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Zero spot editing. How?
1st PlaceZero spot editing. How?
kiwiness


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Unanswered Questions (Classic Editing)
Collection: challenge entries
Camera: Canon EOS-10D
Location: Nottuln, Germany (living room)
Date: Jul 5, 2003
Aperture: 3.5
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/200
Galleries: Abstract
Date Uploaded: Jul 6, 2003

After thinking long and hard about something for this challenge I decided to try something where the viewer has to ask him/herself "how the heck did they do that"? I wanted an image which looks as if it has been manipulated but is in fact a simple straight out photo.

I saw something similar to this a while ago and didn't know how it was done. Took me a while to figure it out so I thought I'd try it as well to see if you can figure it out.

Basically, I hung a martini glass upside down in a glass aquarium full of water with a blue cardboard sheet as the background. The glass was hanging on a stick connected with sellotape just below the surface of the water. A small part of the glass was above the surface because that is where the sellotape is sticking. I had to do that cos as soon as the sellotape got wet, the glass fell off!

Along the bottom of the aquarium I secured a small rubber tube directly below the martini glass with some sticky plasticine stuff. The tube extended to where I was sitting with my camera. I blew air into the tube and it filled the glass and caused it to tip. As the glass tipped and the air escaped I took the photo.

The biggest problem with this shot was getting the lighting right as the glass and the aquarium were reflecting a lot. I took care of a lot of the reflections by using a polarizer filter.

In Photoshop I cropped and flipped the image 180 degrees. I tweaked the curves and color balance a litle. I also Neat imaged it a little to lose some of the graininess. That's all. Quite simple really.

Canon 28-135 IS @ 28mm. White balance set at tungsten.


Statistics
Place: 1 out of 88
Avg (all users): 7.1667
Avg (commenters): 8.3889
Avg (participants): 7.1385
Avg (non-participants): 7.1868
Views since voting: 70263
Votes: 156
Comments: 124
Favorites: 383 (view)


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AuthorThread
02/26/2011 02:18:06 PM
simple... ha ha ... not to get such a flawless shot... this is a fun technique though... very creative
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/24/2011 09:29:24 AM
Stunning picture and great explanation
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/14/2010 05:18:46 PM
Yup, brilliant.
-K
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/18/2010 11:33:08 AM
Not only brilliant but beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/30/2008 06:24:48 PM
I just came across this photo and read your comments. Very well executed and I really like the idea!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/05/2008 05:42:33 PM
Ingenious.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
05/31/2008 03:12:11 AM
Wowsers yet again! Congratulations on another well earned win. Over the years you're one of those amazing photographers that makes me think what I am doing here playing with the big boys!! Yet you're so inspiring. I just have to start looking at my cup as being half full instead of half empty!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/30/2007 03:04:44 PM
Really unique!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
10/09/2007 01:19:47 AM
Amazing capture! I love it. Beautiful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/12/2007 03:47:39 PM
fantastic its one of my top fav's,

the timing and background color is just great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/10/2007 11:11:41 PM
Beautiful shot, fabulous work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/02/2007 10:56:18 PM
Awesome... I thought for a long time... trying to figure out how you could have achieved this snap... But unfortunately, I did not come up with a solution.

Superb picture... And an very Elegant Solution!!

Hats off to you...
D.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/22/2007 03:52:45 PM
Simplicity in complexity... I read your description and would like to thank you for sharing the tips. This image/effect is fantastic, to say the least!!

Best regards,

McNolia
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/29/2007 09:06:39 PM
yesssssssssssssss
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/08/2006 10:53:03 AM
Fun to see an oldy on the front page of comments again. This is GREAT!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/08/2006 10:41:38 AM
Thats really nice. sounds like a lot of work. Thanks for the tip.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/23/2006 09:44:46 AM
amazing picture- it was really interesting to read how you did it as well, very helpful. i love this picture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/28/2006 08:01:12 AM
genius

