Diane Hutchings - May 2023

I have been a member of the BIPC for seven years and have benefited from the sharing of knowledge and experimenting with some of the styles that other members enjoy. Anyone who has seen my work knows that I am primarily a landscape and nature photographer, but I enjoy experimenting with all things related to photography.These images represent a collection of a recent experiment with water drop photography. The exhibit is clearly a vast departure from my usual work and exposes my desire to try new things.

I started playing around with this technique after our club had a demonstration with the theme being “some things to try on a rainy day.”
One of the demos was by fellow member Glen Wyatt on how to capture water drops in motion using a device called a Pluto Trigger and Valve.

I first tried this technique using only a speed light, but my success rate was dismally low, so I invested in the Pluto System. Without getting into the technical side, put simply, it releases water drops from a valve at a precise moment and syncs the action with a flash to capture the collision of two drops. What you are seeing in most of these images is the second drop landing on the first drop creating a crown-like pattern.

With some guidance and tips from Glen and lots of trial and error I was able to consistently capture some interesting results and these photos are some of my favorites. This project has indeed kept me busy on indoor days and the amount of entertainment provided was well worth the investment. The images are fun and colorful and I hope you enjoy seeing something different from my usual work.

Diane