Iron Creek Photography®: Splash Art Photography with a Fujifilm GFX 50s Part 3

Neon Uproar

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Train wreck

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Splash Dance

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Back again with more information.

ELF Disruption

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I recently upped the anti by adding 2-addition siphons for a total of 3-separate drops valves. Doing this we also changed the brains of the system from Cognisys Stopshot Water Drop kit to the much more involved Stopshot Studio 3 valve water drop kit.

Several thoughts on the Studio 3 system are; I can now control the entire enterprise directly from my laptop. The software included runs on both a Mac or PC and I'm using it on a 15” Microsoft Surface Book II from one of my USB 3 ports. Another thought is that I have better control over the individual drop valves setting them for up to 3-drops at a time and various intervals. The same is true with the flashes and I now routinely use between 2 and 3 flashes per session. There’s much more to this however the greatest aspect is that I can drop up to 3-colors now.

Fracas

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When I first began dropping 3-colors I decided to go for the standard RGB as in Red, Green and Blue. I’ve tried Purple, Yellow, Purple as well as various other colors. I’ve also experimented leaving the well clear of color; at least until I begin dropping into it which after awhile can make for an interesting color. I’ve also added colors to the well to experiment with the results. UPDATE: I now fill the well with clear cold water letting the colors add as the drops fall. I change the water depending on how long I shoot.

I’ve tested various combinations of drops, 1 each, 2,1,1, 2-each, 1,2,1 etc. You are limited only by your imagination.

Amok

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The last blog I shared I had ended up trying and liking a black paint roller tray. That still works well however I since found a new tray to act as the well. It’s plastic, black and measures 12x32 and about 1.5’ deep on the shallow end. The width and depth are good however the length is what makes this tray perfect. Made by Husky, it's a x-large stackable garage storage bin I happened to find at my local The Home Depot. I've been using this for several weeks now with great success.

Shambles

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I’ve now just about perfected my solutions making me feel more mad scientist each time I make a batch. I normally make a batch of gum the night before making enough to fill the well to the level I want with a little left over for the siphons. I’ve got a couple older glass beakers I used to use in making up a varnish for my canvas prints. 50mg gum, 50 mg 2%milk, 100mg water and a generous helping of food coloring. Stir well before filling the siphons. I’ve not been adding any colors to the well knowing that in time the drops from the siphons will color it. I also found I like the well to be a darker color mixture so the eye stays with the drop sculpture.

UPDATE: I've done more research and I now shoot I'll be using a pure gum solution with 2% milk and food coloring. This solution gives a more plastic look to the drops. I also stopped adding any gum solution to the well, instead I'm using plain cold tap water. I also very recently began using cold water that has been refrigerated overnight in the well at a depth of approximately 1.5 inches.

Twisted Imp

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Please note that I began writing this a several weeks ago updating information along the way.

I haven’t talked about how I’ve been setting the camera up until now. I had been doing this in a small confined area that only had room for the small (24x42) folding table and rolling computer stand. I was forced to set the camera on the table due to limited area and kept going back and forth using either a table top tripod or a large Platypod. Both worked and both had their strengths and weaknesses. The new table I’m now using is 30x60 and set up in the garage which allows me the freedom of using a choice of either a tripod or table pod.

Ka-Boom

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Manifesto

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Macro photography is about getting as close to the subject as possible. The GF120 while a macro lens is still a 50% lens. Using the new 45mm extension tube allows me to photograph at 100% at a much closer distance. I’ve now used the 120 with and without the extension tube. The extension tube allows me to get in closer however I find that I might be too close as I was getting the occasional water drops on the lens. Removing the extension tube allows me to set back a couple inches further keeping the lens dry. I also use the lens hood in order to better protect the lens from splashes. I found that in each case I was very pleased to have a full frame image that I could print. Here again you’ll need to experiment with your own setup.

Distracted

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While not water drop related it nevertheless is macro related. I’ve also begun experimenting using the 45mm extension tube on the Fuji GF250 lens. I’ve attached the 1.4 extension to the 250 as well as the macro tube. I’ve found I can get macro images at a focal distance of 5 to 6 feet. I’ll share a couple samples here and maybe write more about this process later.