Always wanted to try a water drop shot. Thought it would be a great time to do it. Alot tougher than I thought. Had a real hard time getting the focus right. Wanted to add a little something by incorporating the chess board (another cliche IMO). I was pleasantly surprised to see the patten refracted in the drop.
Technical. I couldn't find my chess board so I had to print one out, which was better anyways because I could fit more squares in the frame. The squares are only 1/2 x 1/2 inches. Filled a transparent pie pan (pyrex) with water. Placed the print-out in a ziplock bag in case water would go on it, then placed the pan on top of the print-out. Used a turkey baster for the water drops and a 500W spot for lighting. I think I used brust mode on this one. 1/2 my trials were done with burst mode and 1/2 with single shot.
Used the histogram function in PSP to brighten up the white and darken the black. (not converted to grey scale). Sharpend using the sharpen function (unsharp mask made it glow too much). Too bad we can't spot edit ... some annoying white dots and imperfections.
Statistics
Place: 1 out of 246 Avg (all users): 7.3532 Avg (commenters): 8.1190 Avg (participants): 7.2677 Avg (non-participants): 7.5000 Views since voting: 12294 Votes: 201 Comments: 71 Favorites: 89 (view)
COMPOSITION:
perfect...i think it works very nice. Excellent use of the rule of thirds.:)
TECHNICAL:
The focus on that splash is really quite something. The reflection on the top of the drop really makes the shot, IMO. Lighting is very nice, as is the DOF, which blurs out the background...well done :)
ARTISTIC:
Yes, it is a cliche alright, and you managed to pull off a terrific version of it. The use of the chess board (printout) was very creative. :)
OVERALL:
Great shot...looks great next to your blueberry :)
In judging I always give the three I think should be the winners my highest three scores. I figure if I can pick winners then I will recognize a winner when deciding my own submissions. This was one of my three picks.
Technical quality, meeting the challenge requirements and the stroke of genius to marry an unusual combination of "cliches" set this one apart from the others.
(For those who might be curious my other two choices this week finished 4th and 40th respectively. I'm still trying to figure out that last one)
The pattern in the drops is what makes this shot special. I'm inspired. Thanks for sharing your methodology for capturing it (easier than I thought?). Congratulations on your first place win.
lol. somehow, in the inner recesses of my mind, i knew this would win .. people are such suckers for water drop shots, and this one is so cool with the checkers :) .. great job!
Incredible image. One of the two 10's I have ever given here. How anyone could rate this a 2 or a 3 obviously doesn't have a clue what cliche means. LOL. Every week we are guaranteed 3 or 4 chess board shots here and water drop shots are a dime a dozen. Great image. You are one of my favorites here, that's for sure... Dave
Jacko, just outstanding and it really shows that you put effort into your image. Very well executed and certainly a work of art. Well done and keep up the fantastic work.
If you have time you could do a series of these, and snatch the different-shaped drops to represent the different pieces, and make a complete set. Would look great.Would be good done in glass...
After 100 dribbly drops and chess DPC'ers still can never get enough. Interesting background and totally awesome checkerboard top droplet. Technically up to snuff in all departments. I also like the starburst kiss near the drop base as an added visual interest. I would ignore the few whiny remarks about certain squares not being more white. It's a terrrific image that fits the challenge doubley well.
It captures two great photographic cliches in one that you'd never expect to see together. It meets the challenge perfectly and does it in dramatic and technically near-perfect fashion.
A combination of cliches. The idea is great. Well executed and looks like it gives us a little more effect than I would've anticipated with the checkerboard pattern at the top of the drop. Really really well done - Inspzil
I don't understand this one. But I don't really like what I see. It's just not appealing to me. I think it is supposed to be water, thats why the background is not smooth. And I don't know what is in the center. It's just not personally my kind of photo.
Now, normally I don't predict winners, because my tastes are not as most peoples. But for the sole reason of that refection in the water drop.... wow. I really hope this wins.
Yes.. definitely cliche and I'm getting sick of seeing all the damned water droplets and splashes and such. I really hope this is the end of splashes. I give you 9 because you got cliches right.
This is amazing! From the thumbnail I wasn\'t too excited about it but the reflection in the splash/drops whatever you call it incredible. Excellent capture!
Perfect. Could not have chosen a better cliche photo after the recent challenges. This would have won them both (lol). You made the water drop look just like a chess piece (but you already know this of course). My only recommendation is that you stop doing creative things like this and let some other people win for a while. jk. great job.
Yup. That's cliche! The refraction in the droplet is awesome! If you have enough resolution I'd try a closer crop of just that (for a variation) since it's so cool. Good, even lighting. Really neat that the droplet is right in the middle of a square too. 8
Very cliche and very well done! The reflection of the board in the very top drop really makes this photo for me. The border is simple and appropriate. A really good photo - the only critical comment is the reflection of the room where the drop meets the water, but it's only a minor thing.
Two Classics
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