Even though I literally have THOUSANDS of cloud images in my files, I really, really, REALLY didn't want to just enter clouds. I wanted to stretch myself creatively and see if I could "create" a cloud. My first idea was to reproduce this amazing "cloud inside blue jello".
So I made Jello (hey, at least I learned to do ONE new thing...also, professional tip, don't handle food coloring without gloves...), and then tried using cream for the cloud, and a syringe to insert it into the Jello. Well, the cream would not dissipate inside the jello at ALL, and just escaped out of whatever cracks I created with the syringe needle. VERY disappointing and not even remotely cloud like. Clearly that chef used a different technique, or a different liquid...
Then I thought, ok, what else can I use that's blue and thick, but not too thick? And I immediately thought of dish detergent! So I filled up a small glass with it to do some test shots, and again tried the cream with the syringe. It was slightly better but still nowhere near "cloud" look I was going for. I tried diluting the cream until it was almost just water, and it still did not give me the right results.
Undaunted, I went to the YouTubes for some inspiration, and came upon some water drop vids, which gave me an idea. I would try creating a cloud inside a glass of water. The water would have to be clear, because otherwise the cream would mix with the blue and I'd get blue clouds - not the look I was going for. So I used a blue backdrop.
To capture the cloud I was going to need to do bursts, and for that I'd a remote trigger, and didn't know if I had one I could use on my Z7. Remembering I had one for my D700, I decided to try it on the Z. I crossed my fingers, and wouldn't ya know it, it worked!
And then it was just a matter of doing bursts as I injected the cream into the water in different ways until I got the look, and then a bunch more bursts until I got the right shape. I took over 600 shots... And had to rinse the glass out in between each setup. And dry the glass off so it had no drops on the on the outside, or near the rim... Not to mention it was quite a juggling act to squeeze the remote at the same time as I was aiming and squeezing the syringe...
My back was NOT very happy with me, but I'm pretty chuffed at the result. I fully expect to get the brown for this one because, ya know, it's not really a cloud.
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I should have said, 'I love your shot!' Even though I would still have had to declare it DNMC.
Thanks for the notes. I hope your back has gotten over it. I hope your back is getting better, too.
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