with auto focus (no tripod), pulled the pen out of the picture, shot and hoped I got something good! The pen thing was a suggestion from a youtube video I found.

Some of you are probably cringing while reading this! Any input on how to create a more efficient setup, better/easier focus, or anything else that might be of value would be great to know. I will post two pictures I took in the gallery.

This turned out kind of long, sorry about that!



____________________
-Melissa