Message edited by author 2006-02-28 08:01:23.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/25/2006 10:48:22 PM
<33
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/10/2005 04:30:23 AM
BRILLIANT!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/18/2005 06:55:26 PM
fantastic shot, simple is normally the best
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/09/2005 09:52:35 PM
Speechless! Absolutely speechless!! Definitely a favorite ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/28/2005 08:56:27 AM
An amazing piece of work, bravo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/21/2005 09:38:28 PM
speechless... absolutely fantastictext
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/18/2005 06:42:12 PM
BRAVO!! The whole image is just awesome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
05/21/2005 01:37:05 PM
Its the best foto that i ever saw in my life with all the technixcal tips attached along with it!
a very good pic, i must say!
nice one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/12/2005 11:01:07 AM
Good color...nice balance (in more ways than one)...good composition. Excellent effort to accomplish desired/achieved result...Thanks for sharing. Roxane
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2005 04:59:03 AM
ur a genius :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/22/2005 09:24:34 AM
noting to say other than WOW!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/16/2004 04:30:01 PM
damn how in the hell did you come up with and idea like that. i mean that is just way out there. Nice Job though!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2004 09:44:50 PM
Congratulations on your pursuit. Kudos to your great image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
05/13/2004 08:21:42 PM
Simply stunning! Would prefer the line straight though!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 08:44:16 PM
ROTFLOL!!

"I had some bad luck after taking this photo by the way. Silly me, left the rubber tube hanging out of the aquarium and overnight all the water (approx. 120 liters!) siphoned out onto the living room floor :-(

Wasn't a very nice sight to wake up to the next morning!"

that just makes that picture all the better man! congrats :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/17/2003 09:29:08 AM
Bravo. wonderful capture. excellent timing. regards, biliana
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/05/2003 04:28:18 PM
Rich, luscious color and seemless composition make for a fantastic shot. I wish I had done this!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/17/2003 11:35:44 PM
*Critique Club*

Fantastic photo. Its hard to actually do a critique on. I think the extent you went to, to get this is great. The photo is not only an attention getter but it also is a work of art in itself.

Your blue is such a pretty shade, the focus is really good. The entire concept of how you did it is really neat. There isn't a thing I would change in this image for a challenge but I might touch it up slightly along the seam before printing it. Get rid of the rough spot in the seam to the right of the glass and make it a prefect print.

Anna
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/16/2003 03:53:49 AM
You know what I really love about this photo, is the broken surface at the bottom of the photo, it really makes you think about imperfections of reality, if that makes any sense. Good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2003 11:39:55 PM
Awesome shot! I'm impressed. Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2003 06:05:14 PM
Gary,
Gongrats on this one. U are getting better and better. Or maybe this is the result of taking photography class. I heard u got a new Canon. Lucky u! Have fun and bless you.

ps. Ive been busy with work - no time to shoot.

Anna
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2003 03:07:10 PM
Wow, Gary!
You're really getting good. I keep checking back at DPChallenge hoping to see your next submission. You always top yourself.

Hope all is well. Send me an email and we'll chat.

Michael (Chessmonkey)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2003 12:26:27 PM
Wonderful Pic, Its an excellent shot. Never thought of the 180 degree bit. wish i had done that too. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2003 06:34:18 AM
This image upsets me. It upsets me because I wish I'd thought of it and I really wish I'd taken it. This is one of the most impressive shots I've seen on this site - my hat's off to you Gary.

Please make this available as a print.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2003 03:26:46 AM
Absolutely amazing photo, a well deserved winner!

I am looking at buying the EOS 10D shortly and I think this photo has just made the final decision for me.

Natator
(A complete amateur who can't afford enough 35mm film for his EOS 650 and is greatly looking forward to being able to learn with the 10D as he can then take a squillion photos :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 10:32:03 PM
A well deserved ribbon. A real brilliant idea
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 08:59:18 PM
Quite simple? I think this is a lot of efforts and your reward is your ribbon! Much congrats on this!!

Nathalie
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 06:31:13 PM
Congrats. Well done. Thanks for the explanation.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 02:24:24 PM
You did it again!! Awesome SHOT!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:58:30 PM
Congrats. I knew this had to be a ribbon. Well deserved.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:32:51 PM
Very nice effect!! Awsome photo!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:04:25 PM
Extremely cool! Very well thought out shot! Damn good!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 08:59:54 AM
Excellent!!! Congratulations. I hope there were no fish in the aquarium, especially after you siphoned out the water :)))

~Ursula

Message edited by author 2003-07-14 09:53:04.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 08:48:03 AM
Congrats on a well deserved win ! This photo is beautiful and so unique.

ack@ the flooded living :(
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 07:41:00 AM
wow! good job!!! lucky for you you had such a nice camera to help you think of this picture ;) ..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 06:57:27 AM
Congratulations, sweetie!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 06:37:52 AM
Congrats on yet another ribbon Gary. Great pic!

