Scientific photography: March 2005 Archives

High speed photography at its best requires great accuracy in timing which part of the splash is recorded. However, with a very simple disposable camera or digital camera with an integral flash it is possible to take photographs of splashes or using a video camera extract individual frames each of 1/25th of a second to see the processes involved.

Useful websites include:

http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/exhibit-splashes.html
http://courses.ncssm.edu/hsi/class2000/splashes
http://courses.ncssm.edu/hsi/splashes

One of the problems with scientific photography has been the need to do one if not more tests of exposure on a film. One method has been to use black and white film for the test (carefully recording exposure s used on paper), process, check exposure then take colour photographs. This whole process can be shortened with a digital camera.

Not only that but a digital camera also records the lens and camera data including exposure and aperture used which is embedded into the file format. This helps in refining exposure but also can be used in image management software to detail length of exposure, aperture which seem to be so popular in photographic magazines.

Images can be taken, techniques can be tried without having to wait for feedback after processing hours or days later enabling quicker feedback. There is really now no excuse for not using scientific photographic techniques in science teaching or communication.