Get Pushed Fail Part One by helenhall

Get Pushed Fail Part One

Ok. This is a little embarrasing, but there you go. It isn't called get pushed for nothing! Thought I would record my trials in the hope that there might be some improvement by the end of the week, but today I took four shots and you see them all.

I have been challenged to take a shot of something floating/moving such as water, powder, honey, milk or glitter. I was referred to this image as an example: https://www.flickr.com/photos/28286225@N02/32657776843/

I can see I shall be working on this all week. Which is a good thing. But I am going to have to buck my ideas up and come up with some solutions following my first attempt.

Todays successes:
1) I found a short amount of time in the day to attempt this.
2) I found a way to secure three spoons in a stacked position
3) it didn't work, but I tried to be creative by taking an overhead shot to overcome the problem with the backing paper, hoping that some flow would still be visible
4) I managed not to get the camera lens wet!

Todays failures:
1) despite knowing that my shutter speed was far too slow to expect reasonable results hand held, I failed to increase the ISO (yes, really!)
2) despite realising that using one hand to shoot and the other to pour was a recipe for disaster, I failed to ask someone else to pour the liquid so that I could concentrate on the camera.
3) because I was more worried about where the water might end up and wanted to direct it into the sink, I failed to compose the shot such that the backing paper covered a large enough area to show all three spoons against the paper, and so that there were no other objects in the way.


Things I might try before the end of the week:

1) use the inbuilt camera flash for better lighting
2) spend more time getting the set up right
3) use a tripod
4) find a way to change the angle of the spoons to get a better flow
5) choose a different more viscous substance
6) think of a different way to fulfil the challenge


I am open to suggestions .....
@pistache apologies for deleting your comment - I needed to replace the photo as I had put two shots in the same. I will persevere.
January 18th, 2021  
Love how you are taking us through the process and not just showing us nothing or a shiny result! Thank you for your insight and I can't wait to see more!
January 18th, 2021  
no worries! :)
January 18th, 2021  
I commend you for your perseverance, I would have given up on day 1
January 18th, 2021  
As I am the one who brought you into this difficult situation, I should act like @tdaug80 and try my own challenge, too. I hope you're not disheartened? I could still change your challenge.
January 18th, 2021  
Maybe you could use something that is flowing on its own, like tab water? And I really like how you made progress!
January 18th, 2021  
@toinette absolutely not. I am a lazy photographer and signed up to get pushed in order to be challenged. It is a good thing!
January 18th, 2021  
looking at the starting image, that is quite a challenge, i admire your analysis too, that took some time to think and write!

ideally you would have the spoons clamped in place, the camera set up on a tripod, manually prefocused, with a remote shutter, then you could do the pouring yourself without anything else moving.
January 18th, 2021  
the last image is nearly there
January 18th, 2021  
I'd start with only one spoon ;-) I like your analysis and progress.
January 18th, 2021  
High five to you for putting this out. I will follow closely on what you do and how you are progressing as I am clueless.
January 19th, 2021  
A great effort
January 19th, 2021  
Glad to see that I'm not the only one who has to do multiple attempts at some of these Get Pushed challenge. Had I gotten this challenge, I would have taken the easy way out and headed to the local park. It has a couple small waterfalls.
January 20th, 2021  
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