Effective Splash Photography Techniques and Amazing Examples

Splash photography is often challenging to the photographers. It is the science of capturing images with an increased shutter speed and this technique is mostly employed for capturing scenes that are difficult to spot with naked eyes. This photographic technique is all about precision and patience. Any SLR (Single-lens reflex) camera is ideal to shoot a speed photograph. But it is often preferred to go for a DSLR camera advanced shutter speed features.

High speed photography is all about experimenting with shutter speed. How you can define speed photographs? It is nothing but a series of photographs captured by a camera which is capable of higher number of frames per second and have at least three consecutive frames. This technique is just the reverse of time-lapse photography. Here we are discussing about “splash photography” which demands perfect blend of coordination and technique.

High Speed Splash Photography Techniques

The technique is based on the picture repetition rate or exposure times. Usually the exposure times of mechanical shutters (leaf or diaphragm) camera comes with a minimum time limit of around 1/500 second while exposure time is 1/8,000 for modern focal plane shutters.

The maximum possible exposure time can be formulated as:
T = L/500 x V seconds

Here, “V” is the speed of the subject whereas “L” is the dimension. The exposure time is determined by both “V” and “L”. You can use two major methods to take a high speed splash photograph either by using a high speed shutter system, or by the use of a short duration flash (when shutter is kept open).

The lighting technique for splash photography demands high illumination.  Whether you use optical or electronic shutters,   illumination is an important factor. Separate illumination must be provided for non-luminous subjects.

Here is a comprehensive tutorial on high speed splash photography!

How to get started in Splash Photography

This photography tutorial is aimed at exploring the possibilities of liquid pour splash photographs. What are the materials required to start with?

An SLR camera is the primary requisite to start with (I prefer a DSLR camera for perfect shots). If you need further information to buy an SLR camera, you may check for SLR camera buying guide. Next you require a lens and an external flash. If you have a tripod, it is much helpful (but it is not a necessity).

• Settings for liquid pour splash photography:

For photographing splash, let’s take some time for making a perfect setup. To freeze the liquid motion, you just need shutter speed of 1000/sec. For the correct exposure setup, adjust the F-stop and ISO according to the available lighting method.

A perfect pour splash requires a good setup with attractive glass (like wine glass) and colorful liquids. Be sure to avoid excessive pouring sessions so that you can escape from a flood!

At 1250 ISO and exposure rates of 1/1250 f/8.5, you can try for an amazing blue splash as shown in the above image. Use of food colour for attractive water splashes are much appreciated. Be sure to clamp your wine glass properly. You must take extra care on the lighting setup. A 500 watt tungsten DP light or 250 watt modelling light is often perfect for these kinds of photography.

It is a magical experience to try with different colours of liquid and glasses. When you learn to master freezing liquid motion, you can easily explore new possibilities in this great platform. Check out some of the impressive splash photography examples here.

Amazing splash photography examples

Naufal Nur

Danyi03

Kelly Johnson (Duna)

Drexston

PaulGT

Lloyd K. Barnes

Dan. D

SamikRC

Eduardo_m

Bcymet

MyNameHere

MsYuri

Pepemczolz

Aiyoshi

Luxvich

Ombakpictures

Alex Koloskov  

Pascalbovet

Abdulrahman K  

Scott Dickson

Hemera Photography

Jeffry Surianto

These are only few of the splash photography examples. If you have any suggestions and ideas, kindly put in the comment section.