Dew Drop Refraction

Posted on August 16th, 2008 in Tips and Trick camera, refraction, Tips, trick

After cameraman enters a new home, he seldom drops by camera forum again, so that he is lack of information of camera forum, till at last Julia saw in her desktop thread there was a good picture that is morning dew with background of flower, it looks good but at the end of the e mail, there is a question ‘can you do it? ‘. Well I think that is a challenge for me.

After browsing to get references about it in the internet to imitate that photo technics of it with my daily pocket camera. Indeed, from all of them, there is no using pocket camera, all using DLSR with special Macro lenses for taking a very small object of dew drop. Because I only have it, I just try it with the spirit of ‘mission impossible’

Firstly, I don’t have time to get up in the early morning to get the dew spot. So I just pull up the grass and bring home than I pull the flower for the background too, than I spray the water.

Than to take a picture of the dew spot is not hard, just use the macro picturing technics like in my formerly article, the hardest thing is to insert the flower shadow in the dew spot. I take a picture as many as possible than I just select the best one. Just probability.

After trying many times with flower I try with cartoon Probes made as the frame by Julia, of course what will be inserted in the dew spot is the caricature of the wife vice president Severna. And in reality it is easier to insert it than a flower, may be …..This is quite bad….all right?

Of course, we can’t compare this with dew drop refraction photo made with DLSR with super macro lenses; at least I can insert a photo of it in this technique. Beside that, it is impossible to get dew drop refraction photo only with pocket camera (except we edit it with software).

The frequently problem in taking a picture is Blurring. It is caused by the shaking while taking a picture. You know a digital pocket camera is a little lowlier in to act while pushing the knob up to thaw taking a picture process, so when pushing the knob it doesn’t move but when the time of censor to take a picture it is moving coz you think it finishes. The level of its processing depends on its camera and everybody has it, only DLSR camera has no problem with this, but the price….wow so expensive? So the solution is studying when the time your camera finishes taking a picture. One of the indicators is if it shows the picture to take on LCD screen than it is safe to move.

The blur due to shaking is frequently occurs if you use ‘zoom’ for those who enjoy peeping from the far distance, a little shaking will make it blur. Try to use Tripod facility to take a far object with maximum zoom or use ‘image stabilization’ to reduce the shaking or go forward to approach the object and reduce the zoom.

Blur picture is also due to the moving or shaking object, the solution use high resolution or use ‘sport’ mode if it has or change the setting ISO to the higher number, or choose ISO / High ISO. But there is a weakness in using high ISO that is high noise, just choose the middle one. (ISO under 400)

Another cause of it is the dirt lenses, maybe caused of finger print or dried mucus stuck on it. On the other hand, auto focus lenses depends on lenses, if it is not clear, the result is blur.

To take a close up picture from short distance 0,5 meter, you must use macro mode since its auto focus system has a reach limit, normal mode for the distance 0,5 meter up to unlimited, there is also super macro mode available to take super close up from the distance 1 cm, even less than it.

The main key to get good picture please recognize your camera, learn the manual books and often do the exercise and learn the setting, take the same object for sometime and use different setting, than compare the result which setting is the best for its condition.