A Shot Drop Shot
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Steely-eyed aim and perfect timing.
How the heck did you do that???
Here's another with a drop of milk. Timing was off a bit.
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Timing was better on this one
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1 Nikon SB900 fired at 1/128 power
(38,500ths/sec)
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Here's a missed shot in wide angle from earlier experiments.
The whole event happens in mere milliseconds and is much too fast to be captured without being precisely controlled.
I use a water valve activated by a 12vDC solenoid. The gun is hard mounted and pre-aimed at the point I have calculated the drop to be at a precise time. The trigger is pulled by a 24vDC solenoid through a 12vDC relay activated by a pre-programmed intervolometer.
The camera shutter is set to 'bulb' and opened prior to drop release and closed after the shot is complete. The image is captured with the flash, not the shutter.
After careful, precise calculations and adjustments, the shot/hit ratio is near 100%.
Here's a precisely controlled sequence of shooting a rebounding water drop.
Purple dye was added to the drop water to provide a target. Of course, these are 6 separate shots/drops and show the repeatability of the technique:
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Thanks, Slap. I've seen you on the NikonCafe forum where I have a huge, 65 page thread on hi-speed ballistic photography. Perhaps you've seen it?
Wow! Many thanks for the explanation, as someone who shoots with both cameras and guns, and has a good knowledge of industrial automation, I still couldn't think how you achieved it.
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Gordon Bennett...all pretty amazing..well done you..
There is more to it than what I described. The timing components are comprised of two intervolometers, 2 infrared photo gates, a valve solenoid, a trigger solenoid, and a relay. All have to be in perfect sync along with the strobe and camera for the shot to work.Wow! Many thanks for the explanation, as someone who shoots with both cameras and guns, and has a good knowledge of industrial automation, I still couldn't think how you achieved it.
A complete step-by-step description of my technique is available if you are interested.
Being a gun enthusiast, you might appreciate these shots with the camera mounted above the gun barrel and the pellet traveling away from the viewer:
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Thanks! Who is Gordon Bennett?
SarahLee
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Those really are exceptional!!!
I have to admit to not understanding all the technical aspects, but I don't think I need to understand it to appreciate the end result. For me the ones with the camera mounted above the barrel have the most impact, although they're all stunning in their own way.
If I had any critique to offer, it would be that I'd like to see you experiment with some more artistic and dramatic backgrounds. Beyond that I think you have the technique down perfectly and there's nothing more that I can add.
I have to admit to not understanding all the technical aspects, but I don't think I need to understand it to appreciate the end result. For me the ones with the camera mounted above the barrel have the most impact, although they're all stunning in their own way.
If I had any critique to offer, it would be that I'd like to see you experiment with some more artistic and dramatic backgrounds. Beyond that I think you have the technique down perfectly and there's nothing more that I can add.
Thanks for your comment, SL
As for your critique, of which others have said the same, I agree that they could be a bit more artistic as far as photo images. However, these were more an experiment in physics, mathematical computations, and engineering than a photographic exercise. The images were a means of recording the event.
That being said, I will offer a few I did to please those such as yourself who posses more refined artistic sensibilities than I.
By the way, I love your cherry cheesecakes!
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Thank you so much! Comments like yours make the effort worthwhile. I do appreciate your taking time to comment.
Here's one just for you! Gives a whole new meaning to "hand held photo"!
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They are Fantastic
Thanks! Glad you like them, DKThey are Fantastic
SarahLee
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Now those really are amazing !!!Technically still brilliant, but a pleasure to look at too.
And if my cherry cheesecakes are inspiring this sort of work, there are some virtual ones on their way down the phone line to you
Thank you so much! Comments like yours make the effort worthwhile. I do appreciate your taking time to comment.
Here's one just for you! Gives a whole new meaning to "hand held photo"!
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Blimey, how much more stunning are your shots going to get? That is truly inspirational.
...and you get the cakes!
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Blimey... these are just getting better and better - keep them coming
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Thank you so much! Comments like yours make the effort worthwhile. I do appreciate your taking time to comment.
Here's one just for you! Gives a whole new meaning to "hand held photo"!
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That's magical......
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A link please
There is more to it than what I described. The timing components are comprised of two intervolometers, 2 infrared photo gates, a valve solenoid, a trigger solenoid, and a relay. All have to be in perfect sync along with the strobe and camera for the shot to work.
A complete step-by-step description of my technique is available if you are interested.
Being a gun enthusiast, you might appreciate these shots with the camera mounted above the gun barrel and the pellet traveling away from the viewer:
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I am very interested
Regards
Mike
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Wow never seen it done like this before, excellent stuff.
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Awesome thread from the start but this is my favourite.
OK Mike. I have a long running thread on the NikonCafe forum that describes the whole process in great detail and includes many, many hi-speed images. I'm not sure if you have to register to view it but the forum is worth joining.
My thread is now 60 pages with over 20,000 views so there must be something of interest there. It includes other hi-speed experiments like shooting milk-filled balloons, lit light bulbs, and shooting stuff that has been frozen in liquid nitrogen.
Have a look and please post a comment so I can answer any questions you may have.
Here is a sample of a milk-filled balloon being shot.
The link to my thread on NikonCafe.com is:
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=275962
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Thanks for the link - I found it yesterday and have bookmarked it - after about an hours reading and only getting less than halfway through - It is a facinating read and all power to your elbow - well done and thanks for your fantastic efforts.
Regards
Mike
Regards
Mike
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I'm sat here with my mouth open !
quite simply phenomenal
quite simply phenomenal
Thanks for looking and the kind comment, Mike. Perhaps when you next visit the thread you could make a post and bump the thread to the top of the page?
The thread began as a response to a friend in Australia who bet $50 that I could not shoot a water drop with a gun. After I mastered that, I was having so much fun that the thread kept growing with more experiments and is now at 60 pages! There is much more than water drop shots, as you have seen. I'm gearing up for more experiments and expect to keep that thread alive as long as there are viewers.
BTW, I viewed your Flickr page and must say that your wildlife photo skills are extraordinary. Well done!
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