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- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -5/+45Life is short? Gimme a break... life is the longest thing I'll ever do.
- orientis, on 10/11/2007, -20/+53These are not sculptures. I've seen so many of these shots and I'm starting to get a bit sick of them and this is why: This photography is not creative. It is technical. There is no way to know what shape you are going to get and the shot itself is luck. You happen to catch it at a certain time. Plus, it's been done to death.
Now, perhaps the photographer intends to catch the shot so that it shows that flat mushroom shape, or the initial circular wall thing, but this is still just technical ability. The first time I saw these kinds of shots I thought that they looked really cool. The next time was those coloured water shots - that had an element of creativity, but not a large one - change the colour of the shapes. This is exactly the same, why should I care?
What about this: What if you had some sort of system with water being held on flat surfaces at a range of different heights. When the surfaces are yanked away, like a magician removing a table cloth, the water falls. Due to the amount of water and the position of each surface, as they fall the water forms certain shapes and possibly at one instant of the water's fall, creates a specific shape, a designed shape. It should be possible to create specific shapes by trial-and-error. This would be a water sculpture. That's what I thought this would be for some reason. (perhaps a memory-association with that slow motion water balloon pop video.) - mtownand1, on 10/11/2007, -3/+30http://duggmirror.com/offbeat_news/Liquid_Sculptures_these_are_so_amazing_I_know_I_said_amazing_but/
- luke16, on 10/11/2007, -1/+22Where the pics were taken from - http://www.liquidsculpture.com/
- themouth, on 10/11/2007, -6/+20Someone sounds a bit jealous.
This type of photography is certainly creative. ALL photography is technical, getting the proper light quality and angle is a science in itself, let alone composition, balance, color theory, etc. The size/shape/color of the splash can be influenced in a plethora of ways, plus the photographer is taking into account bokeh, background, etc.
Too many people think that because they get lucky every so often with a $250 P&S camera that professional photographers just haphazardly shoot whatever and hope for the best. Yes photography is an art, but making decent photos also takes a ton of technical skill.
If you think this so unimpressive why don't you go ahead and post some of your shots. Unless you don't you have any because they're all old-blurry holga-lomo shots because that makes a poorly composed, poorly framed, poorly focused shot "artsy" - ghostfish, on 10/11/2007, -16/+29oops
- ghostfish, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10I disagree in this case. A lot of examples from this genre are random but this guy looks like he takes a lot of time and skill setting up the pictures before he takes them. It's definitely art. (And great photography.)
- FeargusMcDuff, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9Owned after 74 diggs.
- DaneArden, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Ok I agree that It is more technical than creative. but something doesn't have to be creative to be beautiful does it?
The color added to the liquid is creative, even professional photographers take hundreds of pictures to get the best. Serendipity plays an important part in creativity.
just my opinion - Cougaboy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3@spuy767
like this one? http://cre.ations.net/creation/the-time-fountain - digitaloxygen, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Sorry to hijack. Direct link to the artist Portfolio on his own site...
http://www.liquidsculpture.com/fine_art/index.htm
Some other's mentioned his site below too. - nerogtr, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3very cool, but not really sculpture. very misleading title.
- qualish, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3@ cougaboy
Holy *****. I knew Nate True whilst going to the University of Washington. That guy is one of the most talented and gifted people I've ever known. - kiyyik, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Oo, neat. I've done similar shots a long time ago when I was learning, but they were with food co louring in a tank of water. Not quite along these lines, but I've always been rather proud of them.
http://kelly.twu.net/pix/Fluid/
Like I said, I was just learning. Be gentle. - hanu4u, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Got More Liquid Sculptures...
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=865a63f4954d262b3958029eee16eca0
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=32beea63527b46bcf3b4d92d9228ae3d
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=7511c223d01cf2d2816290e7d0242b8c
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=8b1ebe7ba9229fe278d076d0a8f8f6f1
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=4ac1b9cc538dc75864cc459a1857bf22
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=05cf70602fdb7b69cb139026130059e5
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=a0f6317dd21ba445f3e6e49a231bfd05
http://www.imagespar.com/view.php?img=be97159abd58acd620bf88a3e3962674 - Onyxblaze, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2You seem to need a faster camera... all your shots are after the drop hits the water
- orientis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I didn't say that technical shots and creative shots were mutually exclusive but I've read all your comments and I still say this isn't creative:
themouth: "The size/shape/color of the splash can be influenced in a plethora of ways, plus the photographer is taking into account bokeh, background, etc."
ghostfish: "A lot of examples from this genre are random but this guy looks like he takes a lot of time and skill setting up the pictures before he takes them."
Yes you're both right. And the result is something that is completely indistinguishable from other shots with the same concept. If you put them side by side with the others you could not point out differences in style or composition, because they're EXACTLY THE SAME. This isn't creativity, it's productivity.
"I don't know art but I know what I like"
Good. I'm glad you like them. - Spuy767, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4Reminds me of a device I made during my first year of college in an electronics class. I mixed a luminescent powder with water, and made a sort of fountain along with a set of UV led's with a blink timing device and when you turned the lights off, the drops appeared to stand still.
- woody24, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2these wouldn't really be considered sculptures, just high-speed photos. Unless the link by luke is different than the main one posted. I was expecting shooting water that forms objects. Like the falling water that can spell out words, and a graphics used at the detroit auto show by jeep.
- AfterbrthTycoon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1meh. Am I the only one who is more impressed with the idea than the actual outcome here?
- bulkhater, on 02/28/2008, -0/+1You just LOVE spamming your blog, don't you. Is digg the only site you're doing this to, or are there others?
