Squirt!

[carregwen]

You will need...

1. Blue bottle with screw top.
2. Large bucket (I used an old bird-feed tub)
3. Measuring jug
4. Water
5. 1x Studio flash head
6. 1X flash gun
6. A towel
7. A day when the wife is out
8, A reflector
9. Roll of plastic insulating tape
10. Some kind of boom arrangement (I used a reflector boom on a light stand)
11. Black back-cloth (for some of the shots)



Here's what I did.

1. Cut about 15 inches of tape and fold in half (sticky side to sticky side) to make a strap for the bottle. Tape the strap to the base of the bottle (see image).
2. Fill with water and screw cap on. Then hang bottle on boom.
3. Set up your lights and do some test shots. Get this right before releasing water as it's time consuming to refill.
4. Tip bottle up while still on boom and undo cap. Place the palm of your hand over opening and let bottle relax down to resting position with your hand still on opening.
5. Release hand, pick up camera, and shoot. You will probably only get one shot per refill, so make it count. If you have an assistant, get them to release the water, and you may get two shots.
6. For subsequent refills, pour from bucket into measuring jug, and from there back into the bottle.
7. In Photoshop, rotate the shot to suit, and edit in normal way.

I used 1/250s which is the limit of the 50D flash synch. Any faster and you get the shutter curtains showing. The studio flash was on the left of the bottle, and the flash gun was bouncing off a reflector on the right.

Here's the first one I did with a white back-drop.




And the second one (which is my favourite)



Here's a 100% detail blowup...

[wjh31]

Very nice, i take it you just go by eye/hand to time the shots?

Maybe a wine bottle or something might allow for more than one shot per fill, or maybe a plastic one so a hole can be put in the bottom to let the water out in a different way, i.e a stong stream rather than glugging

[carregwen]

Very nice, i take it you just go by eye/hand to time the shots?

Fixed!

Yes, hand held, and try to auto-focus!

[Andy]

Cool shots...I particularly like the 2nd one too

Would it be cheating to hang the tape and bottle from a tap?

[carregwen]

Cool shots...I particularly like the 2nd one too

Would it be cheating to hang the tape and bottle from a tap?

Yes, you could do that. It would probably need to be outside though. As for cheating, I'm all for it, and always have been.

[bucketman]

I like these will have a go. Got loads of buckets in work so half way there.
rob

[carregwen]

I like these will have a go. Got loads of buckets in work so half way there.
rob

Hence the 'Bucketman' I presume?

[Doughboy]

I really like this idea, not sure why I never thought of doing it or something similar, but I sure am going to start experimenting now. Specially since I am way to sick to get out and about for a few days

[Colin Southern]

These remind me of a shot that's on my "to do" list - I'd love to capture one of a wine glass or wine bottle at the moment it breaks, with the [red] wine just starting to spill out.

[Donald]

These remind me of a shot that's on my "to do" list - I'd love to capture one of a wine glass or wine bottle at the moment it breaks, with the [red] wine just starting to spill out.

What a waste of wine. The man should be flogged!

[Colin Southern]

What a waste of wine. The man should be flogged!

Nah - we make so much of it in these parts we pour it down the sink like bathwater

[carregwen]

Nah - we make so much of it in these parts we pour it down the sink like bathwater

I think you've been drinking again - how do you pour bathwater down the sink?

[bucketman]

Hence the 'Bucketman' I presume?

Sadly, yes, we make them.

I can't run to a studio light at moment, so will have to find a way round that one.

On my course, they have all this stuff; so I may ask if I can try it.
If I keep course up - as not too pleased at moment. (long story)
rob

[Dave Humphries]

Excellent, informative and inspirational thread Rob (carregwen) - many thanks.

Good spot in Colin's post too