Water Drops

High Speed Capture of Liquid Drops

Liquid Art

Most of these images were made with a dark room, high speed timer, a computer controlled liquid valve, digital SLR and a couple of Canon 580 EX II flashes.

The trick for the water drop or splash images is to use a dark room. Use the timer to fire a pulse to cause a single drop of water to fall from the valve. The timer next opens the camera shutter (we cannot wait till the splash occurs because it takes too long for the shutter to actually open). A few milliseconds later (usually 70 to 150 ms), a second drop of water is released from the valve

Next the delay time from that second drop to the time the flashes are triggered has to be worked out by trial and error. Delay X ms and look at the result. Too soon? Add 1 ms and try again. Eventually you have the timing dialed in and can start collecting images and see what happens!

Flying Goldfish Toss

A tossed goldfish appears to be flying through the air accompanied by a stream of water and bubbles on a dark background.

Escaping The Screensaver

Goldfish with aspirations for a better future leaping out of the screensaver on a laptop screen in a bid for freedom.

Punching Through Water

Close-up of a man's fist punching through water horizontally, display of movement and force against black.

A Rainbow of Aliens

Hot glue a glass to a sheet of plexigalss, fill it with colored water. Drop it and photograph the alien that climbs out!

Water Thrown at Green Apple

Water Thrown at Orange Mini-Pepper

Bell Pepper Dropping Into Water

Orange Bell Pepper Dropping Into Water

Rose in drops of water

A rose caught reflected in a series of drips of water from a faucet

Winner Northern Calif Council Camera Clubs Pictorial Image of 2009

Two drops of water colliding, with second drop striking just as first drop plume is at its peak

Water Crown

Before a drop forms a plume, it first forms a 'crown.' This shows that time, roughly 150 ms before the plume is created and reaches its peak

Two drops of water colliding

Sometimes the plume will result in a drop of water being released above the main plume. When the second drop strikes that plume, you can get results like this one.