MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORIAL - Using Oil, Water & Food Coloring Creatively

[@mariairmasaiz248]

thank you - this is very helpful. I have just started learning macro photography.

[@deborahburd5876]

Just a note to say thank you again for the video....hope all is well during these 2020 times of life...stay healthy....now onto macro photography assignment.

[@andymiller8217]

I've watched loads of videos showing water and drops of oil but never oil and drops of water. Spent last weekend trying out the drops of oil method but this weekend I'll be trying your method. Excellent and easy to understand video

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hey Andy. Thanks a lot and good luck with your next photography project.

[@daveknight9381]

Excellent Ray, very informative video, thanks for sharing.

[@avs4365]

Thanks Ray - weather is absolutely gorgeous in the UK at the moment - will save this idea for when (inevitably) rain returns - have a great day - off to the beach... it's been a long winter.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Off to the beach? Love it! Thanks and have a wonderful day.

[@heartpatrick99]

thanks for sharing ❤️❤️❤️

[@BubblesPothowari]

Wonderful, no fuss instructions. Thank you.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thank you.

[@pgcknaphill1892]

Ray - your gentle style yet enthusiastic work are an inspiration to us all. I feel I know you! I have an afternoon at home today (very rare) so I'm off outside to try some of your other ideas

[@VisualArtPhotography]

You are most kind in your comments and I thank you. It’s great to hear you have an afternoon at home. It’s a wonderful time to try out some photo ideas for sure. Good luck and enjoy YOUR time.

[@markharris5771]

PGC Knaphill You said in one line what I have tried to say with many paragraphs over many months.

[@LWIJAYA007]

Thanks for the video ! Love the way you explain it ! Simple and clear !

[@markharris5771]

As always a superb video with lots of inspiration and a great idea for a rainy day, of which we get plenty in North West England. You come up with so many great ideas, and then give us variations of that idea. Thank you.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hi there Mark. I’ve never been to your part of the world but from what I’ve seen in movies and photos it is truly beautiful so I suppose some rain is tolerable. Anyway Mark, thanks so much, hope you are well and have a great day.

[@briant4078]

Good vid for those not yet given it a try. I had quite a few hours doing various things and backgrounds, the effect is not to hard too get once you get the hang of it. Was going to show some of my efforts.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Nice.

[@pauld7522]

Thank you Ray for another great creative idea!

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hi Paul. Thank YOU for the nice words and for watching. Have a great day Paul.

[@photodom2000]

If you had used clear glass and something colourful or multicoloured placed on the table below like Christmas wrapping paper or an Hawaiian style shirt you would have gotten some really nice colours in the droplets. I will try this and perhaps post a link to my attempts and maybe even try some liquid glycerin and see what I get. Some good ideas and very simple to do on a rainy afternoon. Now I need a small sheet of glass and a clear bowl.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Oh Dominic...I like the way you are thinking. Your idea of the paper sounds really great to me. Good luck and let me know how it works out.

[@photodom2000]

@@VisualArtPhotography Will do.

[@MileyonDisney]

I've seen this technique many times (I'm an old man in my 60's), but I have to say - your explanation and examples are the best I've ever seen! Thanks for another great video.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thank you so much and I hope you have a fantastic day.

[@cii1072]

Ray, as usual another great video. Enjoyed your creativity.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thank you very much and have a wonderful weekend.

[@PaulHowcroft]

Nice video Ray. This something I must try with food coloring as I've only previously done this with oil and water with mixed results.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hi there Paul. Yes, give it a go. I think you may like the results. Thanks for watching and have a great day.

[@sue120502]

Must have a go with this. Thanks for a great explanation.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hi Sue. Thanks and good luck.

[@michoumisalade]

Hi, Great video! I really enjoyed it! Very well explained... except one little thing. I wonder about de lighting. Do you have 2 lights, one above and one under? Or only one light under the plate?

[@VisualArtPhotography]

If you want a really interesting effect place the light below and at an angle to create a look of depth.

[@user-nu8bf3bf9m]

Amazing! How did you cut out the reflection when you set your lens square to the surface? CPL filter?

[@mollyblair238]

Thank you for video! I can’t wait to try it when my micro lens arrives.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hi Molly. Good luck and I’m sure you’ll enjoy your new lens.

[@michaelricks1618]

Super informative with all the examples and varieties you show. Thank you very much!

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thanks so much Michael and have a good week.

[@sandy8778fl]

Thanks Ray!!! Another project on my list to try during hot Florida days. I really enjoy your videos and I would love to see what a tutorial of yours in smoke photography, just throwing the idea out there. You have a very clear and interesting way of explaining photography. Thank you very much for all your work.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thanks so much Sandra. Hey, the smoke thing is something I’ve been thinking about too. Great minds... Anyway, have a great weekend in beautiful sunny Florida.

[@fish8cat]

Awesome. You always inspire me, Ray! Thank you.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hey Renee.So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching. Have a great weekend.

[@carlosalfredofloresvideofotogr]

Awesome, thanks for sharing your ideas.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thanks Carlos and thank you for watching.

[@jody1622]

I was bored and this was so much fun! Thank you.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thanks Jody and have a wonderful weekend.

[@skygirl5o]

So you mostly put the oil down first and add water? Thats super cool!

[@VisualArtPhotography]

That’s right Rachel. You don’t need much food coloring, just a couple of drops in your water container should do it. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend.

[@skygirl5o]

Sweet! Thank you! For some reason I always thought it was the other way around. More water than oil. Makes sense why it didn't work out.

[@MrBartonman]

Keep up the good work ray

[@VisualArtPhotography]

I will give it my best David. Thanks so much and have a great day.