- KMye, on 10/11/2007, -6/+7I agree this concept is being done quite a bit (on digg, at least). But to say that photography, especially in general, but even in this specific case, has no creative element means that a) you're either not a photographer, or if you are, you're a ***** one, and b) you don't appreciate the art, and probably shouldn't be waxing philosophical about it.
- woody24, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I don't think a faster camera would make a difference here. Its not supposed to capture all the little things you can't see like water splashing on the surface. As soon as the die hits the water it all slows down anyway. And I've been meaning to take shots like this myself. Its a cool effect.
- Lungkisser, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@ orientis:
I may not know art, but I know what I like. - digitaloxygen, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Game, Set, Match...
http://www.liquidsculpture.com/beadvideo/beadvideo.htm - scooch, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Reminds me of this diggnation 'water sculpture' http://www.pbase.com/jeffreyk/image/63836273
- nokaagnew, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1dang. messed the link up.
whatever. - HydraulicToast, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1i might use the word sculpture for the last few beaded droplets, but not for pictures of splashing water.
- ChayD, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Partly agreed, I thought it would be more than drops of water. They're still highly creative and artistic
and high speed photography is not exactly simple. It would be like saying that a painting is just smears
of oil-based pigment on a canvas (or water-based pigments on paper). It comes back to that saying "...but what is art?" - nokaagnew, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Hm. Nice. Some of these are pretty ill, 'sculpture' or not. Seems like they're just very impermanent sculptures.
Surprised nobody's mentioned it yet, but this one frontpaged just the other day:
http://digg.com/offbeat_news/Amazing_Photos_Of_Colored_Water - Ubertastic, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1From the website ( http://www.liquidsculpture.com ) :
http://www.liquidsculpture.com/images/content/LiquidSculpture116826.jpg
That image was SO 'shopped. - strictlybogart, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2where the heck are all the diggers screaming photoshop?
- mrkenko, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Dr. Edgerton is rolling over in his grave right now.
- darfvader, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Wow, this one looks like the eye of Sauron on top of mordor tower:
http://duggmirror.com/offbeat_news/Liquid_Sculptures_these_are_so_amazing_I_know_I_said_amazing_but/aebfd9bb4dcf2cd4e4a31c7ed44da559_44be49a6e256e697426068.jpg - liquidsculpture, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Sculpture, -noun, "the art of carving, modeling, welding, or otherwise producing figurative or abstract works of art in three dimensions, as in relief, intaglio, or in the round." (American Heritage)
The photography is not the "sculpture" part, creating the shapes is. Yes, there is luck involved. But, spending a few years designing and building equipment, developing techniques, and experimenting with liquids and their properties certainly increases the potential for luck. After a while, one can indeed predict the shapes - not with perfect precision since it is a non-linear system after all, but to a surprising degree (and, apparently, unbelievable for some). And, there is still room for serendipity.
The images are not Photoshopped, with the exception of "Big Wet One Red" - the red lipstick was added. The legs picture (http://www.liquidsculpture.com/images/content/LiquidSculpture116826.jpg) is as it was taken (noise-reduced, cropped a bit, and color balanced - but not added).
The photographer is irrelevant in that he only pushes the button (once everything is set up). This is true of any photography - all you have to do is be in the right place at the right time with the right settings and push the button. In this case, the photography, while being a bit technical, is easier than handling the liquids.
I'm pleased that some have enjoyed the images. - preshit, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Yes.
- preshit, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0What's so creative about these ? Its just sheer luck ! You can't like predict what shape its gonna take !
- kevinlyfellow, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Do you look at a forest of white pines and think to yourself, "Oh man... mother nature musta been really horny!"?
- aryo, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2i agree that this kind of stuff is getting tired, especially the brand of "liquid sculptures".
however, i might disagree with your concept of creative photography and technical photography being mutually exclusive. taking the shots isn't the only part of photography that can be creative. the process of selection may be creative as well (just one example). - noahwass, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1I think that I saw the 9th picture down last night (nudge, nudge).
- deanc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1If you like those check out these photos from Fotoopa
http://deancollinsblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/coloured-water.html
Much more spectacular - though I'm curious if he is photoshoping to get these effects or if it's some other process.
Cheers,
Dean
www.collins.net.pr/blog - firestar9s, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1"These are not sculptures."
- Arguable. What about ice sculptures? They only last a certain amount of time. I am not making a case for or against right now, but it certainly seems that the term 'sculpture' has some room for interpretation.
"This photography is not creative. It is technical."
- Silly. 1. It is not necessary for a thing to be an entirely new concept in order for it to be creative. 2. Raw creativity without (at least some) technical skill is not often very artistic. Monkeys can be creative. It doesn't mean they can all make art.
"This is exactly the same, why should I care?"
- Moot. No one said you had to.
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Is anyone else struck by the- erm- rather anatomic appearance of some of the water shapes? - noots, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1slightly phallic, but very cool.
- parkermauney, on 10/11/2007, -5/+1Dudes! Do you even realize what's going on? This is water! Maybe a once in a lifetime chance, and you're complaining? Shame on you!
- M4tt3r, on 10/11/2007, -15/+9What? While I photograph liquid sculptures I like to lay on my stomach instead of standing up (it's hard on my back), what's wrong with that?
Did I word it wrong. It's not my fault some of you have "sick minds". :P - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -13/+4No M4tt3r, you just sounded like an idiot.
- M4tt3r, on 10/11/2007, -17/+5Grow a sense of humor, life is short.
- Waskonator, on 10/11/2007, -22/+8oh come on! ghostfish replies "oops" and gets dugg up. rofl
- Waskonator, on 10/11/2007, -24/+8I don't know why this comment got buried. Im digging you up for making me feel like a profound new artist. Im gonna tell my girlfriend right now.
- M4tt3r, on 10/11/2007, -42/+22I create liquid sculptures on my stomach almost every night. It's a big load off my back.
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