Splashing About

Hi, and welcome to the show.

So tonight, we were entertained by David.

Now Dave is that quiet, friendly bloke that really enjoys photography. You can tell this by his passion, tales in the past of him throwing laptops down the hall in frustration (not everyday) and his photographs. He is always up for days out, a regular contributor to competitions, has a hell of an eye for a shot and is always in the top five in the judges opinions.

I love Dave.

I strolled into the club room to find that he & Gary had already set up five different scenarios for water droplet photography. No laser triggers, no Pluto devices or flashy flashguns, just plastic bags hanging over developing dishes. Simples. Drop a strawberry into a glass, very hit and miss (mostly misses, but they just get deleted) a bunch of flowers dangling in a fish tank, pour in a cup of water and shoot the bubbles.

With a brief introduction, advice on starter settings for the cameras, he told us to pick a partner and go and have fun.

I started with Richard, he was playing with an off camera flash, and after adjustments for composition and a few test shots, he was soon getting acceptable shots.

Cries of anguish from young Kev as his battery gives out. Guess I know what’ll be high on his Christmas pressie list. Hopefully, you picked up enough enthusiasm from the others to try this at home.

You think you had troubles. I turned my camera on. Also had a flat battery but plenty of spares with me (been there, done that, got the medals to prove it) Decided to have a go at the strawberry drop. I’d bought along an off camera flash triggers (thinking I’d be smart) I could not get the bloody thing to fire. Probably a camera setting, strolling through the menu checking everything I could think of, first curtain sync amongst others, but to no avail, the camera just wouldn’t fire it off. Noel even took the trigger outside and scoured off part of the shoe mount (I’d had this sort of trouble before where the firing pin falls short of the corresponding contact on the camera) but still no joy. OK, give that idea up til I can check the destruction manual. So the gun goes on the camera. I still could get nothing, and I mean nothing, just blank shots. Plenty of head scratching, drop the speed, up the ISO, bring down the f-stop, nada, still blank shots. "Have you got the lens cap on?” somebody laughed. I even checked … then noticed the filter. I’d been using my nifty fifty on a camera with infrared film, nothing was getting through this filter. Doh!

So now I’m rolling. Ten or fifteen shots and I’ve got something. On to the next table. Water droplets, I’d seen Rich do this, it came on remarkably quick and soon I’m heading for the fish tank with flowers. Dave’s here to pour the water and within minutes I’m getting acceptable shots. Dave then spring a new one on me, a jar of citrus fruit and a bottle of lemonade. I want to use the flash to freeze the bubbles but the reflections are awful. Tried diffusing the light, bouncing it off the ceiling, all to no avail. Rob asked why the flash, there was plenty of light with the set up as it stood.

So we had a go with all situations and I’ll see what Lightroom can do with the images.

Overall, this was a stonking nights photography. I think everyone had fun.

If you didn’t learn anything about your camera tonight, I’m sorry.

Hats off Dave, a great evening.

Now all I’ve got to do is ask t’missus where the kitchen is, coz that was an awful lot of water splashing about if I’m gonna try this at home!

Wanna see some more shots, head on over to our facebook page 'SCC Forum’

Ok. Byyyyeeeee.