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goRillA-iNK — An Extensive Macro Photography Tutorial
Published: 2012-07-28 03:47:49 +0000 UTC; Views: 9980; Favourites: 266; Downloads: 219
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...ON A BUDGET.
I guess it's about time that I shared how I create
my water drops, and I hope that anyone that's interested in
shooting water drop macros will benefit from this tutorial and
hopefully enjoy the learning experience that I've tried to present.
Feel free to note me if you have any further questions
and I will try my best to answer them as best I can
and in a timely fashion ...within reason of course.
I hope you like it.
Thank you for the views, faves, and comments.
Also here's one other shot I couldn't get to fit in the tutorial.
Here's something that you need to see.
This was my first macro water drop photo.
It just takes time and trying
a lot of things out with your camera and your subject.
Related content
Comments: 53
great tutorial will try the part dvd lightning and below 
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Thank you for the tutorial. I will try your "set up". I played with some feathers and drops (and not always in the same shot 
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I'm happy to read your message!!!
I use to have dome drops at first too when I started out shooting. You could use ice cold water to help keep the drop round.
Backgrounds are the most important, next to lighting sources and compositions.
Keep up the research on what works. Try shooting test shots a lot and don't get discouraged when a shot doesn't turn out how you planned.
My best shots look like I planned them perfectly, but in fact most of them are happy accidents.
Take Care!
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Thanks a TON! Here is what I could make out of this: [link]
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Wow! Amazing! I will use this! I love the idea of using a CD... I would have never thought of that.
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Now I finally know how you do it!
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Thank you for this tutotial! It helps a lot! Drinking water??? Thats great! I will try!
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I'm just wondering, what aperture do you normally use?
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I love the way you do your beautiful shots, and now I'm inspired do one of my own
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Aww. . . thank you so much!
YAY!! I can't wait to see what you create!!!
Just remember to be patient when trying to capture beautifully in the micro world.
It's a lot of fun but, it's also tricky too.
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You're welcome!
Ha, I'm quite the perfectionist, so I'll probably spend hours trying to get it just right, but that's okay 
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I used your amazing tuto here: [link] . Thank you for sharing
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I have a family member that has diabetes and she gave me a few new ones to use.
Otherwise I don't know if you can by them online or not but most the time if you do
you need to show proof of why you need them.
That may depend though on what the state or country laws and regulations are.
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Ah, I see. I don't think I'm able to get them from a pharmacy around here since I'm underage
But thank you
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I bet you can just use an empty pipette or a dropper for medicines or eyes.
I think those can be sold over the counter. Or you/your parents can try to buy online.
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Thank you for the tips
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You could try using tooth pick hollowed out with a sewing needle
it might be tricky to hollow one out, but it just might give you
a drop that forms nicely.
There's also a possibility that a coffee straw stirrer might do the trick too.
Or last resort could be trying just a regular needle and dip the eye of the needle to
get the drop to form. There's a trick I've used before to make these work best.
When I did have a syringe to use I sprayed water repellent on my feathers that I used.
It really helped the droplet to form.
I hope these ideas are helpful.
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Wow, your tips and ideas are really original and very helpful! Thank you for taking your time to help me, I really appreciate it!
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Great job making use of your resources! You are quite innovative, and this is a great example of not needing top-of-the-line equipment to get the shot.
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OMG! That is so AWESOME! Really appropriate use of the word this time! Got to go and find some old cameras, I actually dug up a massive (30cm diameter) glass lens (only glass not from a camera or anything), I will have to give it a go. I have series of photos that I took through the insides of a kaleidoscope (holding it up to the lens and clicking)...I bet you would get some great shots if you tried that our with your macro lens too....
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Thank you for this! Such fantastic use of something most of us wouldn't think of!
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Thank you, some great information, love the idea of warping the DVD too
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This looks soooo fantastic - exactly what I've been wanting and eagerly awaiting thank you so much!!!
I'm understanding that you put your feather/glitter and droplet on the warped DVD so what are the flat and broken DVDs for?
I hope you get a DD for this - it's wonderful, thank you so much!!!
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I'm jealous of your water drops O.o Thanks for the tutorial, I will try it as soon as i get the chance
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Whoa! awesome i always wondered how you did that!!!
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Yeah! I was pretty determined to make
my camera do what any and all cameras
should be able to do.
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Thats awesome ^^ I dont know if my camera would do that X)
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Practically any camera can if it's
able to zoom in or out.
Even a point and shoot can.
And you have a Canon Powershot,
this would most definitely work!
All you need is another lens like any of these in my tutorial and bam!
Instant macro magic at your finger tips.
Most of these lenses can be found at any thrift store or good will,
and many even at a flea market.
Just $3.00 to $ 5.00 dollars that's all it takes.
An if it takes maybe $10.00 or $20.00 well then;
that's still much cheaper then $150.00 and up.
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Whoa!!!! I cant wait to try it out!! thank you so much for taking the time to tell me all of that!!!
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This is insanely helpful. I never would have thought to use old lenses in front of my camera.
You, sir, are a genious.
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would you happen to have any alternative suggestions on that high powered LED flashlight? I don't have one and I don't feel like searching for one yet.. Wondering if anything I already have could do it.
Also, would an eye dropper work as well as a syringe? I've tried it, and they don't seem as round. Is that just me or do syringes really work better?
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Syringes do seem to work the best but if you can't get a hold of any,
you could still use a dropper except what would help those drops be a little more
stable would be to spray your feather that you use with some water proof or weather proofing spray.
It does also help make an improvement if you did this and used a syringe to form your droplets.
Any lighting source that can be reflected behind the water drop will work.
in a few of my other photos I used an over head lamp to do the trick.
Seen here:
1. [link]
2. [link]
3. [link]
4. [link]
The LED Flashlight just happens to use the same type of lighting in a round about way,
that a camera flash does, so the colour or tint you'll get will be a bit blue-ish when
using an LED Flashlight,as opposed to when using tungsten lighting or in other words a good old fashion light bulb.
I hope this information helps.
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Thanks, I had always wondered how you did the color effect!
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Oh my god THANK YOU! I've been looking for something like this, and ever since you told us that you were going to make one, I've been waiting and waiting.
Very helpful!
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You are extremely welcome!!!
And thank you too.
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Aww ...
You're quite welcome.
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Pretty good tutorial - makes me want to buy some lenses!
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Thank you for the reply on "Blurring the Distance between Then and Now" so I took a look at this tutorial. I have a Nikon D3100 with kit lense and see what I can do. So thank you very much for the reply - and the tutorial itself.
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