Drops in a can...

[brettmc]

So yesterday I was having a little fun doing some water drops again. Please feel free to C&C. In particular does anyone have any ideas on how to keep from washing out the table below? Thanks for any help you can give!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

[Eyetattoo]

#4 is my favorite with the yellow tint.

 

[Buckster]

In particular does anyone have any ideas on how to keep from washing out the table below? Thanks for any help you can give!

Flag the light so that the it can't bounce off the table but still lights the water. In other words, put the table in shade from the light by placing cardboard or paper or some other material between it and the light, but out of the frame of the shot so you can't see it in the picture.

Paper will diffuse the light, letting some pass, cardboard will block it completely, so try both and see what works best for you. Lots of ways to do that, if you just be a little creative with it. You might stand up an opened book on the table just out of frame or something like that, for example. With some careful placement, you can block the whole table surface off and leave a hole of light to pass through, which takes us to option B:

Use a snoot. Make a snoot from a tube made of cardboard or paper taped into a tube shape that aims the light at the water only. As before, paper will diffuse the light outside of the spotlight you're creating, allowing the table to be lit somewhat, while cardboard will block it completely. Depending on the size of your light source, you may need to block around the top, bottom and sides of your tube so the light doesn't go right past it.

Hope that helps give you some workable ideas.

 

[Samanax]

#4 & #5 are great. Don't care for the others because of the can.