Shots where water is splashed @ Camera

[Noah Truth]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2zSRJz3ZuM#t=00m49s

How exactly do you achieve a shot like this? I know there's waterproofing for rain but what about when water is flung directly at the lens? Do people usually just use waterproof P&S cameras for these type of shots? Is there a type of housing that you can purchase?

Thanks.

 

[Liam Hall]

You can use splash bag, like an aquapac or scuba housing. Pretty straightforward stuff.

 

[Barry_Green]

Or use something like a GoPro for those specific shots. GoPros can use, or even come with, waterproof housings.

 

[Noah Truth]

Thanks, I figured it may have been done using one of the GoPro cameras.

 

[J Davis]

its pretty easy. Just place a clear pane of glass in front of your lens and shoot away.

Its nice if your piece is large enough to protect the operator as well (in my case the liquid was stage blood and it stains clothing)

 

[David G. Smith]

its pretty easy. Just place a clear pane of glass in front of your lens and shoot away.

Its nice if your piece is large enough to protect the operator as well (in my case the liquid was stage blood and it stains clothing)

Yeah, I did a shot like that for a no budget horror flick I shot a good while back where a "Zombie" was shot in the head, turned and spit green "Blood" into camera lens. The Zombie blood was the old Dick Smith formula (Karo syrup, flour and food coloring) with green food coloring instead of red. I prepped the camera (A Sony DSR-PD 150) with a Cokin filter holder, a clear filter and garbage bags taped around the camera. By the end of the four or five takes we did I was covered in that sticky sh*t and I had to throw out the shirt I was wearing. i also threw out that Cokin filter holder. I soaked it good in hot soapy water to clean it but when I set it out in the sun to dry it attracted insects.

Those kinds of shots are really not that big of a deal. Splash bag for sure.

BTW, I really liked that video from the OP. That is not the kind of music I normally would listen to and there is a lot of technical and aesthetic choices made in shooting of it that I am not usually a big fan of but I like it. Their aesthetic choices are consistent through out the video, they had good actors and they really showed a good narrative flow that spoke to a simple, basic humanity. All in all, I think it was well done.

 

[Liam Hall]

A fish tank is a good cheap solution. You can submerge it a little too which can be cool.

 

[Noah Truth]

Yeah, I did a shot like that for a no budget horror flick I shot a good while back where a "Zombie" was shot in the head, turned and spit green "Blood" into camera lens. The Zombie blood was the old Dick Smith formula (Karo syrup, flour and food coloring) with green food coloring instead of red. I prepped the camera (A Sony DSR-PD 150) with a Cokin filter holder, a clear filter and garbage bags taped around the camera. By the end of the four or five takes we did I was covered in that sticky sh*t and I had to throw out the shirt I was wearing. i also threw out that Cokin filter holder. I soaked it good in hot soapy water to clean it but when I set it out in the sun to dry it attracted insects.

Those kinds of shots are really not that big of a deal. Splash bag for sure.

BTW, I really liked that video from the OP. That is not the kind of music I normally would listen to and there is a lot of technical and aesthetic choices made in shooting of it that I am not usually a big fan of but I like it. Their aesthetic choices are consistent through out the video, they had good actors and they really showed a good narrative flow that spoke to a simple, basic humanity. All in all, I think it was well done.

Thanks for your suggestions, hopefully the shot came out well lol.

Yeah, CamBe directed and co-wrote the video. He has a really good eye for visual composition. Out of curiosity, specifically which technical/aesthetic choices are you not a big fan of?

 

[David G. Smith]

Thanks for your suggestions, hopefully the shot came out well lol.

Yeah, CamBe directed and co-wrote the video. He has a really good eye for visual composition. Out of curiosity, specifically which technical/aesthetic choices are you not a big fan of?

I really do not like that shallow DOF searching for focus during a shot look and while I use a hand held camera a lot I really do not like the micro-jitter shake look like in the video. I have a T2i I shoot with from time to time and I have it set up with an old base plate from a Bogen 3066 head. This secures on a Hoodman Loupe and adds extra weight to help avoid that micro-jitter shake. The shots with the water used a very fast shutter speed and I am not a fan of that either. Just personal stuff.

 

[Noah Truth]

I really do not like that shallow DOF searching for focus during a shot look and while I use a hand held camera a lot I really do not like the micro-jitter shake look like in the video. I have a T2i I shoot with from time to time and I have it set up with an old base plate from a Bogen 3066 head. This secures on a Hoodman Loupe and adds extra weight to help avoid that micro-jitter shake. The shots with the water used a very fast shutter speed and I am not a fan of that either. Just personal stuff.

This was actually very insightful, thanks for sharing your opinions. I know what you mean about the 'searching focus' look, it seems like everyone is doing it nowadays. The micro-jitter is a toss up IMO. On one hand it can be an aesthetic choice, on the other, it may be that you simply captured a scene handheld and the shake was inadvertent. I suppose he chose the fast shutter for to make the splash effect look 'cooler.'