Silhouettes In A Droplet

The Next Time You’re Stuck Indoors, Try Out This Creative Close-up. Daniel Lezano Shows You How to Capture a Scene Within the Confines of a Droplet

- Daniel Lezano

A POPULAR TECHNIQUE that nature photographers enjoy trying out in the warmer months is to head out on a dewy morning, or after a rainfall, in search of small droplets of water on plants, branches and leaves. Droplets resting on surfaces add visual interest to nature close-ups, while those hanging from the tips or lower surfaces of foliage offer something extra. these give the potential for creative results by focusing on subjects, most commonly flowers, that appear within the droplet thanks to the power of refraction. this fun technique doesn’t need to be restricted to the outdoors – you can try it indoors using your laptop or computer screen to provide a backdrop that will be refracted within the droplet. As you’ll discover, the set-up and equipment required is deceptively simple: a tripod-mounted camera with a macro lens and a couple of accessories are all that is needed. however, you’ll also require plenty of patience – the droplets can take some time to form and once they have, last mere seconds, so be prepared to make several attempts to capture the shot. Water isn’t the best medium for this image – glycerol is thicker so droplets last longer – a bottle from an online retailer cost only £5 delivered. turn over to see what you need to capture your own creative close-ups.toptip<