But you would not believe how many shots I took to finally get it how I wanted it. The instructions for this are at Bonnie's blog.
My main mistake at first was using a round container. You just cannot get a good, sharp, focus when the light is "bent" by the curves of the glass! Finally, I headed off to Pier One Imports and picked up a small vase with flat edges.
I did try using a reflector to direct the sunlight for my shots, but could not get enough light. I finally gave up after 30 shots or so, and used my flash. Direct flash reflects off the glass, so bouncing it slightly seems to be the best approach.
I didn't have seltzer water, but have bottles of Sprite in my garage, left-over from Christmas. Here's a truism: no one likes Sprite, except in punch. I have not been able to give this stuff away and have tried for months! I finally found a use for it. I also found that if you use a straw and blow into the vase, you can stir up the bubbles a little more if they start to lose their sizzle.
Long wooden skewers work MUCH better than toothpicks. I had lots of toothpick disaster before I headed off to the store to get bamboo skewers.
Here's a shot of the set up:
The clamp on the end of the skewer helps position it exactly where you want it suspended in the bubbly.
The construction paper against the foam board can, of course, be any color you want to contrast with the fruit.
A macro lens may be essential. I used my Nikon 105mm, ISO 200, f/3.2, ss 1/30 with the SB800 set on TTL. I had to keep adjusting the flash to get the level of light I wanted for the background as well as on the fruit.
At one point, I played with a string of Christmas lights around the vase to see if I could get colored sparkles of light on the bubbles, but I couldn't get it to work.
Important last step: Eat the fruit! Throw away the Sprite (because it really is disgustingly sweet), unless you had the foresight to use champagne, in which case, you should drink it!
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8 comments:
I've always loved the bubble fruit pictures - I'll have to put that on the list of 'to do'. Your set-up looks like if you gave up on photographing the fruit, you could always perform surgery on it.
Have a Happy Easter!
Those are awesome! I love it!
Oh, these are so wonderful! I have this idea on my "must try someday" list.
Thanks for giving your tips.
p.s. I lol'ed at the champagne comment because I had been thinking while reading, mmmmm...champagne would be good. ;)
Wow! It seems labor intensive but well-worth the results! That first lemon shot is perfect! I want that lemon!
And I finally got to see one of your new Dining Room chairs! So nice!
Oh I like these! And it gives me a great idea of what to shoot next time I can't think of anything :) Thank You!
okay...that is the coolest thing EVER!!! I'm so going to try it.
Great tutorial!! I will have to try that! Love the lemon shots!!
These shots turned our great. I will have to try this on a rainy day. You are also right about the Sprite, I dont know anyone who drinks it unless they are sick.
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