First time shooting water droplets (3)

[gummibear]

nice shots I really like how you captured all the different colors into the water, 3 is my fav

 

[Ryan L]

you are absolutely right. It could have been the close up filters...

I use kenko close up filters and I know they definitely take away from image quality to a point. I'm pretty sure hoya is a bit better brand name... Not sure though :/

I can get good image quality, it almost seems like it made the dof a bit shallower. like I went from f9 to 2.8! Anyone have any input to this? Almost all of my shots of the crowns (or whatever you call them) are like this. Here's another shot at f9, 1/200 ISO100, the same look applies here as well. Most of the other 150+ shots as well.

Didn't include these because the print on the paper I used under the water showed on the top!

 

[K.Li]

I like doing water droplet too! They are great fun.

To me your shots seems underexposed, and I don't think you need a close up filter for water droplets, a telephoto could work too.

One way to get great colors is to use white backdrop and white bowl, then adjust the white balance to get a very nice cool blue.

Here is an example

 

[csgrafix]

I don't think you need a close up filter for water droplets, a telephoto could work too.

Using a telephoto, you don't physically need to get so close to the water. True?

 

[JAFO28]

I agree with K.Li, try them without the filters or with the telephoto. I took a lot of water drop pictures over the winter, mostly using my wife's 105mm nikkor. One key thing to doing these shots is consistency on where the water is dropping allowing the focus to stay pretty much at the same distance. I used an old cheapo tripod I had and a water bottle from a bicycle. Doing this had the water dropping in the same spot every time. I then used a pencil and placed it in the spot where the water was dropping and manually focused on it. Then fire away.