Very entertaining video. I tried my water splash kit for the first time today. Finally got some results after a bit of trial and error. But you answered an important point that came up today when I tried adding a second flash and got the ghosting you described. Now on to google to refresh how I sync a second flash.
Dr, thankx to the pandemic I started viewing your videos. Believe me, you made me go bonkers trying to to those crazy DIY things. Just listening to you....looks and sounds like you are chatting across the dining table. Keep talking sir. You are oozing lot of lot of practical knowledge. Thanks a zillion. Have a great day.
I have seen hundreds of videos about photography and I still see yours even if I know what they are about because I have been a photographer for decades but really, nobody has the facility to explain anything like you. From The Dominican Republic.
Very well detailed description of the process. I have one question, what is the optimum distance between the bowl in the bottom and the nozzle of the solenoid valve from which the drop is released.
Gosh, I don't know. I use about three feet, but I have never really experimented to see if there is a better height. The higher you go the more wet your table gets, I know that much. And too low and you don't get big enough splashes,. Try 3 feet and then experiment!
Have you tried milk in the receiving bowl with water in the dropper? Curious. I plan on purchasing one of the splash devices but haven't decided which one as of today. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and procedures.
Thanks for the video , I like the info , it wasn’t to technical . I spoke to Joe in the uk , as I was going to buy the kit and he rang me and explained it won’t work with my Olympus , so I’m looking for another system , probably The Pluto , Thanks absinthe, David Martin.
Great video Alan very in-depth as ever I’m a beginner into macro and other techniques I looked at purchasing one of these kits and I’m sad to say it’s well out of my price range when I need other basics keep up the good work Alan
G'day Alan I have just come across your video and think it is great, I intend to look up your other ones. I wish you and your family all the best for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. From KANGAROO FLAT ,Victoria, Australia.
Cheers, Royce! Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season - though I can't imagine it will all that safe, what with the kangaroo in your flat. Have you thought about getting a cat, instead?
Hi there great video and it will help me I guess, thing is I have just started and using the Pluto system, it’s not as straightforward as plugging it in and away you go it’s definitely a learning curve for any photographer, not managed to get the double drop yet but watching this I will try a few things, one again thanks Tony U.K.
Definitely a learning curve! I hear the Pluto is a solid trigger, so it won't be long before you are nailing double drops and all the other fancy shots. Secret to success... only ever change one variable at a time and allow enough drops at the new setting for the device to equilibrate. That will get rid of 99% of the confusion and frustration.
Thanks for the video. But need to work on your background which is very blank right now. Further, need some room in the foreground also as the water spalshes seemed be cut off at the bottom. But the timing of the shots are lovely. Thanks again for sharing.
Thanks for another informative video Allan. Water drop photography is something I have been keen to get into. I am looking to spend some money on a kit early in the new year. My preference is going to be the MiOps splash kit. It is app controlled and you can see the settings! Cheers from NZ
Cheers Tony! I looked into that kit but I can't remember why I decided on the splash art. I seem to recall that they were about the same but I was put off by a couple of negative reviews. You are absolutely right that having some idea what your settings are will be very helpful. If you get the MiOps, please let me know how it works out.
Hello Allan from Kent,UK. Super video as usual and very informative. Do you have those flash addapter plans anywhere I could down load the plans please. I will be giving splash photography a go whilst we are on lockdown. I hope you and your family are staying safe in these times of troubles. Stay Safe and keep making the videos, for us all to enjoy.
Great video! Use a marker, put a dot next to the red dial so you can keep track. I found this for mirror up for a Canon 80d . It's what I have but it might be the same for other canon "To enable mirror lockup, press the camera manu button, find the appropriate Custom Function option or correct Shoot menu. Select Enable. When mirror lockup is enabled, press the shutter button once to raise the mirror. Pause a moment or two and then press the shutter button again to fire the shutter."
Just got the Pluto valve. Hasn't got a macro lens, so I ended up using my 70-200mm. A bit tricky to get the focus right, as it was just around the lens near limit. As this was in my living room in the middle of the day I figured out that using my variable ND filter on about max was a good idea. Played with some food coloring in the bowl. After figuring out timings, light and focus I ended up with a couple of ok photos out of my first 300. The best splashed vere unfortunately out of focus. The Pluto trigger is bluetooth controlled from my smartphone. So I ended up just laying on my coach, clicking a button in the app every time my speedlight said it was ready for another shot Definetly a part om my photography hobby that I am going to spend more time with.
