Patterns with Pencils
This week I have decided to try something different – thanks to my Practical Photography magazine. I wanted to try a still life image from a different perspective and when I saw this particular exercise I decided to give it a go and I think the results are really effective!
I got a piece of plain, white paper and arranged some coloured pencils in a pattern. Then I mounted a piece of clear glass over the top and propped it up with 4 pint glasses. Using a straw, I gently placed droplets of water on the glass over the top of the pencil pattern.
The photographs were taken with my 50mm lens and I used an aperture of F4 with a shutter speed of 1/160 and ISO 400 (although this was set to auto) and auto white balance. I got as close to the droplets as my lens would allow and, although I tried manual focus, I found it easier on auto focus and keep re-focussing until the camera picked up on the droplets and put the background in blur.
The only edits I have done are to crop the images and increase the contrast as well as brighten them a little. I think I am happier with the first one as the pencils are more in focus although I do like the second one as it is much brighter.
UPDATE: On Tuesday 1st March 2016 I was thrilled to hear that I had won my first photography competition with the second image on this post for ‘Eyecatching’.
Woah Vic, this is an amazing effect! Thanks for sharing your tips. Stunning results.
Thanks so much – I was so pleased with the result! I really hope you give it a try too x
Ah Vic, I love this! And I really like how you’ve explained how you created the shot. I was looking at the first two shots puzzled trying to figure out how you’d got those amazing pictures, then panned down. That’s so creative, I want to give it a go now. Thank you so much for joining #MyCapturedMoment xxx
Aww, thank you so much Heledd. I am so glad you like them – and you definitely need to give it a go! x
What a great idea the end photographs are so effective. They look great! x #mycapturedmoment
Thank you Kirsty 🙂 x
This looks wonderful, I love it. So clever and I had no idea that it was pencils until later in the post. So clever! #SnapshotSaturday
Thank you so much Lisa, I am so pleased you like it 🙂 x
Oh wow thats amazing would make a fun back ground.
Thank you so much. I hadn’t thought of that, but it would! 🙂
This is so clever! It looks like something you’d need to create on Photoshop, yet it’s such a simple idea in reality. Brilliant.
#mycapturedmoment
Thank you so much – I was really surprised at how effective it is x
Oh wow, that’s amazing! What a brilliant idea!! #MyCapturedMoment
Thank you Heidi 🙂 x
Really lovely! The possibilities are endless with that aren’t they? 🙂
Totally! Thank you Emma x
really clever victoria. i had no idea they were pencils when i first looked. i had to read your post then it clicked. fab idea.
Thank you so much Sherry x
Ooo you clever little thing. I love it! Thanks for sharing X #mysundayphoto
Thank you so much 🙂 x
Oh wow this is amazing! I thought for a second it was created digitally, so much fun to be had with this!
Thank you Laura – I am so pleased it had a great effect 🙂 x
Ooh that is really clever I will have tottery this, I really want to get some good shots or raindrops x
Thank you Sarah – you definitely need to give it a go 🙂 x
How effective is that! Stunning.
I love that you’ve shown us how it’s achieved too Victoria.
Thank you Shaz – I thought it was important to share so that people understood it was for real! 🙂 x
VERY clever- you can tell you are way ahead of me on the photography course!!
Thank you Rosie – to be fair I did a course last year so what Emma is teaching I kind of already know! No harm in looking at the basics again though, not ever 🙂 x
Stunning and who’d have thought you could get such an amazing effect Vicky!
Thank you Carol, I know! x
Wow this is so effective, so pretty. #MySundayPhoto
Thank you Julie 🙂 x
That’s very clever, couldn’t see what this had to do with pencils at all on my phone. Works really well #MySundayPhoto
I am so pleased you got to see it properly! Thank you Mary 🙂 x
This is such a beautiful picture. What a great effect, and so simple too!
Thank you so much 🙂 x
Wow, it’s amazing what you can do with a camera. I think they are all pretty. #MySundayPhoto
I know – I am constantly surprised! Thank you 🙂 x
I know what you mean about the first one but I like the second one as the actual shape of the droplets is sharper if you know what I mean? Great fun though! 🙂 x
I totally agree with you Lisa – I have to say that it was tough to decide which one to use as the header! x
This is so clever and really beautiful! I’d like wallpaper like that 🙂
Thank you Steph 🙂 x
That is so clever….Fantastic photos x
Thanks Kim x
Thats so clever!!
