Nature Suspended in Ice

Suspended in Ice · **1 Like**

Winter is starting to take its toll on new things to shoot... so time to play and experiment. This is a lot of fun and I can see myself trying it again very soon, but with a better idea of what to do. My favourites ...

Seed pods and pebble -- ISO 100 F/16 1/13

Pebble -- ISO 100 f/16 1/6

Fern Fronds --- ISO 100 f/16 0.4s

Black Eyed Susan and a fern frond -- ISO 100 F/22 1/6

The pebble again...it is actually a red rock with black lines from Temagami Ontario

thanks for having a look

tessfully · 03-07-2013, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by southlander

Lovely series, thanks for posting. One day I'll explore Canada although I'm not sure about all those minus signs stuck in front of your temperatures. Ice down here is a peculiar and temporary state of water we find useful for keeping beer cold.

Thanks for the nice comments southlander! You should come to Canada late summer or fall. Many spectacular sights without the freeze up!

Originally posted by mrNewt

What are you not happy with? The way the ice is forming/looking like ... or the way objects gets frozen in the ice?

What I did wrong with the first try was I used a circular bowl. Some of the items floated and the curvature caused depth of field headaches so I ended up using the macro to isolate frames I liked. So last night I used a lasagna tray. I made my "still life" in the tray and added a small amount of water to freeze the items in place, which worked perfectly. I then added about another one and half inches of water. The ice froze in a really neat way over most of my still life, except the central piece, whereby it froze as a white heaped blob. I currently have it outside. It is just above zero today. I am thinking if the top portion melted and I used backlighting I might still have something cool to work with.

mrNewt · 03-07-2013, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by tessfully

What I did wrong with the first try was I used a circular bowl. Some of the items floated and the curvature caused depth of field headaches so I ended up using the macro to isolate frames I liked. So last night I used a lasagna tray. I made my "still life" in the tray and added a small amount of water to freeze the items in place, which worked perfectly. I then added about another one and half inches of water. The ice froze in a really neat way over most of my still life, except the central piece, whereby it froze as a white heaped blob. I currently have it outside. It is just above zero today. I am thinking if the top portion melted and I used backlighting I might still have something cool to work with.

What kind of water are you using?
Not sure if you know, but to get ice as clear as possible and avoid those "white clouds", is best to use either filtered or distilled water. You have to boil the water (some are even boiling the water twice). Let the water cool down a little and while still warm, put it in your container with your still life composition and then in the freezer.

Also, as an idea you might want to look at semitransparent containers (white ones) where you can add a light under it and diffuse it - might give some interesting effects?
Hmmm ... I gotta try it too now

...

tessfully · 03-07-2013, 11:13 AM

Ha! Thanks for the tips! I used well water, so I will double boil and try again. I am hooked.

GeoJerry · 03-08-2013, 12:13 AM

Fascinating.... great eye for detail!

tessfully · 03-08-2013, 05:43 AM

Originally posted by GeoJerry

Fascinating.... great eye for detail!

Thanks Jerry! The cool thing about this is you are never sure what you have till you put it on the monitor.

one more note: do not use glass dishes

Rupert · 03-08-2013, 08:15 PM

Enjoyed these Tess, in particular the 4th one. I like how you think..."out of the box", which gives some very different shots and provides new and interesting ideas.
BTW- I want to thank you for your work with Norm, I am enjoying his work more all the time. Your help has worked wonders for his shooting, and he is even posting some of those great Doggy shots I love so much!

Regards!

Stoogie · 03-08-2013, 09:38 PM

I really like the last one, it looks like it's falling into a puddle. The second last one is outstanding too!

**volley** · 03-09-2013, 08:51 AM

Very good series Tess! I've tried this kind of experiment only once and the results were not even close to the quality you have achieved, Thanks for pposting!

tessfully · 03-26-2013, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by Rupert

Enjoyed these Tess, in particular the 4th one. I like how you think..."out of the box", which gives some very different shots and provides new and interesting ideas.
BTW- I want to thank you for your work with Norm, I am enjoying his work more all the time. Your help has worked wonders for his shooting, and he is even posting some of those great Doggy shots I love so much!

Regards!

Thanks Rupert!

Originally posted by Stoogie

I really like the last one, it looks like it's falling into a puddle. The second last one is outstanding too!

Thank you Stoogie... these were my first tries. I don't know if I got any better at it... they are all so subjective.

Originally posted by volley

Very good series Tess! I've tried this kind of experiment only once and the results were not even close to the quality you have achieved, Thanks for pposting!

