12.20.2010

fruit & seltzer water: the how-to

Alrighty friends, I have the Tiny Tornado whirling through the house and another one home from school with tummy troubles...so I had to decide between visiting everyone back or posting a tutorial on the orange picture I did yesterday. I opted for the tutorial, so I hope you don't mind a collective thank you. Thank you guys! :-) I know I've said it before, but I'm so humbled by your encouraging words! ♥

OK, here's how I set up the orange slice shot:

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And a different angle:

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I used seltzer water (gross! - I only purchased it for this picture)...or you can use any clear soda. If you want more bubbles, add salt. I used a skewer to keep the orange in place. Science isn't my forte, but I knew it would either sink or float (not sure which), but I knew it wouldn't stay nicely in place.

I used my 100mm macro lens, and my settings were:
manual mode
f/8
ss 1/100
ISO 250

Here's an important tip!!! Unless you have a high tolerance for frustration, please learn from my mistake and don't even TRY this in natural light. This is a flash shot. I must have moved my vase around 50 times, but the natural light from the windows kept streaking across the glass.

This is how I set up my shot, but not where I set it up. I actually ended up hiding behind the island in our kitchen where no light would hit the glass. I bounced my flash off the ceiling.

That's pretty much it. Just shoot straight through the glass and voila!

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Thanks again for your comments yesterday and have a great Monday! :-)

41 comments:

Anna said...

Good grief, you have a freakish genius with this kind of thing--LOVE the behind-the-scenes look...and what a G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. shot!

Anonymous said...

you are so cool to explain exactly how you do it. How awesome!

cooperl788 said...

Absolutely beautiful! I loved getting to see what went on "behind the shot" and just how you took it. You have some real creativity!

Kristi said...

I was hoping you would post a how-to. You're so good to your followers. ^_^ Thank you!

Unknown said...

OK, now that is crazy brilliant! I'm not even sure I will attempt it because yours is so GORGEOUS! There only needs to be ONE of these that we can all AHHHH and OHHHH over!

Thanks for sharing the how. Now I might try it with another piece of fruit when my 100 lens comes next month :-)

Hugs and love - praying for your little sickies. We have many here too. No fun for sure!

xoxo Jill
www.fnaphotography.blogspot.com

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Oh its so good to find out how you did this. I was trying to take a photo last week with bubbles and the streaks in the glass put me off using it in the end.

I am going to ask a silly question but how can you bounce the flash off the ceiling - do you use some paper in front of it to reflect it?

Rosie, from leavesnbloom photography

Lexi said...

OK, that is crazy genius!!! absolutely love that shot and how unique!!

Thanks for showing us the how-to! =)

Lexi
www.alexisnicolephoto.blogspot.com

Ashley Sisk said...

I just took crazy notes and fully plan to try something similar. You are so wonderful to share your tips. I've clearly fallen off the tutorial wagon and need to jump back on it.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't wait to try it! You are awesome!

Ashley said...

Yay I was wondering if you were going to show a how to. How do you come up with these elaborate plans? You are a photo genius. :)

Mandy@ a sorta fairytale said...

You're so creative. I'm definitely not very good at shooting still life and I am taking lots of notes! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!

Nat said...

thanks for the pullback. I need to experiment some more. I love how you always come up with the coolest photo experiments. hugs and Merry Christmas!

Natalie said...

How on earth do you think this stuff up? Thanks for sharing your how-to. I have a feeling there will be a run on seltzer water. ;-)

elizabeth said...

can i fly up there so you can mentor me??? Your amazing

Naomi said...

You are amazing! This is awesome--love it!

Amarie said...

"I am going to ask a silly question but how can you bounce the flash off the ceiling - do you use some paper in front of it to reflect it?"

Yes, I have to ask this, too! :-)

Thank you so much for sharing!

Skye said...

Wow what an amazing photo! Thanks for the tip... wow!

Michelle R said...

This is awesome! I love the pic and appreciate the "how-to".

Looks like you found a great way to say "thanks" without needing to do it individually... and I'd much rather see a tut like this most days! ;)

Hope your baby starts feeling better soon!

Brooke said...

Oh dear, this is stunning! How do you come up with this stuff?? I am amazed :D

kitten said...

You're awesome!

Barbara said...

I don't know how you think of these things - but it's wonderful! Thanks for sharing the how-to.

Unknown said...

Great tutorial! :D

Unknown said...

thank you Karli for the setup. I linked up on my blog

Unknown said...

LOVE THIS! Thanks for the awesome tutorial.

Courtney said...

Such a beautiful shot & so refreshing in the middle of December!! LOVE this tutorial!!

Jessaca said...

Hello
This is too cool!!! Thanks for the tips and tricks.
Have a great day and a wonderful week!!

Anonymous said...

Saw this on Katie's blog and had to come see yours.... it is sweet! Might just have to try that in the new year!

Brooke said...

What a great shot! Thanks for sharing your setup and tips! I can't wait to give this one a try!!! Great work,thanks again! Hope your New year is a great one!!

Jenny Marlowe Marvin said...

umm.... SO cool! I am going to try this tomorrow! Thanks for the nugget of truth :)

TidyMom said...

I wish I had thought of the skewer when I tried this last year!! Genius!

here's mine http://www.flickr.com/photos/tidymom/4458077438/in/set-72157622998230247/

Reyna Meinhardt said...

This is AMAZING! I am so excited to try it! Thanks for the behind the scenes look at it as well! I was wondering, I almost always use natural light so I don't know to much about using flash, is it ok to use in camera flash for this? Thanks so much!

Courtney Slazinik said...

Hello! I just love this shot and the tutorial! I wanted to feature this post on my "Why Didn't I Think of That? - Wednesday" post where I link up to an awesome tutorial or idea. I like to post a sneak peek picture from the tutorial to give my readers even more reason to visit your blog and check out the tutorial. Let me know if this is something you might be interested in. If not, no worries, I can take my own picture to post. I just wanted to show off your beautiful photography!!

www.clickitupanotch.com

Thanks! Courtney clickitupanotch@gmail.com

Bobi said...

love this, you are awesome for sharing your how to's. Being new to photography I am grateful for all info I get out here in blog land.
I loved this shot. Great job. Look forward to more photos and more tutorials.
Take care

Bobi said...

by the way I found you through the click-it-up a notch feature done on your photo by Courtney.

Tiffany said...

Karli,

I love this picture and I just had to try it....I had so much fun with the set up. I used it as a {365} and linked back to your tutorial. Please let me know it that is okay with you.

Thanks,

Tiffany

About Southern Belle said...

So neat, thanks for sharing the tutorial!

Anonymous said...

I saw this tonight on another blog (Trish- Life Through a Lens). She mentioned salt and seltzer- so I googled "macro fruit seltzer salt"- and your great tutorial came up! Thanks for posting how to do this! And you have a wonderful blog, BTW!

Misty said...

Gorgeous! Thanks for the tutorial! I look forward to trying it.

diane said...

Absolutely wonderful!
Thanks for sharing!

Angela@the crazyness that is me said...

Oh my I love it!

Brooke said...

I am totally trying this today! Fingers crossed! :)