TimKou
FollowA refreshing splash of summer flavors.
A refreshing splash of summer flavors.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was taken at Imagineering Studios, Inc. in Arlington Heights, IL (Chicago area). It was one of the first splash images produced in our studio.Time
Putting this image together was almost an all-day process. From shooting various splash patterns to adding the fruit and mint and bringing it all together in Photoshop, the process was involved.Lighting
It took 4 lights to light the scene the way we wanted. At the time, we were using off-camera speedlights to shoot splash. We set the flash power low and got a short enough burst of light to freeze the water in mid-exposure without blurring.Equipment
This image was shot on a Nikon D700 (we've since upgraded to the D800) with a 105mm lens. We used various Nikon speedlights including the SB-800 and SB-600. The lights were modified using strip boxes. We shot the entire thing at room temperature, so to avoid melted ice we used acrylic ice cubes.Inspiration
At the time, mojitos were my favorite drink. I had been following the work of Alex Koloskov, and he began mentoring me shortly before this image was shot. I was inspired to shoot a refreshing image without a brand attached to it that would have the same visual impact as commercial marketing imagery.Editing
The final image is a composite of approximately 5 shots. Various splashes were put together using layer masks, color was adjusted with adjustment layers in Photoshop, and the background was completely replaced from a plain grey background.In my camera bag
I have a fully equipped studio, so it's hard to boil down to what I "normally" use. For product photography, I typically shoot with my Nikon D800 camera with a few pocket wizards to trigger my flashes. My lighting is mostly Paul C. Buff Einsteins and Calumet (Bowens) lighting. I use strip boxes most of the time for light modification, but I'll also use square soft boxes and beauty dishes. I also modify with a Bowens Fresnel 2000.Feedback
Be patient. Splash photography is all about patience and skill. If you're not patient, you won't acquire the skills to do it well. Experiment using anything you can find to throw liquid; hands, cups, bottles, buckets, anything. There isn't a box to think inside of; it's an open world. Flash speed is the most important thing with splashes, NOT shutter speed. To capture splashes in studio, you need to reach speeds of at least 1/8000s. Use low-power speedlights if you don't have high-speed strobes, increase your ISO and expose slightly to the right (over expose). High ISO will brighten your scene, and exposing to the right will allow you to eliminate some of the graininess. Always, always shoot RAW.