[@jacquelineboon-tan1951]

Hello Ray, I came across your video and subscribed immediately. Your explanation is very clear and your tone of voice is good to follow, something that's missing in a lot of video's. Thank you for sharing this. I have been wanting to try drop photography for some time. Tried once with the oil coloured (with difficulty), dropping in the water... this is far better : the other way around. I am definitely going to try some more. Regards from Holland.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hello Jacqueline in the beautiful Netherlands. Thanks so much and the best of luck to you and your water drop photography.

[@ThailandAmazing]

It’s more what you envision to see and produce a result of what you want to see.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Sounds good to me.

[@uncle0eric]

Thanks for another inspiring, fun, and informative video!

[@VisualArtPhotography]

You are so welcome. Enjoy your day.

[@bazookabums]

Thank you Ray for another informative video // You've taught me so much through your easy and friendly tutorials! Best wishes

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thanks so much and thanks for taking the time to watch.

[@costiniucmircea]

foarte interesant !!

[@misterlove7034]

What genre of CDs do I need to prop up the glass container?

[@VisualArtPhotography]

I think you gotta go with ROCK!

[@HenryJonesArt]

Prog works for me, a mix of Camel, any Rick Wakeman and Yes.

[@fernandosanz1369]

Thanks a lot for this tutorial. It's not the first time that I see a tutorial about the subject, but it's the first time that I follow an account just for this tutorial. Everything was smooth and very detailed. My question is about the lens, at the moment I cannot afford a macro lens. I have a 28-70 on a Canon 77D. Is it worth to try with this gear or the results would just be not worthy? Thanks!

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hey Fernando. Honestly, it would be really tough to get the results you want without being able to get a little closer. You might try extension tubes but getting really close is important. You might try using a bigger surface with bigger drops and see what happens. Good luck and thanks for watching.

[@fernandosanz1369]

OK, thanks for the quick reply! I might try with a bigger surface as you say, I was just afraid to loose the 3D effect because of the surface tension.

[@nickreid5939]

Hi...what aperture are you using?

[@sodawaterbottle]

Very interesting and simple. Thanks.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

You’re welcome and thank you for watching.

[@MidanRoxy]

Excellent! I love your videos.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thank you very much and have a super day.

[@WayneIrish]

Nice video, thanks.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thanks so much Wayne and I hope you have a great day.

[@magyar5615]

Love this video! Will try this and experiment, thanks for the inspiration !!!

[@VisualArtPhotography]

So happy you liked the video Lawrn. Thanks and have a great day.

[@beaporter1037]

I love your tutorials, I keep learning more and more and enjoying it. I'm new at it so i have a question. I don't have a macro lens, but I do have an f1.8 lens. Would that work for this project? thanks

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hey Bea. I’m assuming your lens is 50mm. If you add something called an extension tube, this will allow you to get closer and you may have success. Kenko is one manufacturer that make these in sets of 3. Macro lenses remain the easiest way to get close to subjects but if in this case, your container was bigger and you used more water etc. then you wouldn’t necessarily have to get as close. Good luck and thanks.

[@charliedickson9263]

liked the video. I have tried this with sunflower oil then added some food colouring to water and added several drops onto the oil however, the droplets disperse through the oil then dissolve in the water this takes about 20 to 30 seconds this spoils the look. I have tried this several times with the same results. Have I missed something. Help. Charlie

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hey Charlie. Not sure what the problem is but maybe try vegetable or corn oil. Good luck.

[@psychedelicjim7093]

Another option is to place drops of paint onto the shiny side of a CD. The reflective surface can be made to look very colourful or not depending on what angle you light it.

[@marilynzanca7712]

its bokeh circles in the background, but not at night because that can easily be done with lights in the background, daytime effect with circles in the background. just wondered if you have a video on that?

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Sorry Marilyn. I don’t have a video on that subject at this time. I hope you enjoy your day.

[@marilynzanca7712]

Hi I'm interested in a particular circular kind of photography. I would like to take a photo of an object in sharp focus but with circles in the background. I didn't see any of your videos with kind of photography.

[@samienr]

Marilyn Zanca Do you mean bokeh?

[@marilynzanca7712]

Many photographers take circular photography at night using lights, but I would like to know how we do this kind of photography in the day.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Not sure what you mean Marilyn. The night photography you are referring to is creating that ‘soft blob” effect called BOKEH. If you want something similar in the day try out of focus water drops during macro photography. That can be fun.

[@loissamuels7902]

I can see how you coloured a few bubbles but how did you colour hundreds of them?

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hi Lois. The multi-colour affect happened when I agitated the liquid. As the bubbles separated all kinds of colours occurred. I really didn’t expect it but that’s the beauty of experimenting...you never know what will happen.

[@jameshind6644]

Ray it would have been good to get the camera settings. Never the less it's a very good insight into what you can achieve with a bit of imagination. Your link to visart.ca is coming up as unsafe on my computer as the server can't prove who it is.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Hi James. I’m not sure why that unsafe message comes up. I’ve looked into it and have found nothing wrong. I will dig deeper. Thanks and have a great day.

[@fluxophile]

Seems like your site is using HTTP, not HTTPS (the latter is secure and will show in browsers as such). I'd recommend trying to switch if you can, the latter is encrypted and generally more safe.

[@xiaoneewoo1780]

Cool

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thanks!

[@yujinlandscapephotography.7787]

I an very interesting great video. well done!! It is test in mind.👌 Thank! sir.

[@VisualArtPhotography]

Thank you so much and best wishes to you.

[@tsunamisam1]

How about aluminum foil?