Bob
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 04:44:10 AM
wooohooo... Sekt-Time for you!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 04:28:27 AM
CONGRATS on your well deserved ribbon. Excellent photo and executed very well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 04:19:33 AM
Wow kiwi! Congrats! That's quite a set-up you had by the sounds of it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 03:48:02 AM
Well done Gary .... yet another masterpiece ;-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 03:30:44 AM
Aaaaw, bummer about the leaking aquarium, Gary but WOOO HOOOO! on another well deserved win!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 02:34:30 AM
Wow! Thanx for all the wonderful, and friendly comments.

I had some bad luck after taking this photo by the way. Silly me, left the rubber tube hanging out of the aquarium and overnight all the water (approx. 120 liters!) siphoned out onto the living room floor :-(

Wasn't a very nice sight to wake up to the next morning!
07/14/2003 01:10:19 AM
Great shot Gary... Congrats on another blue ribbon.

Bob
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:52:36 AM
kiwi--you are brilliant! :) congrats on another wonderful photo--and ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:40:22 AM
wow, impressive to see you go to such lengths for a photo. but really cool outcome. :o)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:38:40 AM
Congrats, I new this would win. Great job I love it! Thanks for the great description of how you did it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:37:58 AM
congratulations gary...another masterpiece!! this is an amazing photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:31:11 AM
Another flawless photo from Gary! Congratulations on a well deserved ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:24:52 AM
Great execution of this! A very well deserved win.
Grayce
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:20:12 AM
Great Photo!! 10 all the way! Congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:15:24 AM
Congrats Gary... It´s a great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:09:09 AM
Wow!!!! This shot rocks!! Congrats kiwi!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:05:27 AM
And this definitely made me asked myself HOW DID YOU DO IT! :P great stuff! And congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:04:59 AM
Wow, Gary, this is gorgeous! Well-deserved first place (complicated too!)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:04:54 AM
Congratulations my friend Kiwi! Wonderful....love this. Very good.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:04:24 AM
Good job kiwi!!

Imma have to steal that 10D of yours :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:04:10 AM
for heaven's sake, man.. quit your day job now.. it is okay! LOL
You have really become amazing... the creativity shows.
congrats on another ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2003 12:02:13 AM
Nice ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/13/2003 11:58:06 PM
Air bubble... glass underwater.... shot upside down.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2003 10:59:38 PM
This left me with questions. It was also a creative composition that was pleasing to see.

Good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2003 08:25:57 PM
WOW! I love this one! I'm very interested about how this one was lit! Nice air bubbles.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2003 11:05:13 AM
Great shot if not edited. Great work. Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2003 04:37:16 AM
Great capture. Very nice colors
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2003 01:43:17 AM
Underwater and perhaps upside down?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2003 10:32:44 PM
yes, how??
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2003 08:54:36 PM
My first geuss would have to be that the glass is underwater, upsidedown spilling air up? Great Shot!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2003 06:26:33 PM
Call me stupid........but what I want to know is, how you did it? That's the main question it leaves me asking. The blue combined with the translucence of the glass and the liquid is pure magic. The only element that distracts from the image is the line behind the glass. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2003 12:35:30 PM
I know, I know!

