The Process

My work begins with simple materials: water, light, and diffraction. I use these elements to explore color, movement, and details that are often difficult to see with the naked eye.

The focus of my work is on rebounding water drops. When a drop hits the water surface under the right conditions, it can rebound instead of immediately merging with the water below. In some cases, the drop will continue to bounce or skip across the surface.

I then build an atmosphere around the drops using different diffraction sources and carefully positioned light. The surface of the water reflects the diffracted light, filling the scene with color.

At this scale, even the smallest change can completely transform an image. A slight shift in light, a different angle of diffraction, or the movement of a single drop can produce an entirely new result.

The Setup

Equipment & Materials

If you're interested in trying this type of photography yourself, I've put together some of the equipment and materials that can help you get started. You don't need the same setup I use today. A much simpler setup is more than enough to begin experimenting with water, light, and diffraction.

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My setup has evolved over time, but I initially was using just a clear acrylic cube, a dropper, continuous light, and a CD.

My current setup uses a custom built water delivery system with a reservoir, multiple lines of tubing, valves, individual flow controllers, Luer lock fittings, and custom 3D-printed parts that I designed to position and control the drops.

To hold the diffraction source, I use a ball head clamp mounted on a tripod. This gives me precise control over its position and angle, which I can adjust depending on how I want the light and color to interact with the water.

I've experimented with a variety of diffraction sources over time, including LaserDiscs, CDs, RCA CEDs, and diffraction grating sheets. I've even experimented with removing the reflective layer from a CD, which creates a completely different way for light to pass through and interact with the surface.

Capturing the Photos

f/2.8 Aperture

1/8000 Shutter

ISO 100 Sensitivity

I use a Canon R6 Mark III with a Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens to capture all of my images. I’ve experimented with a lot of different settings over time and found that shooting at f/2.8, 1/8000 sec, and ISO 100-250 gives me exactly the look I’m after.

A lot of macro photographers shoot at smaller apertures to get more of the subject in focus, but I really enjoy the soft, dreamy look I get at f/2.8. It softens the background and gives the image a more atmospheric feel while still keeping the drop itself as the main focus.

The drops are also moving incredibly fast, so I shoot at 1/8000 to freeze as much of that movement as possible. Combined with the softness of f/2.8, it gives me the balance I’m looking for between detail and atmosphere.

I shoot in bursts at 12 frames per second, and in a typical session I’ll capture anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 photos, sometimes even more. With that many images, a big part of the process happens after the shoot. I go through thousands of frames looking for perfect moments where the drop is perfectly in focus and the scene is colorful and vibrant.

12 FPS Burst Rate

5,000–7,000+ Frames Per Session