Hi Buck, absolutely. You should have no problem tethering, provided you have the appropriate software to support it. Lightroom has a very capable tethering interface, but I think most other application do also.
FYI... Many studio flash units control light output power by switching more or less capacitors in or out of the circuit so the flash duration is not significantly affected by changing the power output of these lights. Most speedlights and portable, shoe-mountable flash units however; use a different type of circuitry where lowering the manual flash power output does, in fact, alter flash duration. There are special models of some studio flash equipment which DO allow you to adjust flash duration. The Paul C. Buff Einstein unit is such a light. Just sayin'...
Thanks Christopher. Your point is well taken and I should have been clearer on this point. I have using the Einstein forever but shouldn't have generalized my comments. Thanks for clearing this up. Cheers!
Another informative video Allan. I’ve been giving the Splash Art kit a go over the past few weeks - with mixed success ! It can get a bit frustrating with so many variables to take into account. The biggest problem I encounter is that the final images are just not “clean” and appear soft and grainy despite being at iso 100. I suspect that there isn’t enough flash power to light the splash when at 1/16 to freeze the action. Will try and add another flash next time or move it closer to the drop. Look forward to your next video on this subject. Thanks.
Thanks! I understand the issue. It can be hard to get the lighting perfect. Here are a couple of recommendations... when setting the timing on the SplashArt, adjust only one parameter at a time and after each adjustment trigger the drops at least three or four times before you try to shoot. I've found that the timing doesn't get settled down until the valve has been opened a few times. Leave the drop size alone (at the 12 o'clock position) and fine tune the delay using just a single drop. When that is dialed in, start making tiny adjustments to the time between drops until you are getting good collisions. Then you can start messing with drop size. I have found this approach to work pretty well. The lighting is another thing that requires finesse. Shoot at your sync speed and use a speedlight power of 1/8. At 1/8 power your effective shutter speed (the flash duration) is still very, very short (about 1/3000 sec). Which is plenty fast enough for any water drop. So adding power is one way to go. Another option is adding another flash - but be very careful. Not all flash units sync up well together. Best to use another unit of the same brand/model. But before I would add a light I would make sure that you are shooting in a very dark room. Ambient light sneaking into the camera will cause this softness you are describing. Lastly, I would check online to find the best aperture for sharpness and try shooting at that setting. You may be tempted to shoot at f/16 to get the most DOF, but if your lens is sharpest at f/8 (like many lenses are), you will see a big difference. One other thing... shooting water drops very often ends up with some of that liquid getting onto your lens. Even from quite a distance. So check the lens every now and again to make sure it isn't wet. Did I already say to move your flash as close to the splash as you can get? Well I did now. I hope that helps!
Allan Walls Photography Thanks Allan for the tips. I shoot with the D850 and have the Tamron 90mm so same as you. I’ve two different brand flashes so that might be an issue if I add another. Will be having another go at the weekend so will try out some of the things you have mentioned. Thanks again.
@@barrymills3512 It could be to much ambient light. I always do things in a darkish room light. I tend to use 4 flash guns at low power, all Canon, when back lighting to get enough light. I found out about the ghosting problem myself.
brianT Thanks for the tip. I have got slightly better results now changing things but will also invest in some better flashes in the future - all the same brand.
You mean the dropper thingy? I take it apart (unplug the solenoid, not dismantle it completely) and let any fluid still in there drain by gravity, then I flush with clean water. If I'm planning on using it again soon, I'll leave the reservoir half filled with deionized water and put the whole thing in a clean dry closet. If it is going to be packed away, I gently dry it with a hair drier (why do I own a hair drier? that's one of life's mysteries) and coat the brass with a thin layer of grease (gun oil or something, the label fell off). Don't put anything up the spout though. Then I put it in a sealed plastic box (a foam thing keeps it airtight) with a couple of fully charged silica gel holders, seal it up, and Bob's your uncle till next time.
@@AllanWallsPhotography hi Thank you for informing me , I've got one coming tomorrow , I hope I can get the same results has you . I watched a guy on TH-cam and he recommended starting with the dials pointing at 11.00 , is this somewhere where I need to be if I'm only using water . Many thanks Alan
@@michaelganner1581 That's a good tactic. This is all dependent on your device, the height, the liquid, how you comb your hair - it is very much a feel your way through it process. starting at 11 will get the timing close, and from there, experiment. There is an excellent description of the setup in the documentation. I highly recommend you follow that.
