Water Drops

[Jamie Holladay]

Tried my hand at these. I am not all that happy with them. C&C is appreciated.

[drevilsmom]

I really like #2!!!

[LordV]

Look good to me- esp like #2 :)
Brian V.

[Jamie Holladay]

Thanks for the kind words.

[manutd101]

I love number two - a very different look :)

[Avalanche]

I like the first one the reflection in the drop is way neat.

[LindaB]

Not that bad for a first go. The second one is a really pretty shot. They do take a lot of practice though.

Linda

[PhotoJourno]

One would think that taking a photo of a drop of water (dew, rain, irrigation) off of a plant would be simple enough, but somehow it still elludes most people -me at the top of that list- .

Something I have noticed is that the environment where these drops are usually found, is not usually the best setup for a photo. The tiny limbs hardly ever clean and attractive enough for a good clean composition, and the background always saturated with other droplets. And, finding the one leave with just one nice big drop also seems to be a part of the challenge.

Seen some great droplet images here in the forums for the past couple of years. One of most memorables where -well, two of them- an image where a water droplet reflected through (using itself as a lens if you would) another flower, and Athena's hydrophant image from just a couple of days ago.

I am not a fan of really setting up a shot (not talking about the two photos mentioned a second ago, which seemed to be natural, right moment at right place), but perhaps next time I do get a chance to photograph some droplets, I can spend some time clearing the background, or trying to help the composition by altering the subject itself. Only thing I do not like about this (and why I have not done it thus far) is that touching anything one's about to photograph seems to go against every unwritten law of modifying nature in order to make it a better photo.

On the first photo you posted, the spidey webs and background are a bit interesting, while the droplet itself looked pretty good to me.
The second one there are a few really good elements (tiny flowers mixed with droplets) though the reflective background and the crowded little plant branch does not make it as awesome as if it were a single stem with a beautiful or shapely leave at its end.

Anyhow, just my two cents on water droplet photography. :)

[LindaB]

One would think that taking a photo of a drop of water (dew, rain, irrigation) off of a plant would be simple enough, but somehow it still elludes most people -me at the top of that list- .

Something I have noticed is that the environment where these drops are usually found, is not usually the best setup for a photo. The tiny limbs hardly ever clean and attractive enough for a good clean composition, and the background always saturated with other droplets. And, finding the one leave with just one nice big drop also seems to be a part of the challenge.

Seen some great droplet images here in the forums for the past couple of years. One of most memorables where -well, two of them- an image where a water droplet reflected through (using itself as a lens if you would) another flower, and Athena's hydrophant image from just a couple of days ago.

I am not a fan of really setting up a shot (not talking about the two photos mentioned a second ago, which seemed to be natural, right moment at right place), but perhaps next time I do get a chance to photograph some droplets, I can spend some time clearing the background, or trying to help the composition by altering the subject itself. Only thing I do not like about this (and why I have not done it thus far) is that touching anything one's about to photograph seems to go against every unwritten law of modifying nature in order to make it a better photo.

On the first photo you posted, the spidey webs and background are a bit interesting, while the droplet itself looked pretty good to me.
The second one there are a few really good elements (tiny flowers mixed with droplets) though the reflective background and the crowded little plant branch does not make it as awesome as if it were a single stem with a beautiful or shapely leave at its end.

Anyhow, just my two cents on water droplet photography. :)

Yup, I agree with most of your sentiments too. I always prefer truly natural shots, including their faults, which is not always a bad thing.

To me, the second shot above is rather unique with the lense flare in the background, but what I would have like to have seen with this shot is concentration on one particular drop somewhere along the stem, which would have made one at the very least, very sharp.

I have taken many totally natural droplet shots, never cleared anything from in front or behind them, with maybe the exception of a blade of grass in the way lol, they are as I have seen them. I have found if you do have a garden, or wherever you are able to get drop shots on any plant or webs available, you just have to wander around and look closely but look at different angles and see what you might get.

So I would say, if you really are a bit of a purist with these things, dont move or touch anything just to get a more pleasing composition from something that isnt naturally occuring - you wont be happy with doing that, as I know I wouldnt :D I do enjoy seeing the photos that others have posted on here where they have been set up, its just something that goes against the grain with me.

The same goes for stacking photos, its not for me, even though the results I have seen on here are extremely good and make for a perfect photo.

Hope you find some drops soon - but dont mess with them just to please others or compete with other shots on here that have been 'set up' so to speak. They are out there but you have to seek them out :D

Linda

[Jamie Holladay]

I appreciate all the comments.