It's magic, isn't it? Great shot, tones, and focus.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2003 12:10:21 AM
I'm less interested in the spot editing than I am in what this is and what is going on and why a glass is tipping, etc. Anyway, super shot. By the book! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2003 11:54:40 PM
I am really curious to find out how that was done. Blue tone really sets the mood and the highlights on the liquid really draw the attention. I wish I had suggestions to offer, but it looks great just as it is.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2003 06:23:37 PM
Nice upside-down underwater shot. It could have been improved either by eradicating the visible seam or at least straightening it to horizontal. Nie and crisp and good colour [7]
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2003 05:36:25 PM
wow that is cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2003 03:41:02 PM
Very cool shot! I have no idea. Try, try again? Really nice, great visual impact. Easy 10! Rob the Swash
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2003 03:22:57 PM
Yeah, how?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/10/2003 10:35:36 PM
Lookes very cool, thats all I know
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/10/2003 02:34:03 PM
I am glad the water stayed in the aquarium while you took that photo, I hope it stayed there over the night after the shooting too :-) Great photo tho! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/10/2003 11:24:37 AM
This has to be a winner 10/10 ... good luck
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/10/2003 05:13:20 AM
The horizon seems to be off a bit. Great idea and a very nice pic. The blue color is great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/10/2003 04:33:45 AM
It looks like you dropped the glass in some water with water inside glass.
The adjusted the colors to only produce blue.
Great trick. Was I right or wrong.
The spot right on lower part of glass seems to have not cover completely. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/09/2003 05:18:09 PM
so of course you are going to tell us? Right?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/09/2003 10:13:15 AM
upside down and under water... very nice effect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/09/2003 05:55:22 AM
Underwater I am assuming - I take it that's a finger holding the base of the glass at the surface of the water and tipping it to allow the trapped air out?
Great idea and wonderful colours.
Not so keen on the line dissecting the lower area - perhaps better if it were a true horizontal.
Lovely light in the bubbles.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/09/2003 02:17:41 AM
This one will win. :) 10. BTW, please tell us how after.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/08/2003 10:20:57 PM
beautiful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/08/2003 06:26:10 PM
Excellent photo, I have to know how you did this (Air bubbles)? I like the "water" texture, to me it has a metallic texture to it. The color and lighting work very well together.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/08/2003 01:59:14 PM
This is an awesome photo, How did you do that?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/08/2003 05:33:04 AM
woaw, cool effect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 08:30:00 PM
very nice photo, would have gotten a higher score from me if the challenge was "glass" or "liquid", doesn't quite fit this challenge.. 5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 07:49:36 PM
image is upside down and that is air flowing into the water the glass is in...My best guess:) love the shot! I wish your line in the backround was straight, but still a wow shot to me 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 07:03:52 PM
Wow I had to stare at this for a while before I figured it out! upside down? Airbubbles? This looks awesome! Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 04:36:40 PM
Ok, I'll bite... how? :) Nice work, one of my top picks this week.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 01:21:26 PM
Very Cool Idea. I know how you did this. I specialize in special effect still life photography. :-) have a wonderful day.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 10:52:46 AM
Love the light, love the blue.
Good work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 09:38:16 AM
you spoiled some of this by giving me the question.. still liked the image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 09:21:21 AM
Turning the glass upside down was a very good idea indeed. This must have taken VERY many shots. On my monitir, it looks slightly oversharpened, but it is still worth a 10. Good work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 08:22:23 AM
Fantastic picture! This is a guess, but I'm guessing that its trick photography... that's not water coming out of the glass, its air. The glass is upside-down in water and its been tilted sideways to let the air out? Thought it fit best for the challenge and gave it a 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 08:19:30 AM
Upside down, under water? Great pic, ribbon on the way!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 08:17:25 AM
I love the blue and white ! The leaning glass, the air bubbles and this makes you wonder... HOW ?????????????????????????? GREAT photo !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 07:33:38 AM
wow, wow, wow... The best one of this week. How did you get it?... 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 04:50:57 AM
wow! amazing photo! beautiful lighting and detail. the effect is wonderful...hope you tell how this was done! excellent work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 04:19:39 AM
Aw man, this is a great picture... Excellent use of colour and glass. Nice clean focus on everything. Go on I'll have a go - it's upside down and thats air bubbling up through water (this wasn't my first guess though ;o)? It's the ripples at the base that gave it away for me. Amazing shot, should do well (I hope), good luck with it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 02:48:31 AM
The picture is upside down. You dropped the martini glass into the water and took a picture as it started rising to the surface while bubbles escaped. Am I right?
Nice pic... If I could vote I'd give it a 9 :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 01:44:16 AM
cause its underwater?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 12:48:54 AM
I'm guessing really good reflexes and lighting I think I see your reflection! a 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/07/2003 12:18:46 AM
The angle of the line is converging..if it was diverging, it would have given more flow and directionality to the frame. great shot..7
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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