Hi Alan So I received the splash art kit , and I'm having loads of fun with it , I started getting results in no time and thanks again for your input . LOVING IT 👍👍👍👍👍
Splash art is supposed to be great. Another company that has something similar is Miops. It's more cost effective for the beginner. You use an app to time it all. You can use milk , food coloring and add Xanthum gum.
Good point. I have the Miops trigger, and it can be very useful. I chose SplashArt because of the high-quality solenoid/valve assembly - it is very well built and durable. Thanks!
Hi Brian. That is deliberate - the base is turned around so that I can use a larger container for the splashes, without having to raise the container to make room for the base.
Very entertaining video. I tried my water splash kit for the first time today. Finally got some results after a bit of trial and error. But you answered an important point that came up today when I tried adding a second flash and got the ghosting you described. Now on to google to refresh how I sync a second flash.
Loved the sour cream splash...I mean the milk splash. Thanks for the video and the humor!
Dr, thankx to the pandemic I started viewing your videos. Believe me, you made me go bonkers trying to to those crazy DIY things. Just listening to you....looks and sounds like you are chatting across the dining table. Keep talking sir. You are oozing lot of lot of practical knowledge. Thanks a zillion. Have a great day.
Loved this episode, Do you are an amazing storyteller and I look forward to checking out your podcast
I have seen hundreds of videos about photography and I still see yours even if I know what they are about because I have been a photographer for decades but really, nobody has the facility to explain anything like you. From The Dominican Republic.
Thank you Carlos! You are too kind! Thanks for watching, Allan
The shots were so spectacular!
Thanks. Really helpful
Very well detailed description of the process. I have one question, what is the optimum distance between the bowl in the bottom and the nozzle of the solenoid valve from which the drop is released.
Gosh, I don't know. I use about three feet, but I have never really experimented to see if there is a better height. The higher you go the more wet your table gets, I know that much. And too low and you don't get big enough splashes,. Try 3 feet and then experiment!
Have you tried milk in the receiving bowl with water in the dropper? Curious. I plan on purchasing one of the splash devices but haven't decided which one as of today. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and procedures.
Very informative! Thank you for doing this, it helped me a lot not to make silly mistakes.
I wish I could find a way to avoid silly mistakes myself! Thanks for kind words!
Thanks for the video , I like the info , it wasn’t to technical . I spoke to Joe in the uk , as I was going to buy the kit and he rang me and explained it won’t work with my Olympus , so I’m looking for another system , probably The Pluto , Thanks absinthe, David Martin.
Huge Respect for you Sir from India , Loving the knowledge you share
I really can't understand why every video on yt has dislikes... What's wrong with these people, disrespecting such a great work?
These folks are too hardcore for Twitter. They have to go somewhere.
Great video Alan very in-depth as ever I’m a beginner into macro and other techniques I looked at purchasing one of these kits and I’m sad to say it’s well out of my price range when I need other basics keep up the good work Alan
G'day Alan I have just come across your video and think it is great, I intend to look up your other ones. I wish you and your family all the best for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. From KANGAROO FLAT ,Victoria, Australia.
Cheers, Royce! Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season - though I can't imagine it will all that safe, what with the kangaroo in your flat. Have you thought about getting a cat, instead?
Damnnnnn that's FIREEEEEE!!!!
Hi there great video and it will help me I guess, thing is I have just started and using the Pluto system, it’s not as straightforward as plugging it in and away you go it’s definitely a learning curve for any photographer, not managed to get the double drop yet but watching this I will try a few things, one again thanks Tony U.K.
Definitely a learning curve! I hear the Pluto is a solid trigger, so it won't be long before you are nailing double drops and all the other fancy shots. Secret to success... only ever change one variable at a time and allow enough drops at the new setting for the device to equilibrate. That will get rid of 99% of the confusion and frustration.
Thanks for the video. But need to work on your background which is very blank right now. Further, need some room in the foreground also as the water spalshes seemed be cut off at the bottom. But the timing of the shots are lovely. Thanks again for sharing.
Thanks for another informative video Allan.
Water drop photography is something I have been keen to get into.
I am looking to spend some money on a kit early in the new year. My preference is going to be the MiOps splash kit.
It is app controlled and you can see the settings!
