Water, water everywhere…

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

Firstly congratulations to Mark Miller for winning December’s Black and White Challenge. Don’t forget this month’s Water, water everywhere Photo Challenge winner will be announced at the start of February, so make sure you submit your entry before the closing date of 1st February to be in with a chance of winning!

For this first article of 2012, I’m asking you to try your hand at shooting virtually anything you like that includes water as a major part of the composition.

To illustrate the subject, here is a real mix of images taken in the studio, out in the car, outdoors on location and indoors at home. All my shots for this month’s article were taken on my trusty Lumix GF1 camera.

Shot 1 – Land Rover

For this shot, all I needed was a photogenic location, a suitable vehicle and driver, and a sunny early morning…

It took several attempts, with the Land Rover driven at different speeds until I was happy with the end result. Imagine how it used to be before digital photography and the ability to instantly check if the images you’re taking are achieving what you wish! Anyway, all you really need to remember with this sort of action shot is to use a shutter speed that’s fast enough to convey movement and to freeze the action enough to show the splash.

• ISO 200
• 1/250th second at f4.0 (hand-held)
• 20mm Pancake lens
• Auto White Balance
• Camera set to RAW Capture

Shot 2 – Vortex

It was back into the studio for this shot. I was asked by a client a few years back if I could shoot a ‘whirlpool’ effect. Obviously, I said yes immediately and then set about working out how to do it afterwards!

The technique I came up with is actually pretty foolproof. The key component – apart from the water itself and a suitable glass vessel, of course – is something to get the water spinning fast enough for a whirlpool to form while you are busy with your camera. For this, I borrowed an electric chemical stirrer, which is a rather specialist bit of kit that spins a magnetic lozenge-shaped piece of metal at a very high speed at the bottom of whatever vessel you choose to use…

I used a beer pint glass! It was positioned on top of the device, with the magnet inside it, in front of a tracing-paper frame. I used a single flash head behind this sheet of tracing paper, with the flash duration set to a 4,000th of a second to freeze the water vortex for a really clear shot. I think the shape is fascinating – it’s always good to photograph something that can’t really be perceived by the eye alone.

• ISO 100
• 1/125th second at f20.0 (tripod-mounted)
• 45mm Leica Macro lens
• White Balance custom set to 4200K
• Camera set to RAW Capture

Shot 3 – Time For Tea

Rather less technically demanding, I went into my kitchen for this one! With no complex setups or lighting needed, to get this shot I just relied on some ambient soft sunlight filtering through the window.

It’s a domestic, everyday subject, but I always say that anything can make an interesting photograph – and you can imagine how such a shot might be used commercially. Besides, I like a nice cup of tea!

• ISO 400
• 1/40th second at f4.6 (hand-held)
• 45-200mm Zoom lens set at 91mm
• Auto White Balance
• Camera set to RAW Capture

Shot 4 – Fountains and Reflections

I headed into my local town centre for this group of shots. Once again, there was nothing complex required – just my GF1 and a tripod. I wanted to capture the movement of the water in the fountains, but not to freeze it or blur its movement. So, I set my shutter speed to 1/5th of a second to achieve this effect.

If there is a water feature near your home, or even in your own back garden, you might want to try something similar yourself. Don’t forget to take up my ‘water’ Photo Challenge this month!

• ISO 200
• 1/5th – 1/13th second at f2.8 (tripod-mounted)
• 45mm Leica Macro lens
• White Balance custom set to 4450K
• Camera set to RAW Capture

Shot 5 – Driving In The Rain

I took this shot from the passenger seat while being driven on the M1, back to my studio after a shoot. Obviously, only if you are a passenger – not the driver! – should you consider taking such shots, but I like the obvious reality of the result. I think it says it all about winter driving on a wet road! And it’s a reminder, of course, to always have your camera to hand because you never know when a moment of inspiration will take you.

• Camera set to ‘iA’ (intelligent auto)

I had a list of shots I’d thought about doing for this month’s article, but I ran out of time – so perhaps you might like to try shooting some of these subjects yourselves?

My list of possibilities also featured:

1. Dirty hands washing outdoors, under running water.

2. A close-up of a mouth drinking from a water fountain.

3. A shot from inside a car as it passes through a car wash.

Of course, the list could be endless and you may take your inspiration from pretty much anywhere! So, grab you camera and show me your own interpretation of this month’s subject – water – for the latest Photo Challenge competition. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. The closing date for entries is 1^st February – happy shooting and don’t get too wet!

Have fun and good luck with the Water Photo Challenge!

Phil Surbey