Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
Like tiny crystal balls, water droplets can add a magical element to macro photographs. There are a number of moving parts to consider, but the basic concept is simple: a spherical droplet can act like a lens, refracting light from whatever is behind it.
Getting good droplets can be problematic, as most surfaces will cause water to spread out rather than to bead up nicely. Using just plain water (no glycerine or other additives), one of the easiest foreground objects to use is a dandelion seed:
In the world of photography, water droplets are something of a rite of passage. It’s the perfect rainy day photography project and one that many of us try at some point or another – to varying degrees of success.
You can increase the chances of that success with a bit of DIY tinkering. Some kind of computer-controlled Arduino based system, perhaps, which times everything perfectly. Or, you can save yourself a lot of build time and hassle and get the MIOPS Splash.
There’s something special about photos of water droplets. I personally like the element of surprise, because you can’t predict the exact shape you’re going to get. You can create fantastic photos using only water and some color, and photographer Adam Karnacz shares an in-depth tutorial for making them. He’ll guide you through all the steps, from setup to printing your final work. So, watch his video to learn what you’ll need and how to approach this interesting area of photography.
Water droplets give you plenty of methods for being creative in photography. There are many interesting images where drops of water (or sometimes glycerin) are subjects, or a means for creating unique photos. Photographer Mithun Das shared with us a creative photo he took through a droplet. It shows a silhouette of a couple hugging in the sunset, and he named it “Love in a Drop.” But there’s a catch – it’s not real water, a real sunset, and definitely not a real couple. But it’s not Photoshop either.
Mithun did it with some props and lots of creativity. He shared with DIYP how he took the shot and which props he used for making it. You may be surprised and amazed at the same time. I know I was.
Water droplets can be a great photographic subject. Sometimes, it feels like you can see a whole new universe inside of them. Serbian photographer Dusan Stojancevic recently used droplet photography to create something unique – portraits of people.
As a part of a collaboration with WaterAid, he marked World Water Day by capturing portraits of Cambodian school children, doctors, cleaners, and farmers. All of them had their life changed thanks to the access to clean water. And each of them is shown through tiny droplets.
Other than sharing magnificent photos, Dusan has taken his time to talk to DIYP about the project. He has shared some details about the project, as well as some interesting stories about it.
After browsing through the expansive (and insanely brilliant) portfolio of Italian photographer, Alberto Ghizzi Panizza, you might start to wonder how he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. His macro images are consistent perfectly timed feats of logic. But, as Panizza would explain, it’s not just good timing. After 10 years of practicing the craft, he almost intrinsically knows where to be when he wants to photograph insects, flowers, and peacock feathers as they are reflected into a tiny orb of morning dew that also just happens to be getting carried around by a spider. Needless to say, the photos are sublime.[Read More…]
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.
To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.
JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.
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