Thank you 🙂
Wow that is so effective it looks almost magical
Thank you so much 🙂 x
Wow, thats stunning!!!
Thank you 🙂
Oh wow these are amazing! And what a fab idea! When I saw the first photo I was wondering how you have done it – thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Jenni – glad you enjoyed seeing how it was done too x
Oh wow they really are amazing pictures. I would never gave thought if it – brilliant x
Thank you so much Lisa x
That’s an amazing photo. So simple but so effective. I think I’ll have to give it a try myself one day! Thanks for sharing. #mysundayphoto
You really should! Thank you so much 🙂 x
That’sThat’s beautiful. What an amazing effect from something so simple.
Thank you Emma 🙂 x
That is fantastic! Seems the result wasweld worth the effort. They look like boiled sweets!
Thank you Afra – and you are right, they do! x
Wow, I absolutely love this one! What a brilliant shot. I would have had no clue what it was if you hadn’t included the second picture.
Thank you so much 🙂 x
Wow! That is amazing technique! So effective and beautiful! I really want to give it a go myself now. Well done! x
Thank you so much Su. Definitely give it a go 🙂 x
Wow what a clever idea, personally I like the second one more. Both awesome
Thank you for linking up
Thank you – and thank you for hosting 🙂 It was tough to choose between the two!
Wow! I want to play! Amazing shot
You need to! Thank you 🙂
Very clever, psychedelic shot. You are becoming a pro.
Thank you so much – I wish!! 🙂 x
What a brilliant thing to do! I love the photos and could never have guessed in a million years how you managed to take them!
Thank you so much Sarah. I am so pleased I shared how I did it 🙂
Wow that is amazing huni! Wonderful idea x
Thank you Aby 🙂 x
Ooh this is very lovely, creates such a pretty effect. I feel like trying it and showing the hubby 😉
Thank you 🙂 You definitely should! x
I absolutely love this image, such a simple yet effective shot #MySundayPhoto
Thank you so much 🙂 x
What an amazingly simple yet effective idea! I think I may have to start reading that magazine. Love this image a lot. ALso love the fact you have four matching Yeovil Beer Festival glasses! #MySundayPhoto
Thank you so much John. Yes, I highly recommend that magazine – it is full of different things to try. Glad you noticed the glasses too!! 🙂
Hi Victoria, I honestly thought they were marbles. Very clever, I like it.
xx
Thank you Debbie – they do look a bit like marbles 🙂 x
I love this, it looks amazing. Thanks for sharing how to do it. I might have a go. #MySundayPhoto
Thank you Tara. You definitely should – it is great fun to try 🙂 x
Spectacular! This is so clever and I love that you shared how you achieved this effect. I’m properly impressed.
Thank you so much – I thought it was important to share the method behind it too 🙂 x
Wow-these are so pretty. It is great to try out new techniques with your camera. I’m hoping to find the time to do more with mine too.
Thank you Bek – I love finding new things and different angles 🙂 x
I loved the effect initially and tried to work it out how you had achieved such a great effect… only to scroll down and there it is.
Thank you for sharing… I’ve a new camera and need to get to know it, so I may try this out.
Have a great Sunday
Thank you Neesie – have a great time doing it. The set up takes longer than the photography! x
Brilliant I love it!!
Thank you!
I love the explanation to go with this, I thought it was some kind of clever craft at first! A great effect, I think I need a 50ml lens now.
Thank you Fiona. I totally recommend the lens! x
How clever. These look amazing!
#SundayPhoto xx
Thank you Tracey 🙂 x
That is amazing! Such a fantastic effect, from normal household objects. You very clever lady xx
Thank you so much Jo 🙂 x
Wow! Love these! Amazing photos Vicky x
Thank you Sara 🙂 x
These are so fun and colourful, these really make me want to grab my ‘proper’ camera and start messing about
I totally recommend it! Thanks Amanda x
What fabulous photos – love the effect of the water droplets and the pencils themselves blurred in the background. Very tempted to give this kind of photo a try myself now! 🙂
Thank you so much Louise – I definitely recommend it! x
I saw you post this on Facebook and wondered how you achieved it! These photos are absolutely stunning!
Laura x x x
Thank you Laura 🙂 x
What a great idea! How gorgeous is that photo! Would look great as a piece of wall art! Such pretty patterns x #MySundayPhoto
Thank you so much 🙂 x