this is a sound-triggered exposure of a partially filled water balloon popping while partially submerged in a fish tank. the background is backlit scrapbook paper. there is a second blue-gelled flash snooted to hit the balloon from above/behind. both flashes (canon speedlights) are turned to their lowest power setting to shorten the duration of the flash. for the triggering i used a woods electronic shutter beam and the add-just-a-sec delay timer.
i had been planning a shot like this for a while, and i was working on some test to use for the topless contest (in order for a popping water balloon to make enough sound for the trigger to 'hear' it, there has to be some air in the balloon. this results in a severed top appearance in the water.) i was having difficulty isolating the 'topless' factor and getting a shot with no balloon bits visible. then the stopped motion contest was announced and made my life a lot easier.
the post processing is just some contrast/sat increases, minor color tweaking and burning, cropping and sharpening.
this is the best photo i have submitted to a dpc contest and i have high hopes.
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//www.woodselec.com/ it isn't cheap, but it is an amazing device for high speed photography.
the site has useful information about the technical matters to consider when shooting like this. like how much time does it take for the sound to reach the microphone which triggers the shot? (about 1/1000 second for every foot of distance between the source and the mic). these delays mecome critical when you are photographing "instantaneous" events
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