Cheers from NZ
Cheers Tony! I looked into that kit but I can't remember why I decided on the splash art. I seem to recall that they were about the same but I was put off by a couple of negative reviews. You are absolutely right that having some idea what your settings are will be very helpful. If you get the MiOps, please let me know how it works out.
Your awesome videos deserve more subscribers and views.
Thanks Celina! You are very kind to say that! Maybe one day I'll have more, but for now I'm just grateful for the subscribers that I do have!
Key information: "The lower the flash power, the shorter the flash duration."
Good to remember this, thanks Allan!
How come you still have motionblur?
T1 speed slow? I think canon 580ex does 1/14000 t1
Hello Allan from Kent,UK. Super video as usual and very informative. Do you have those flash addapter plans anywhere I could down load the plans please. I will be giving splash photography a go whilst we are on lockdown. I hope you and your family are staying safe in these times of troubles. Stay Safe and keep making the videos, for us all to enjoy.
I did this with a plastic bag with a needle punched hole, way less predictable but also pretty affordable
Great video!
Use a marker, put a dot next to the red dial so you can keep track. I found this for mirror up for a Canon 80d . It's what I have but it might be the same for other canon "To enable mirror lockup, press the camera manu button, find the appropriate Custom Function option or correct Shoot menu. Select Enable. When mirror lockup is enabled, press the shutter button once to raise the mirror. Pause a moment or two and then press the shutter button again to fire the shutter."
Thanks Lisa. I should have included mirror up instructions for Canon shooters - this will be very helpful for them!
Just got the Pluto valve. Hasn't got a macro lens, so I ended up using my 70-200mm. A bit tricky to get the focus right, as it was just around the lens near limit.
As this was in my living room in the middle of the day I figured out that using my variable ND filter on about max was a good idea. Played with some food coloring in the bowl.
After figuring out timings, light and focus I ended up with a couple of ok photos out of my first 300. The best splashed vere unfortunately out of focus.
The Pluto trigger is bluetooth controlled from my smartphone. So I ended up just laying on my coach, clicking a button in the app every time my speedlight said it was ready for another shot
Definetly a part om my photography hobby that I am going to spend more time with.
Very good. Thanks a lot
Great tutorial, enjoyed it very much. One question, I have a Canon 7D MK II. can I tether while using this setup?
Hi Buck, absolutely. You should have no problem tethering, provided you have the appropriate software to support it. Lightroom has a very capable tethering interface, but I think most other application do also.
@@AllanWallsPhotography I thought it would be possible but I also believe the saying about "assume".
Really enjoyed the Video Allan, look forward to the next instalment with the splashart , Liked and subscribed
Cheers, Ian! Great to have you on board.
FYI... Many studio flash units control light output power by switching more or less capacitors in or out of the circuit so the flash duration is not significantly affected by changing the power output of these lights. Most speedlights and portable, shoe-mountable flash units however; use a different type of circuitry where lowering the manual flash power output does, in fact, alter flash duration. There are special models of some studio flash equipment which DO allow you to adjust flash duration. The Paul C. Buff Einstein unit is such a light. Just sayin'...
Thanks Christopher. Your point is well taken and I should have been clearer on this point. I have using the Einstein forever but shouldn't have generalized my comments. Thanks for clearing this up. Cheers!
Another informative video Allan. I’ve been giving the Splash Art kit a go over the past few weeks - with mixed success ! It can get a bit frustrating with so many variables to take into account. The biggest problem I encounter is that the final images are just not “clean” and appear soft and grainy despite being at iso 100. I suspect that there isn’t enough flash power to light the splash when at 1/16 to freeze the action. Will try and add another flash next time or move it closer to the drop. Look forward to your next video on this subject. Thanks.
Thanks! I understand the issue. It can be hard to get the lighting perfect. Here are a couple of recommendations... when setting the timing on the SplashArt, adjust only one parameter at a time and after each adjustment trigger the drops at least three or four times before you try to shoot. I've found that the timing doesn't get settled down until the valve has been opened a few times. Leave the drop size alone (at the 12 o'clock position) and fine tune the delay using just a single drop. When that is dialed in, start making tiny adjustments to the time between drops until you are getting good collisions. Then you can start messing with drop size. I have found this approach to work pretty well.
