The Champagne shot
 

The Champagne shot
About three weeks ago I saw a competition in the magazine “Amateur Photographer” with the theme being “celebration”. And the first prize is a Nikon D80 kit (as some of you know the D80 is on my shopping list for next year) So I had long hard think about what photo I was going to take, I thought about Celebration of life! But I didn’t know any young ladies that were about to have a baby and even if I did know somebody they were hardly going to let me photograph them:o
I also thought on the lines of some sort of sport shot i.e. a goal, wining a race etc, But with the weather as it is I would have to have been very lucky to find a good scene to photograph.
So I decided that a cork flying out of a Champagne bottle was the shot I wanted, a lot easier said then done (Like how many bottles would I get through to get the shot?) This wasn’t going to be a cheap and easy project. Before I tell you about the shot, There is some good news and bad, bad news. First the good news, for all you lovers of Champagne, No Champagne was wasted or spilled, as a matter of fact none was used, which brings me to the bad news, because no Champagne was used I didn’t get to drink any:mad:
The second bad news, Is for all you Lemonade drinkers, Lots of cheap Lemonade got wasted, spilled and generally abused:D . Right before I tell all, My family and friends (who know how these shot were taken) have asked me to ask you, Do you really want to know how the shot was taken, It’s like, We all want to know how a woman gets sawn in half, but once we know it seems to spoil the affect! And wasn’t it fun when we all believed in Santa Clause, then when we were told Santa was not real (I know some of you still believe in Santa, sorry It was me who let the secret out;) ) Christmas’s are just not the same knowing Santa was really our dad!
So the question is Do you really want to know how a woman is sawn in half, i.e. how the Lemonade flowed
Lello

To little to late "Hic Hic" I thought you did it with real champagne "Hic Hic" :( 20 bottles later " Hic Hic":confused: I still didn't get a photograph "Hic Hic" :p but I am a raving alcoholic, why didn't didn't you say at the time it was only lemonade and save my liver "Hic Hic":D

If I do this again I will use real Champagne, But I'm going to need some help clearing up the dregs in the bottom of the bottles, Are volunteering Christine?

I did the pictures of the bottle on a clean plastic sheet, "Hic Hic" which ran off into a bucket to be drunk. I had all the champagne and the dregs as well:D :D . But always willing to help a fellow camera person now that I am an alcoholic.

Lello,

My opinion is the secret is best kept for now. Trust me my brain is 110% engaged in working this one out. :D

Even if/when I do work it out I would not post without your OK. I knew it was not Champagne from the off, hence spending 10-15 mins on the pic, but still do not know how you did it. As I said in my comment VERY VERY clever stuff, WELL DONE.

Don

Don
The funny thing Is that I was going to ask for your help regarding the lighting,
When I realized I had to take the shots indoors I knew the lighting was going to be a problem, and I'm still not happy with the end result, As I am limited with with no real lighting equipment (only three remote flash guns) and at the moment no spare room I can use (all three kids still live at home) What I needed was your studio, but the Idea of getting lemonade all over you place and the distance to travel it wouldn't have been a good idea. I can't even turn off the pre flash on my FZ30 which makes the on board flash redundant when taking indoor still life shots so I'm very limited with flash photography.
I will keep my secret for a bit (to see if I can sell the idea to a company that promotes Champagne :) ) Thanks again for making me think outside the box.

Lello,

If you post info on your remote flash guns and how they are triggered I will look at DPR to understand your FZ30. I am sure your preflash will not be a problem in overall exposure provided you are able to use full manual.

Lemonade all over my lathe and mill :eek: :eek:

Don

Don I have looked into pre flash on FZ30 (spoke to the guys on the Panasonic forum) it will always pre flash and the old cheap slave units will not ignore the pre flash, I will let you know what the flash guns are (I bought them second hand after I started reading your " flash photography daunting or fun" thread.

Lello,

We have just got to think of the pre flash as a trigger mechanism for the other flash units. I never ever have a flash on camera other than for the behind the scenes shots. Pre flash would be lost in the output from your remote units.

Off to bed now. I will catch up with this tomorrow.

Don

If your remote flashes are triggered by the slave, then the pre flash is the disaster that needs to be address first before you can actually use them. On the other hand if you have cable sync set up then you should be find.