Hi everyone,

I’ve recently been experimenting with photographing water droplets using studio lighting, and I’m eager to get some insights from the talented community here. I’ve focused on freezing motion, enhancing the clarity of the droplets, and trying to create visually compelling compositions.

While I’m relatively happy with the results, I’m sure there’s plenty of room for improvement, both in shooting and post-processing.

Could you please share your thoughts on:

1. How I can improve the lighting setup to highlight the texture and transparency of the droplets?
2. What factors I should consider when choosing the background to avoid distractions or unnecessary reflections?
3. Any tips on refining the details during the editing process (color correction, contrast, sharpness)?
4. Any other aspects that you think I should take care of while shooting or editing?

I used Godox V1 , directed it to the colored background, had a dropper and a cast iron pan to hold water.

ISO 100

Focal length 70 mm

f 9.0

shutter speed 1\200 s

I’d greatly appreciate your constructive feedback, as I’m keen to refine my skills further.

Thank you in advance!

Hello Asmaa,

I have also seen many water droplet photos in the context of high-speed photography and was always so flashed. I really wanted to try it out for myself. But I quickly reached my limits when I tried it with simple means. The photos that always inspired me were taken with expensive, high-tech, computer-controlled equipment.

For me, I found that I particularly liked the photos when I was at eye level with the surface of the water and the drop had the background horizontal. The water circles are beautiful, as is the reflection, but the drop is - sorry - rather boring. I'm afraid these are experiments that you do for yourself, I'm very unsure whether such photos would stand a chance in curation. 

My experience shows that it takes at least 2, better still 3 unleashed flashes. 

I've just realized that my text is quite disillusioning, that's actually NOT my intention. Sorry!

I am also confused about the other photos... I assume that it was an oversight?

LG Ute

Hi Ute,

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and share your thoughts! I really appreciate your feedback and insights, especially about being at eye level with the water surface for those stunning reflections and water circles. It’s true that high-speed photography can be quite challenging without the right equipment, but I also believe that creativity and experimentation can lead to unique results, even with simple means.

I also want to thank you for pointing out the other photos. It must have been an oversight on my part. I’ll take care of that!

Best regards,  

Asmaa

Hi Asmaa,

water drop photography is a special topic of high-speed photography and there are many instructions on the Internet - I have picked out one that does not require such a large technical investment:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUI_OiNPC6Y

I'm not an expert on such shots, but I do have some tips from the perspective of an interested observer:

the shots should be symmetrical,

the liquid used should be clean,

the drop of water should be frozen in as spectacular a form as possible,

Under/overexposure should be avoided,

Color should support the shape of the drop and not distract from it

Accordingly, I have edited your photo a little to suit my taste:

As you can see, I made the photo symmetrical by mirroring it and coloring it. Of course, this is all just my personal view and the real problem certainly starts with the shot - but it's an exciting topic that I've decided to look into again.

Greetings

Udo

Udo Dittmann PRO

Hi Asmaa,

 

water drop photography is a special topic of high-speed photography and there are many instructions on the Internet - I have picked out one that does not require such a large technical investment:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUI_OiNPC6Y

 

I'm not an expert on such shots, but I do have some tips from the perspective of an interested observer:

 

the shots should be symmetrical,

the liquid used should be clean,

the drop of water should be frozen in as spectacular a form as possible,

Under/overexposure should be avoided,

Color should support the shape of the drop and not distract from it

 

Accordingly, I have edited your photo a little to suit my taste:

 

 

As you can see, I made the photo symmetrical by mirroring it and coloring it. Of course, this is all just my personal view and the real problem certainly starts with the shot - but it's an exciting topic that I've decided to look into again.

 

Greetings

Udo

 

 

Hi Udo, 

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and for processing my photo! I really appreciate your feedback and suggestions and liked your beautiful retouches. Also, thanks for sharing the video, which is quite similar to the setup and angle I've been using. Your tips are valuable, and I'll definitely keep them in mind to improve my future shots. 

Thanks again for your support!

Hello Asmaa

Thank you for sharing this photo with us, and well done for experimenting. I know absolutely nothing about this kind of photography, but I can see that Udo has given you an excellent edit in technical terms. All I want to say is that, despite there being rules for this genre, I love the colours in your image. They could be a little more balanced, but in a purely visual way the image works for me.

Good light, Elizabeth

Hello dear Elizabeth,

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to provide feedback! I’m really glad you liked the colors and the overall visual feel of the image. I also appreciate your note on balancing the colors a bit more—definitely I'll consider in future experiments.

And yes, Udo’s edit was quite helpful in guiding the technical aspects! 

thanks again for all time guidance and inspiration!

Dear Asmaaa

Not long ago you quoted Picasso in a forum post. I don't know whether you learned the rules here like a pro, but you definitely broke them like an artist! If your photo was hanging on my wall, I would enjoy looking at it. There has to be some merit in that.

Best wishes, Elizabeth

Dear Elizabeth,

You truly made my day with your lovely words! I'm here learning every day, and there's so much joy in that. We have an Egyptian saying: "The one who lives in the neighborhood of happy people becomes happy too." And I say that when I'm among pro photographers like you, one day I'll surely become one myself!

Good light ✨️