The lighting is another thing that requires finesse. Shoot at your sync speed and use a speedlight power of 1/8. At 1/8 power your effective shutter speed (the flash duration) is still very, very short (about 1/3000 sec). Which is plenty fast enough for any water drop. So adding power is one way to go. Another option is adding another flash - but be very careful. Not all flash units sync up well together. Best to use another unit of the same brand/model. But before I would add a light I would make sure that you are shooting in a very dark room. Ambient light sneaking into the camera will cause this softness you are describing. Lastly, I would check online to find the best aperture for sharpness and try shooting at that setting. You may be tempted to shoot at f/16 to get the most DOF, but if your lens is sharpest at f/8 (like many lenses are), you will see a big difference. One other thing... shooting water drops very often ends up with some of that liquid getting onto your lens. Even from quite a distance. So check the lens every now and again to make sure it isn't wet. Did I already say to move your flash as close to the splash as you can get? Well I did now.
I hope that helps!
Allan Walls Photography Thanks Allan for the tips. I shoot with the D850 and have the Tamron 90mm so same as you. I’ve two different brand flashes so that might be an issue if I add another. Will be having another go at the weekend so will try out some of the things you have mentioned. Thanks again.
@@barrymills3512 It could be to much ambient light. I always do things in a darkish room light. I tend to use 4 flash guns at low power, all Canon, when back lighting to get enough light. I found out about the ghosting problem myself.
brianT Thanks for the tip. I have got slightly better results now changing things but will also invest in some better flashes in the future - all the same brand.
@@barrymills3512 It definitely helps!
Why mt use a piece of 1" PVC pipe for your stand for the water bowl?
How do you clean this , to prevent rust ?
You mean the dropper thingy? I take it apart (unplug the solenoid, not dismantle it completely) and let any fluid still in there drain by gravity, then I flush with clean water. If I'm planning on using it again soon, I'll leave the reservoir half filled with deionized water and put the whole thing in a clean dry closet. If it is going to be packed away, I gently dry it with a hair drier (why do I own a hair drier? that's one of life's mysteries) and coat the brass with a thin layer of grease (gun oil or something, the label fell off). Don't put anything up the spout though. Then I put it in a sealed plastic box (a foam thing keeps it airtight) with a couple of fully charged silica gel holders, seal it up, and Bob's your uncle till next time.
@@AllanWallsPhotography hi
Thank you for informing me , I've got one coming tomorrow , I hope I can get the same results has you .
I watched a guy on TH-cam and he recommended starting with the dials pointing at 11.00 , is this somewhere where I need to be if I'm only using water .
Many thanks Alan
@@michaelganner1581 That's a good tactic. This is all dependent on your device, the height, the liquid, how you comb your hair - it is very much a feel your way through it process. starting at 11 will get the timing close, and from there, experiment. There is an excellent description of the setup in the documentation. I highly recommend you follow that.
@@AllanWallsPhotography
Many thanks Alan , I appreciate you getting back to me .
Fantastic advice and very informative thank you .
Hi Alan
So I received the splash art kit , and I'm having loads of fun with it , I started getting results in no time and thanks again for your input .
LOVING IT 👍👍👍👍👍
Did I hear you right? Milk in there for an year??? 😂😂
Try to front light when using milk on black background. Thanks for the videos
Just catching up with your earlier videos....................
Don't hold them against me! I was learning!
Splash art is supposed to be great. Another company that has something similar is Miops. It's more cost effective for the beginner. You use an app to time it all. You can use milk , food coloring and add Xanthum gum.
Good point. I have the Miops trigger, and it can be very useful. I chose SplashArt because of the high-quality solenoid/valve assembly - it is very well built and durable. Thanks!
It seems you are not interested to answer any of my comments/questions, that is fine, thanks and have a great day!
You have the arm on the wrong side of the stand. You do not need a weight on it . I have this kit.
Hi Brian. That is deliberate - the base is turned around so that I can use a larger container for the splashes, without having to raise the container to make room for the base.
Why bother with that focussing skewer set up for focussing. Just lay it across the top of the glass. No need for blue tac etc 😂
Oh man I've just waded through the whole video, 34 minutes of talking for 4 minutes of photography, that balance just doesn't work for me 😢
Can I get one, please!
Fantastic video. Do you know Corrie White's work? You can check it out at www.liquiddropart.com. Congrats.
The information you provided would have needed a very short video. You need to plan before hand..
oh man, less talk, more action...
Very detailed, but impeded by serious rambling, tangential thoughts and a lack of focus.