Friday 29 January 2016

How do I trigger the flash in a way that takes luck out of high-speed photography?



I've tinkered with a bit of high speed photography (catching a water drop with low power flash in a dark room) and had success, but mostly through the volume of trials. I've got a shot in mind (I'd like to drop an Oreo into a glass of milk), and I'd like to minimize the number of tries it takes to work.


What techniques are there to help capture such shots?


UPDATE: Regarding the answers below, they touch on how to do high speed photography, but I was really hoping for a detailed technique for triggering the flash that was more than luck and at least more detailed than a link elsewhere. I may be hoping for too much, time will tell.



Answer



Because I am sometimes asked to do these sorts of shots as part of my business, where 'trial and error' is often incompatible with 'client budget,' I use a programmable intervalometer with a variety of sensors which give me that ability to capture the sorts of pictures where 'timing is everything.' Among other things over the years I've used such devices to capture images of bullets being fired, arrows flying, explosions, water drops, things being dropped into various types of liquid, 'shy' animals, and to 'slow down' industrial machines.


Although I've used many different systems, currently I use the Mumford Time Machine, and I've been very pleased with it.


While I realize that my answer may not appeal to everyone (DIYers, hobbyists, etc.), for someone with more money than time, or who is capturing these sorts of images professionally and doesn't have time to do it '600 times and pray one of them is usable,' there are definitely pro-level options that don't involve 'picking up a soldering iron.'


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