Thank you for commenting volley. It is always a surprise. I found little corners in the frozen world that were photographable... that was how it worked.

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03-07-2013, 10:31 AM	#16
tessfully Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: S. Algonquin, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,860 Original Poster	Originally posted by southlander Lovely series, thanks for posting. One day I'll explore Canada although I'm not sure about all those minus signs stuck in front of your temperatures. Ice down here is a peculiar and temporary state of water we find useful for keeping beer cold. Thanks for the nice comments southlander! You should come to Canada late summer or fall. Many spectacular sights without the freeze up! Originally posted by mrNewt What are you not happy with? The way the ice is forming/looking like ... or the way objects gets frozen in the ice? What I did wrong with the first try was I used a circular bowl. Some of the items floated and the curvature caused depth of field headaches so I ended up using the macro to isolate frames I liked. So last night I used a lasagna tray. I made my "still life" in the tray and added a small amount of water to freeze the items in place, which worked perfectly. I then added about another one and half inches of water. The ice froze in a really neat way over most of my still life, except the central piece, whereby it froze as a white heaped blob. I currently have it outside. It is just above zero today. I am thinking if the top portion melted and I used backlighting I might still have something cool to work with.

03-07-2013, 10:48 AM	#17
mrNewt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ON, RH Posts: 2,181	Originally posted by tessfully What I did wrong with the first try was I used a circular bowl. Some of the items floated and the curvature caused depth of field headaches so I ended up using the macro to isolate frames I liked. So last night I used a lasagna tray. I made my "still life" in the tray and added a small amount of water to freeze the items in place, which worked perfectly. I then added about another one and half inches of water. The ice froze in a really neat way over most of my still life, except the central piece, whereby it froze as a white heaped blob. I currently have it outside. It is just above zero today. I am thinking if the top portion melted and I used backlighting I might still have something cool to work with. What kind of water are you using? Not sure if you know, but to get ice as clear as possible and avoid those "white clouds", is best to use either filtered or distilled water. You have to boil the water (some are even boiling the water twice). Let the water cool down a little and while still warm, put it in your container with your still life composition and then in the freezer. Also, as an idea you might want to look at semitransparent containers (white ones) where you can add a light under it and diffuse it - might give some interesting effects? Hmmm ... I gotta try it too now ...

03-07-2013, 11:13 AM	#18
tessfully Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: S. Algonquin, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,860 Original Poster	Ha! Thanks for the tips! I used well water, so I will double boil and try again. I am hooked.

03-08-2013, 12:13 AM	#19
GeoJerry Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,158	Fascinating.... great eye for detail!

03-08-2013, 05:43 AM	#20
tessfully Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: S. Algonquin, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,860 Original Poster	Originally posted by GeoJerry Fascinating.... great eye for detail! Thanks Jerry! The cool thing about this is you are never sure what you have till you put it on the monitor. one more note: do not use glass dishes

03-08-2013, 08:15 PM	#21
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	Enjoyed these Tess, in particular the 4th one. I like how you think..."out of the box", which gives some very different shots and provides new and interesting ideas. BTW- I want to thank you for your work with Norm, I am enjoying his work more all the time. Your help has worked wonders for his shooting, and he is even posting some of those great Doggy shots I love so much! Regards!

03-08-2013, 09:38 PM	#22
Stoogie Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Mission, B.C. Photos: Albums Posts: 166	I really like the last one, it looks like it's falling into a puddle. The second last one is outstanding too!

03-09-2013, 08:51 AM	#23
volley Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Springe Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,693	Very good series Tess! I've tried this kind of experiment only once and the results were not even close to the quality you have achieved, Thanks for pposting!

03-26-2013, 07:41 AM	#24
tessfully Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: S. Algonquin, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,860 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rupert Enjoyed these Tess, in particular the 4th one. I like how you think..."out of the box", which gives some very different shots and provides new and interesting ideas. BTW- I want to thank you for your work with Norm, I am enjoying his work more all the time. Your help has worked wonders for his shooting, and he is even posting some of those great Doggy shots I love so much! Regards! Thanks Rupert! Originally posted by Stoogie I really like the last one, it looks like it's falling into a puddle. The second last one is outstanding too! Thank you Stoogie... these were my first tries. I don't know if I got any better at it... they are all so subjective. Originally posted by volley Very good series Tess! I've tried this kind of experiment only once and the results were not even close to the quality you have achieved, Thanks for pposting! Thank you for commenting volley. It is always a surprise. I found little corners in the frozen world that were photographable... that was how it worked.