Mr. Kiwi here is talented enough and has enough imagination that he has no need to submit trick images. We should applaud his talent rather than bash his awesome product.
Sometimes pure photography is better than using Photo Shop. I dont even see why it would be questioned.
Looks like a pretty straight forward picture with a diffused lightsource creating a catchlight in the water drops.
A syringe or eye dropper creates a nice water drop onto a piece of plastic. Coating the surface with Rain X can help to create nicely shaped drops also.
I would have to agree, that I have no idea how anyone could ever think that your H2O image was manipulated. It was just a great shot with great imagination behind it.
Since someone else brought it up, I don't think Kiwi even used a digital camera! I think he is transmiting this to us using a brainwave transmitter and that is why the picture is so good. We each see what we believe is an awesome image.
Who said that! (looking frantically about and hitting post)
I must admit that when I first saw H2O I wondered how it was done but it did not occur to me that it was illegal. After reading kiwi's explanation I still don't see what there is about it that makes some people think it is illegal. Maybe the high level of precision in the size and placing of the droplets makes people think it was not done by the hand of man. Look more closely and you will see some slight imperfection. The fifth, seventh and last four drops in the 2 are not quite perfectly graduated in size from there neighbors. Tighten that up next time kiwi.
A look at his portfolio tells that besides being a master of the technical side (lighting, DOF, comp, etc.) he has an artist's eye for color, a feel for people and a sense of humor. Not at all surprising that he has been able to zero in on what will appeal to this site's voters. If you are here to learn you should be glad he is here too. I hope he hangs around for as long as I am here.
I don't doubt you picture at all. I do have a question, if you don't mind. You said you bounced a flash off a black foamcore. Why did you you do that, and what effect does that create? I was wondering about this ever since the contest was over, but would never take up your time with silly questions, but here's this thread! Can't resist.
I don't doubt you picture at all. I do have a question, if you don't mind. You said you bounced a flash off a black foamcore. Why did you you do that, and what effect does that create? I was wondering about this ever since the contest was over, but would never take up your time with silly questions, but here's this thread! Can't resist.
Hey! That's a very good technical question! I would also know why and what effet it has. :-)
I don't doubt you picture at all. I do have a question, if you don't mind. You said you bounced a flash off a black foamcore. Why did you you do that, and what effect does that create? I was wondering about this ever since the contest was over, but would never take up your time with silly questions, but here's this thread! Can't resist.
I know it sounds kinda silly bouncing the flash off a black background, you're right. At first I tried bouncing it of white board, which you can see in the background of the outtake I posted, but it was way too bright. I tried with a black board without the flash but it was way too dark and the shadows were longer than I wanted. I only tried bouncing the flash off the black background to see if it would give me any effect at all, and indeed it worked just the way I wanted it to. I know black shouldn't bounce light, but the shadows behind the water turned out a lot shorter.
There was no need to show the out-take, not only because it could be easily produce with photoshop =), but firstly because kiwiness is just too good to cheat.
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