Carl Hare
Carl Hare is a Fujifilm UK Product Specialist and Freelance Photographer based in Hampshire, UK. Carl started out his photography life as a wedding and event photographer, but has since expanded his photographic skills into many genres. Carl has a great passion for educating and has been teaching courses and workshop on many different genres of photography since 2014. These days Carl is just as comfortable shooting headshots in a studio environment or teaching lighting techniques as he is being outdoors shooting landscapes and wildlife in the depths of winter in the Arctic. Carl previously shot with Nikon equipment up until he decided to switch over to the Fujifilm X Series cameras and lenses in 2012 and the GFX system in 2017.
FUJIFILM product specialist Carl Hare shows you how to stay creative while you’re indoors by capturing some dramatic water splash images.
Being stuck indoors doesn’t mean your photography has to take a back seat – far from it! There are still plenty of ways to flex your creative muscles and this particular technique is great fun and allows lots of room for experimentation. Along with a camera and lens, you’ll need the following bits of kit:
- Tripod (or a solid surface like a stack of books will do)
- A glass bowl or container filled with water
- A flashgun that can be triggered off camera OR
- Bright LED lights or desk lamps
- Objects to drop into the water
- Coloured gels to go over the light source (optional)
FUJIFILM X-H1 + XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR - F10, ISO 320, 1/250 sec
Get set up
As this technique involves splashing water, it’s best set up in the kitchen or somewhere where surfaces are suitably protected. You’ll also need a plain background – I used a piece of card. One option is to shoot in your bath (providing it’s white and you don’t include the taps!) as it acts as one big reflector and there’s no problem with tidying up afterwards. Otherwise, try placing a mirror under the glass for extra light.
Taken with the FUJIFILM X-T30 + XF35mmF1.4 R - F1.4, ISO 400, 1/490 sec
Once you’ve found your spot and have the bowl of water in position, you’ll need to make sure your camera is set up:
1) If you’re using continuous light like LED lights or desk lamps, you’ll need to use a shutter speed of at least 1/1000sec. This may mean having to push your ISO up to ensure enough light is hitting the sensor. Use the manual exposure mode and choose 1/1000sec, F8 and ISO 800. If that’s too dark, choose a wider aperture (F5.6, F4) or increase the ISO to 1600 or 3200. You may also need to change the white balance preset to match the light source or shoot RAW and change it on the computer afterwards.
2) If, like me, you’re shooting with flash, pick your camera’s maximum sync speed and make sure you’re using the mechanical shutter as flash won’t fire if electronic shutter is selected. Here’s a sync speed guide on some popular models:
X-T4, X-T3, X-Pro3 = 1/250sec
X-T30, X-T200 = 1/180sec
GFX system = 1/125sec
With the shutter speed selected, use the manual exposure mode and, as a starting point, try an aperture of F8 and ISO 200.
Whatever light source you’re using, you should also select manual focusing and continuous shooting so you can capture a sequence of images with every splash. Use a coloured straw or teaspoon handle in the spot where you’re going to drop the object to help focus accurately. Press in the rear command dial on X Series and GFX cameras to zoom in to your focus point, which is a huge help for accurate manual focusing.
FUJIFILM X-T1 + XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS - F8, ISO 200, 1/160 sec
Get shooting!
Now comes the fun part. As a starting point, position your light sources either side of the subject. You may just want to start with trying to capture water splashes, in which case you should focus on the surface of the water. If you’re dropping items into the water, it’s best to shoot through the side of the bowl or glass and capture them as they disappear under the surface.
Be sure to move the light sources around and see how that affects the final image. You should also try different shapes and colours of glassware as each one will create its own unique splash and colour pattern.
FUJIFILM X-T30 + XF35mmF1.4 R - F1.4, ISO 400, 1/750 sec
Timing is everything. Most people will take the picture just before the subject hits the water, but in my experience you should wait a split second longer. Practice makes perfect, of course. It can be easier firing the shutter with a remote release or using the free FUJIFILM Camera Remote app.
Want to get a more precise focus? I usually use a coloured straw or teaspoon handle to help focus my lens on where I think my drop will land in the container. Press in and rotate the rear command dial on X and GFX Series cameras to zoom in to your focus point.
FUJIFILM X-T30 + XF35mmF1.4 R - F1.4, ISO 400, 1/750 sec
FUJIFILM X-T30 + XF35mmF1.4 R - F1.4, ISO 400, 1/460 sec
What should you drop in? Strawberries and small fruits work well, as do brightly coloured objects. Why not get creative and try playing around with small toys or Lego figures? And of course, there’s no rule to say that you should use water. You could use milk or oils, and play around with food colourings for a different effect. The most important thing is to experiment, practice and have fun!
We want to see what you come up with! If you’re trying this technique at home, share your images on social media with the #FujifilmFromHome hashtag.
Good luck!