Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

[brian1208]

three shots from a session at the club tonight, doing something I have never tried before, shooting bursting balloons using high-speed flash triggered by a sound trigger.

I have a lot to learn before I try to use a similar set-up myself but think I may well give it a go

What do you think?

[Phill D]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Amazing, especially the last one showing the person too. Really intriguing what gear do you need to do that?

[brian1208]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Thanks Phil, it is a pretty incredible result isn't it, something I wasn't really aware of until this session.

He used a microphone trigger (we never got around to discussing the make as it was a very crowded programme, we were painting with light for the first half) with an adjustable time delay (in milli-seconds)

In the first he burst the balloon with a scalpel, the second a lighted candle and the third with a match, which he struck in frame, hence the light trail and "triple match stick".

Camera set to bulb or long delay in total darkness and the noise of the bursting balloon triggered the flash just as the balloon was exploding.

He sprayed the balloon with water to emphasise the movement and shock wave by the droplets moving over and off the surface

When I find out more about the make(s) of triggers I'll put it up here (unless someone else already does this and has some info for us, please? )

A quick search found this, which reads like the sort of kit he was using (I think his may have been a self-build thinking back on the look of it) http://www.versatrigger.co.uk/

[Bikie John]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Interesting, both in the subject itself and the technique/equipment used to catch it. But to be honest once the novelty value has worn off I'm not sure how much staying power they have as images.

Ciao ... John

[brian1208]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

I think you are right John although my mind is ranging over other things I may be able to create using this method, hands clapping with Gymnast's resin dust for example could be an interesting thought?

(I'm lucky in that a friend of mine turns out to have a similar kit he has said I can borrow to have a go with )

[raichea]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

I've had a project on the backburner for several years to design/build a multi-input trigger device for just this sort of thing. The plan was to support other triggers than just sound (temperature, pressure, motion, etc. etc.). Then I discovered CameraAxe (www.cameraaxe.com) - this guy has already done the work, so I have built a home-brew version of his design (tested and working, but not yet in a case). He was good enough to provide circuits/code to be able to do this. You can buy a complete unit, if you don't have the skills/desire to do it yourself.

There are other devices - TriggerTrap is one, and Wex do a commercial unit called Trigger Smart, but quite pricey.

There are cheap alternatives to purpose-built sound triggers that would let you experiment... years ago I made one using a microphone plugged into the input of a cassette player and using the speaker signal somehow to trigger the flash... I'm sure a google would throw something up.

Steve.

[brian1208]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Thanks Steve, I had spotted those but I think I will be sensible and try my buddies set-up on loan first to see if there is any future mileage in my ideas (the fact that at least one of these can be used for droplet photography as well is interesting)

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Brian GREAT ART

[brian1208]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

thanks Chevvy, not really art yet, more experimenting with technology and seeing what happens at this stage

Art follows when I can achieve results I can pre-visualise, plan for and shoot

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Brian, I would crop the first image centre left and upper part
as "water just out of a balloon" its an awesome image

the fact that it is still "balloon shape" is surreal ! I may try this just to get that image ... this weekend ...after Sunday lunch at Dil's

[Bikie John]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

I'm with you on other interesting creative possibilities, Brian. When I was still at school there was a magazine called Practical Electronics and they featured a fairly simple circuit design for a sound flash trigger. I tried building one but never got it to work then went to college and got a life instead

The thing about the balloons and similar things is precisely that you don't know what you are going to get, so pre-visualising will be rather hit & miss! And could be pretty addictive to play with once you get the basic mechanics sorted out. I'm sure you will come up with some interesting results.

John

[brian1208]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Thanks John, my mind is wandering around things drum skins coated with powdered paint of different colours, struck from underneath and messy ideas like that at the moment (I guess I may have to wait until Pam visits her sister to give me time to clear up afterwards though )

[brian1208]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Chevvy,, thanks for the idea of a further crop, I tried it on #2 which I think is my favourite "Burst" as the water has retained the shape even though the rubber has mostly peeled back and gone

What do you think?

[Jim Ford]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

I've had a project on the backburner for several years to design/build a multi-input trigger device for just this sort of thing. The plan was to support other triggers than just sound (temperature, pressure, motion, etc. etc.). Then I discovered CameraAxe (www.cameraaxe.com) - this guy has already done the work, so I have built a home-brew version of his design (tested and working, but not yet in a case). He was good enough to provide circuits/code to be able to do this. You can buy a complete unit, if you don't have the skills/desire to do it yourself.

At this moment I've an 'Arduino' project 'soak testing' beside this laptop. It's not photograph related though. It's a sort of 'environmental monitor' for our camping trailer tent.

Arduinos are great for microcontroller projects and the hardware's so cheap. A couple of years ago I made a 'stacking rail' with one. It works OK but really needs to be updated to a MK2 version though.

Jim

[banjukes]

Re: Bursting Ballons with the EM-1 + 12-40

Great Brian. Amazing what can be done!