Here’s a little video on how I did the flash images with Canon Speedlites whereas dropping gadgets right into a tank of water.
With a white background, I used a Canon Speedlite 580ex II on the left and proper of the fish tank with water. They have been set to handbook 1/128sec.
I had a Canon Speedlite 430ex ii on a chair behind the fish tank pointing in direction of the white background so it might come out pure white. This was set to handbook 1/sixty fourth of a second (I’d of completed 1/128 however the 430ex ii can solely go down to 1/64). You need to go 1/128 so it freezes the splash mid air.
I additionally used one other Canon Speedlite 430ex II in entrance of the tank at a forty five diploma angle to fill the shadows on the entrance of the item your dropping. This one is not completely vital trigger you may angle the aspect flashes a bit of to assist hit the entrance of the item, however I had the flash obtainable and I favored the outcomes higher when utilizing it.
I solely had to squeegee the tank splashes as soon as each 10 or so drops when utilizing white trigger its very easy to take away the spots in Lightroom with the publicity brush. However on the black background, it was a very completely different story. I had to squeegee each single time or the spots on the aspect of the tank would seem as vibrant as day in your picture, making it a lot more durable to take away them in put up. I purchased a squeegee from WalMart for $1.50, and reduce the deal with off (since in any other case the deal with would hit the top of the tank earlier than I used to be completed wiping it off). With a black background, you dont want to flash the backdrop. However I discovered that the highest of the splash (above the waterline) was not vibrant sufficient within the picture, so I used the flash that used to be for the backdrop, and put it on a lightweight stand pointing down into the tank to flash the water splashing up. Just about, in each instances (white and black), I used 4 flashes. You possibly can actually get away with much less, however I had the flashes so why not use em.
I used easy wi-fi triggers for the flashes since Canon’s infrared tends to have points. (particularly since one of many flashes just isn’t within the line of sight with the digicam). I used PT-04 Wi-fi Flash Triggers discovered on eBay, they’re fairly low cost, I obtained 5 receivers and a transmitter for $79 (I purchased the twin sizzling shoe triggers). I additionally like utilizing the wi-fi triggers so I haven’t got to waste utilizing a 580ex ii to set off the opposite flashes. I even have a Canon 7D which I may of used to set off the flashes, however like I stated, the flash behind the tank just isn’t within the line of sight with the digicam so infrared is not actually an excellent choice. The _only_ drawback of shopping for the cheaper flash triggers on eBay is that you just lose ETTL features from the digicam. Utilizing Canons inbuilt wi-fi features is nice if you want to always change the flash ratios and exposures like in a portrait studio setup, however to hold ETTL whereas going with radio wi-fi triggers, you will have to spend $220 every for a PocketWizard or Radio Popper. Those on eBay that do not help TTL is simply effective if you find yourself working every part handbook.
I had the digicam tethered to Lightroom 3 (Beta 2) so I may see if the shot was good. I used the Lilliput 7″ HDMI monitor (you should buy these on eBay for a little greater than $200) tethered to the 5D Mark II with an HDMI to Mini HDMI cable. The explanation I’ve each a pc and a monitor is as a result of it tends to take too lengthy for the picture to seem on the pc earlier than I am prepared to take the subsequent picture. Typically I will even shoot time and again with out utilizing the squeegee simply to see if I get a superb shot in these takes, the issue is after I do that, it takes a very long time for the pc to catch up. With the LCD monitor, I can preview the shot to see if its acceptable or not, if it is not, instantly take one other picture. If it seems good, then I verify the pc (after the couple extra seconds it takes to catch up) to see if the picture is ideal.
Be sure the digicam is ready to handbook focus, and focus it to the useless middle of the tank (you will in all probability want 2 individuals to focus, one particular person to stick their hand in the midst of the tank, and the opposite particular person units the main target. I had the 5D Mark II set to 100mm, f/10, ISO 125, 200/sec.
You possibly can see extra photographs on my Flickr profile.
