Oh, this so funny that you posted this. I just wasted the entire evening messing around with water drops and crowns and failed miserably. I’ve accomplished a lot since I started this project two years ago, but I’ve never tried water crowns so I feel like I have to check them off my list!
Here is one I did last weekend:
This is a video I found that helped tremendously! I hope it helps you as much as it did me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fwExpFDUC9Y
Some advice given to me was to use a knife (spoon, whatever) and place it where the drop with be hitting...focus on the knife and then take it away. Try being in a dark room and using your flash to freeze the water. I am not the best at them but need/want to give it another go soon :)
I would use a socket from one of those wrenches and put it where the drop will hit, manually focus on that spot end then remove it. Small aperture of at least f/10-f/22 or it won't focus on the whole crown. Tripod is also something I suggest using but I got some in the past while holding the camera in hand and I personally would use a longer focal length. Oh and shallow water if you want a crown =)
my first attempts were horrific... using flash definitely makes a huge difference... a tripod can be really helpful, but i think i found in some cases it was limiting, and much easier to just hold the camera... if you type "water crown" into the search window on the top right you'll get to a page that will then let you get to the photos that have that tag... you might want to look thru them and check out the exif info and any write up to see if there's helpful info there...
I want to build one of these: http://davidhunt.ie/?p=2770
When I did water drops I got a repeat cycle timer and set it to the speed of my flash. Then I poked a hole in a bag of colored water dripping into cream.
Sometimes it helps to have shallow water, or just a small puddle; the water splashes up better. And it usually takes me hundreds of shots to get something I like.
I'm including two of my shots with different schools of thought. The daisy is without flash; just a pure fast-shutter-speed shot. The one with the bokeh is with a flash, which explains the 2-second shutter speed.
I have also been working on water drop shots. I find that if the water is shallow the the crowns pop up more often. I put my camera on a tripod and use a shutter cable. I'm still learning too.
I have tried multiple techneques for this and it really depends on what gear you have. Believe it or not the object you have the water in makes a difference. I have to set ups. One in a enamel roasting tin with white card behind it, a table lamp shinning direct onto the card and on camera flash to get high shutter speads. Two being a glass shallow dish with one coloured card underneith and a sexond different colourd card as a background using on camera flash only. Like the otjers said either use a tap to drip the water in or a suspendes plastic bag. Key is to get the drip in the same place every time. Use a pen and place it at the point of the drop to manual focus on and then you can leave it. Remote trigger is useful if you have one amd a tripod. You can more or less just hit fire while watching the drops which makes it easier. Hope that helps a little
Lots and lots of shots!! you can take hundreds to get 'that' shot.
I tried early on in my project to cross it of my list, have not revisited again lol :)
All I can suggest is to be prepared to take many shots!!! Also... it helps to know that the crown is the first thing that is formed when the drop of water hits the surface below!!!
The crown you captured comes right after the perfect fine edged crown... so if your camera has any shutter lag, you will have to press the shutter a moment before, but don't let this put you off... my camera has bad shutter lag, and I still managed!!! :)
WOW! I knew I had a long way to go...these pictures are so amazing!!! @Stacey thanks for the video suggestion! @ Michelle I was using a pen so I could focus on the writing on the side but I don't have a tripod so it was a bit tedious. @ Tanja shallow water is good to know too!
@ Mike cool pic! Love the colour @ Richard thanks for the tips @ Angela beautiful colours!
@lonewolf and lisa beautiful pictures! @ Therese I was wondering when the crown formed so it's good to know that I just missed it lol :) I will try again this weekend when I get a tripod!!
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This is a video I found that helped tremendously! I hope it helps you as much as it did me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fwExpFDUC9Y
When I did water drops I got a repeat cycle timer and set it to the speed of my flash. Then I poked a hole in a bag of colored water dripping into cream.
I'm including two of my shots with different schools of thought. The daisy is without flash; just a pure fast-shutter-speed shot. The one with the bokeh is with a flash, which explains the 2-second shutter speed.
Keep at it and good luck!
I tried early on in my project to cross it of my list, have not revisited again lol :)
Not a crown but one of my favs :)
The crown you captured comes right after the perfect fine edged crown... so if your camera has any shutter lag, you will have to press the shutter a moment before, but don't let this put you off... my camera has bad shutter lag, and I still managed!!! :)
@ Mike cool pic! Love the colour @ Richard thanks for the tips @ Angela beautiful colours!
Are there any books on water photo's