Smashing Shot

[danccooke]

Here is the result of somthing my father and I did some time ago,
http://cookestudios.fotopic.net/p7533487.html
It took quite some setting up and lots of lightbulbs but was fun all the same once we got rid of all the cuts and grazes,
I am not sure if I or my father own the copyright to this, i did all the work, he used the shutter release so i suppose his, but even so i still have permission (if i don't his website is coming down :))

[MattL]

Wow, thats blimmin cool.

Was the light on? What were you using to shoot(break) the thing?

Thanks Fantastic!! :D

[danccooke]

it was very technical **cough*** we used a huge cardboard box which we lined with a black material, we broke a flash and set up a pressure switch to fire the flash with a block of wood on the front of it about an inch thick, turned all the lights out, shot an air pistol through the bulb into the pressure switch in pitch black (we had a few laughs here) whilst the shutter is open on B setting, release the shutter turn the lights on, replace with a new bulb, took lots of bulbs two sittings to get the lighting right (we did this on film not digital) there are a few with red and perl bulbs etc etc, the effects were pleasing though.

[starzphalling]

i love it, now i wanna try...how does the pressure switch connect to the flash, and what exactly is a pressure switch :)

[danccooke]

basically we butchered a flash so that cables that used to run inside to the test button now ran to our own button (be very careful flash capicitors pack one hell of a charge enough to take you off your feet) the switch was a technical two flaps of wood joined at the top with a hinge with a small spring making it so they can't touch unless forced, on the bits of wood we placed a tinfoil pad attached to each cable, then when force is applied to the top piece of wood it makes the connection and fires the flash (as i said this was a very crude system - but did the trick) then the bulb is hun in the big carboard box on a normal bulb socket (obviously not connected to the mains) turn the lights out, open the shutter, shoot the bulb so the pellet (air pistol, we found .177cal best) flies through the bulb and continues onto the pressure switch firing the flash, close shutter, turn lights on.

the further you have the switch from the bulb gives you how much spead you have on the bulb breaking. the shot on my old mans gallery was about 18inches.
it was great fun to do, but you have to be careful obviously you are playing with the electrics of a flash, glass and an air pistol in the dark. i cannot stress enough that safe weapon usage must always be adhered to.

but ultimately the results are fab

If you require further help/assistance in re creating these shots, go to the richardcookestudios link below and leave a message my old man will get it and reply

[MCB]

Great picture, and a very neat idea. I'm tempted to play around with something similar, but it looks like it might take a bit too much time. It might be a good project for next winter. I guess once you have it set up you can start breaking all sorts of stuff. :)

[danccooke]

we had planned on smashing loads of things but after getting glass all over the deep freezer and everything else up the shed, mum put and end to the set up :(
somthing i am tempted to try again in my own garage since it never gets close to a car.