Christmas water drop refractions

[Wroot_Down]

I've been playing with some macro water drop refractions with a Christmas theme for my greeting cards this year.
I use glass from picture frame treated with Rain-x and make the droplets with a hypodermic needle. The water is mixed with glycerine to give the drops more stability. The image in the drops is refracted from a stock image that is placed upside down under the glass, the glass is supported above the stock image by a few inches to focus the image inside the drop properly.
Let me know what you think, thanks for looking.

Christmas Baubles - Blue by Wroot Down, on Flickr


Christmas Baubles - Red by Wroot Down, on Flickr

 

[laynea24]

This is pretty cool!

 

[Derrel]

I like the color theme and simplicity of the blue image, but the lack of BIG drops in it makes it less-interesting, less visually rewarding I think, than the larger drops in the second image. also, and this is subtle and almost experienced at a subconscious level, but *I* think of drops as being "in motion" or "falling" mostly, so to me, a vertical camera orientation better conveys that feeling, that mental predisposition. THerefore, the second image, with more large drops, and framed vertically, is the better picture.

 

[laynea24]

I didn't notice it before, but now that Derrel (aka Photographic Genius) has pointed it out, I agree with the vertical photo being the best for his reasons stated above.

 

[Wroot_Down]

Thanks for the insight Derrel, I felt like the blue one was a bit weak myself and agree that some larger drops would have filled thing out a bit more. I hadn't thought about the orientation making that subconscious connection with falling droplets, I'll definitely take that advice into consideration next time around.
Thanks so much again for your thoughtful critique.

 

[Bend The Light]

Love it. Gonna have a go with my 7 year old at something like this. What did you light it with?

And I agree that the second is great...lovely colour, and best orientation.

 

[Wroot_Down]

Love it. Gonna have a go with my 7 year old at something like this. What did you light it with?

And I agree that the second is great...lovely colour, and best orientation.

Thanks for the comment!
The shots were lit very indirectly from top and bottom with CFL bulbs in cheap utility light reflectors. That seemed to work a lot better, using a long exposure and indirect light rather than popping a flash, as far as hot spots go.

 

[xyphoto]

Like the second one a lot.

 

[ronlane]

Cool. I too like the second one best.

 

[Bend The Light]

Love it. Gonna have a go with my 7 year old at something like this. What did you light it with?

And I agree that the second is great...lovely colour, and best orientation.

Thanks for the comment!
The shots were lit very indirectly from top and bottom with CFL bulbs in cheap utility light reflectors. That seemed to work a lot better, using a long exposure and indirect light rather than popping a flash, as far as hot spots go.

Yes, makes sense. I tried similar water drops but even with off-camera flash I got hot spots that were too much. Your method worked beautifully.

 

[Pallycow]

Gives me ideas on things to try out based on this....great shot.

 

[leeroix]

i gotta say... those are some pretty cool water drops! did you print out the background? and put the glass in front of it?