What’s in a Drop of Water?

My wife’s cousin’s husband, Jim Brandt, has been into photography for many years, as I have. The difference is that his art is more serious than mine. I don’t typically carry around a tripod, which any real photographer, amateur and professional, should use to get the sharpest images. My son-in-law’s father, who is also an avid photographer and president of his local photography club, keeps drumming that home. I’m a bit too impatient to set one up and, as a result, my photos tend not to be gallery-quality. Jim, on the other hand, takes the trouble. And it shows.

He’s also an experimenter. Today, he told me about water collision photography, which he tried his hand at. He rigged up his own system to release water droplets into a pan of water. Various effects can be achieved by using gels on an electronic flash, dyes in the water droplets, angle of exposure and lighting and so forth. I’m including several of his images, with his permission. You’re likely as amazed as I am at the results. They are worthy of anything Dale Chihuly can dream up. They also make you wonder about the nature of things, hidden by our inability to discern them with our five senses.