Assignment, Photography

Water balloons, high shutter speeds and timing

Tyler Nichols used his highest shutter speed 1/4000sec @f5.6 ISO 1600 to capture the bursting water balloon which I threw.
Tyler Nichols used his highest shutter speed 1/4000sec @f5.6 ISO 1600 to capture the bursting water balloon which I threw.

I was looking at the shutterspeed dial the other day and it occurred to me the most under used shutterspeed was 1/4000 sec or even 1/8000 sec.

Few of beginners and even professionals ever intentionally set those shutter speeds.

So while I have a class at La Sierra University I’m teaching the basics to, I came up with this idea to illustrate equivalent exposure at the same time make it fun and more exciting for my beginners.

Gear, Lighting conditions and Assumptions

Prep work for me on that class day was sitting at the water faucet and filling balloons with water. This chore takes a while.
Prep work for me on that class day was sitting at the water faucet and filling balloons with water. This chore takes a while.

As I was planning this demo/exercise, I had to make some assumptions of my student’s gear.

Since most of them have kit lenses, I had to base exposure on that.

  • Fastest lens opening f5.6
  • Conditions where we photographed outdoors and sunny
  • Everyone’s camera had the capability of increasing ISO to 1600
Exposure was the same as in the previous photo. ISO 1600 1/4000 sec @f5.6. Cesar Saldana replaced Jacklyn so she would have a chance to shoot. Nice job Tyler on these pictures.
Exposure was the same as in the previous photo. ISO 1600 1/4000 sec @f5.6. Cesar Saldana replaced Jacklyn so she would have a chance to shoot. Nice job Tyler on these pictures.

No one in their right mind would be shooting above ISO 400 in the bright sun.

Here's another view by Nick Kim showing more of Cesar's face. Exposure is the same as Tyler's.
Here’s another view by Nick Kim showing more of Cesar’s face. Exposure is the same as Tyler’s.

Occasionally a sports photographer with a slow long lens, might assuming they have body which gives low noise to high ISO images.

We were mostly concerned about being able to shoot with our fastest shutter speed of 1/4000 sec, so based on standard outdoors exposure at midday  ISO 100  1/500 sec f5.6,  we extrapolated to an equivalent exposure of  ISO 1600 1/8000 sec f5.6 or 1/4000 sec f8.

I also selected a background that was darker or in shadow and suggested everyone position themselves so that our subject was backlit. Why?

Sarah McCary captured me on the right after I launched my water balloon on the our target a dolly.
Sarah McCary captured me on the right after I launched my water balloon on the our target a dolly.

Water is translucent and if it’s front lit, seldom shows up in picture very well, that’s why.

What’s left was recruiting a volunteer who wouldn’t mind getting a little wet and timing.

Since I was the one throwing the water balloons, I counted out aloud, “1, 2…3!” I release the water on the count of 3.

I need to work on my water balloon making skills. I was too conservative on some of those. They didn’t burst because they balloons weren’t close to capacity.

I also need to work on my throwing accuracy.

Thank you Jacklyn and Cesar for volunteering to take one for the team.