Photographers control light to tell stories. Sometimes, there just isn't enough light out there to record the shot effectively, so they need a little help. Electronic flash units can do the trick, but directly lighting a subject can often reduce apparent depth and wipe out surface features. For that reason, indirect or bounce flash often helps. But that isn't always feasible, especially when you're outside.
But flash units have one critical advantage: they freeze an image like nothing else. So I tried my hand with the fountain outside our hotel room. Because the shutter was open for significantly more time than the flash was firing, I still got some subtle motion effects on some of the edges. If you squint just so, it almost looks like the water is throwing a shadow back against the sky.
Sometimes, cameras can be so much fun to play with.
Your turn: I think there's more water in my photographic future? Any suggestions what kinds of water scenes would work best?
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16 comments:
This is a really great freeze action shot. I've tried to get a similar effect with a waterfall but didn't manage the detail that you have. You could try waterfalls, or other types of fountains. I really love those photos of a drop of milk just at the moment it splashes - pretty hard to capture though, I think. Or what about ripples on water? If you chuck a couple of stones into a still pond, you can get some really interesting interaction.
Here from Michele's again.
This is very cool because it's water in motion, which most photographers don't try to capture. I like it.
Here's an idea - shooting water in unexpected places. You have such an eye for the unusual that I can imagine you'll come up with lots of fun things.
Just Meeting and Greeting this morning on my new laptop, Carmi! G'morning! Hope you're well.
oh i love water pix! i posted a pix of a flower today for wordless wednesday... i took it after it rained so it has rain drops on it.. although i think they are tears because summer is over and the flowers are dying.
anyway... my inlaws have a really nice pond at their house and i tried so hard to get good pix of the water rolling over the stones and i just couldn't get any depth to it.. maybe i'm not taking them correctly... i dunno but they did have a lot of algae in the pond that day so that makes the pix even more ugly!!!!!
Carmi, I suggest you try rainwater that's exiting the eavesdrops.
you make me miss my poor departed camera..sigh. I love water in all ways, but when it laps the shore...peacefull
It was my dream to become a deep-sea underwater photographer and/or videographer in a shark cage.
Again, without sounding overly repetitive, great photo! I love the cool things you can do with flash (especially during the day when you don't really need it).
Other water ideas - go for the monochromatic trend you've been drawn to recently.... and use flash. Also, try things like steam, or fog or other ways in which water reflects and captures the light.
a picture of a wave just about to crash over you
Hi, Michele sent me back again. Hope you have fun with your camera today (or would that be tomorrow, it must be evening there now?)
This fountain looks almost like an ice scuplture or an unplanned frozen mass of some sort. Fantastic shot.
Other water photos? Personally I'm a fan of unexpected reflective surfaces. Mirrors - yeah, we know. Water? Awesome.
i love photographing water. the movement makes for some really interesting shots.
here from michele's this time.
Here from Micheles,
Annother beautiful picture! I love to come here & see what you're doing it's always interesting.
Personaly, I've always liked Natural water pictures, waterfalls, creeks etc.
how about some macro photography of rain on leaves, flowers?
Love to all....
Aduh, I thought it was an ice sculpture and I started reading expecting for you to say you were in Siberia or something...It is a great shot and after I walk the doggone dog who is nosing my hands while I type, I'm off to Flickr! Here's to raising well mannered kids (saw your post at Moonbeams!)
Here from Michele this time.
When I came by last night, I must have been really sleepy or woozie or something.... my perspective was way off.
I thought that rounded tan object in the right lower portion of the picture might actually be someone taking a "dip in the fountain", making this about ten or twelve feet tall.
Now I see that it probably is more likely a close-up of a smaller fountain. What a difference some sleep makes.
Either way, it looks almost like an ice sculpture with the light glistening off the surface. I can see what you mean about a hint of shadow making it remind me of those childhood viewfinders with the round disc of small slides.. they gave a three dimensional effect.
Capturing a dripping faucet or a drop into a pool of water is fun. I also think the flow of water from one of those large round rain type shower heads would be very interesting.
That is one awesome picture!
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