Here is something we can learn from christosmavros about the techniques and story behind this awarded photo.
1. christosmavros, where did you take this photo?
This photo was actually taken in the bathroom of my house.
2. What time of day?
It was around 10 o'clock in the evening. I was waiting all day to take this photo, as I wanted the room to be as dark as possible.
3. Anything worth sharing about lighting?
I can say a lot about lighting. Photography is all about lighting anyway. The lighting represents the mood, the story and of course it emphasizes what you want show. I believe I captured perfectly what I wanted to show in this photo. The use of the flash gun right in front of the model made all of the water drops shine as they scattered around the room. I have made a few tests before though, to make sure that my flashgun was not too strong to lighten the whole room.
4. What equipment did you use?
I have used my Canon 550D. Because of the fact that the camera was right in front of my model, I have used my wide angle 10-22mm lens to make sure that I would capture the whole room without losing any part of the splash. No tripod was used, as it was placed on top of the washbasin, but I have used a remote trigger for the camera and the flash.
5. What inspired you to take this photo?
I was always a big fan of water photography. I love shooting water in long exposures, like landscapes, seasides, waterfalls etc. Then I thought why not try a faster shutter speed instead? I came up with some ideas about which occasions does the water looks nice in a faster speed. One of my main thoughts was people washing their faces in the morning. That was the idea behind the photo. It represents the fast routine of people' s daily lives.
6. Did you do any post-processing? If yes, tell us about it!
The post processing was done through Lightroom. I have increased the clarity and the contrast a bit and added some vignetting to make the corners darker and emphasize my subject. Most of the things were done on camera during the photoshoot, so, it didn't need that much post processing. The more work you do on-camera, the less work you do during post processing. ( Although it always depends on the occasion! )
7. What equipment do you normally have in your bag?
I would normally carry around my Canon 550D, with my 10-22mm wide angle lens, as I'm big fan of landscapes. There are some other times that I might throw in my 50mm as well.
8. Any advice for others trying to capture something similar?
Be creative is my first advice. Experiment with the light, the positioning of the camera, the light sources etc.
Regarding my photo, what you would normally need is a normal size bathroom, a place to put the camera and the flashgun, and a remote trigger to shoot without getting in the photo. Make sure you have a wide view of the person in order to capture the whole movement of the water. Set your camera settings to the fastest shutter speed that your flashgun can handle. Also make sure the power of your flash gun isn't too strong as you just want to emphasize your subject.
Discover christosmavros's photographic style and techniques.
Water Splash by christosmavros
One with the Nature
