Of all the questions I get asked about my photographs, How to do the oil and water abstracts is the question I get asked the most.
Just the other day someone asked how do I get lots of bubbles and not have the oil just flatten out into 1 or 2 bubbles……..’Washing up liquid’.
After a lot of experimenting I found that adding a little washing up liquid to the water stopped the oil flattening out and gave me lots of oil bubbles.
Set Up
• Glass tumbler (Make sure the base is clear with no writing/markings)
• Olive oil
• Water
• Background. This can be anything. For these shots I have used colourful feathers.
Or you could try, wrapping paper, coloured paper or lighting gels.
Kit
• Canon 7D
• Canon EFS 60mm f/2.8 macro lens
• Canon EF25 II extension tubes
• Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX flash
Place coloured paper, feathers etc. under the glass. Add a little washing up liquid and a few drops of olive oil.
Settings
Typical setting I use for these shots:
• ISO 100
• Aperture f/16 – f/18
• Shutter speed 1/250
• Manual focus
• Manual flash
Or you could try a wider aperture of f/3.5 for a different look.
If you are not using a macro flash you could try additional lighting maybe a lamp, a higher ISO, slower shutter speed (tripod would be needed for this) and a wider aperture. These sorts of shots are all about having fun and experimenting.
Finally: check the photographs for dust. No matter what I do, I always seem to get tiny bits of dust in the water. I remove these in Photoshop with the healing tool. I also often add a little contrast to make the colours pop a little more.
I have kept this blog quite short. If there is anything I haven’t covered, please feel free to get in touch with me or leave a comment.
Thank you for your visit.
More Oil & Water Abstracts
52 Comments
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for sharing some of your techniques.
Great blog, a real feast for the eyes.
Hi Steve, Thanks for all your help
Hi Sharon,
Thank You for sharing this.It made for a nice read. I’m always impressed with the creative work you do. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
~ Tony
Hi Tony,
)
Thank you so much for the visit. I am thrilled you enjoyed the blog
Found your photography by way of Pinterest. I love all of your work! Thank you for sharing your Oil and Water techniques!
Thank you for your kind words dayna
Awww waw! I’m delighted to have discovered your amazing work. Absolutely beautiful and ooozing creativity.
I’m not a photographer but honestly if I could achieve anything near these results, I’m inspired to pack myself off onto an intensive photography course. Macro is definitely my passion.
Would you know of any such course?
Warmest regards,
Rhianne (aka @LadyBizBiz on Twitter)
p.s. I’m sharing your wonderful work with the whole of my extensive digital network.
Hi Rhianne,
Thank you so much for your lovely comments
Thank you again Rhianne
Hi Rhianne!
Thanks for sharing your tip about how to make your abstract oil & water pictures. They are really amazing, and I find them very interesting! I really do like the way you make the background; using feathers and different papers!
I`ve had a look in your gallery too, and I`m curious about how you make your drops so big and round? What do you use to make it that way? Hopefully I`ll get some good advices about this! I`ve tried using “glyserol”, but I don`t get that kind of size on the drops, and I don`t make the drops to hang on like you do…
Regards,
Anne-Lise
Hi Anne-Lise,
Thank you for your visit and kind words.
I just use plain water which I either spray on or for single drops I use a small medicine syringe. In terms of them staying put….sometimes they don’t!!
Hiya Sharon,
You’ve made it onto my “oh sod” list of breathtaking photographers! Hope you keep up the beautiful work
Norton
Hi Norton,
Thank you so much
Putting together some new work as we speak 
Hi Sharon, I have just discovered your website and blog. Your macro photographs are excellent and inspiring. Thank you for the information on photographing oil on water.
I too see the world in a “macro” fashion, however my medium is hand embroidery.
To see my work you can go to my website or blog (silkandcolour.blogspot.com)
I look forward to following your blog
Hi Marta,
Thank you so much for your visit and kind words. Your work is very beautiful!
Thanks for taking a look Sharon
Hi Sharon… beautiful images… after looking for some time, I cannot determine what is in the circular support of water drops in your macro titled “shower blue”?
Hi JoeR,
The image ‘Shower Blue’ was shot against a plain background. Any reflection in the drops is the Dandelion seed. Is this what you meant?
Thank you so much for your visit
Super-Duper website! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also
Hi Hiram, thank you for the visit and thank you for your kind words
Wow is what I have to say! I found your website through boredpanda website.
Great, stunning macro photos. I bought a Pentax 100mm 1:1 macro lens recently and am learning (it’s a steep learning curve).
Your photos are an inspiration to me. Will have to try out the abstract bubbles soon.
love the morning dew ones too.
Do you have any post with general macro tips?
Hi Patrick,
Thank you for your wonderful comments.
Macro photography is very addictive. Definately have a go at the oil & water abstracts!!
I am working on my next post. It is going to cover extension tubes and the MPE 65mm macro lens. Come back and have a look
Definitely, what a fantastic website and illuminating posts, I will bookmark your website.Best Regards!
Hi Janel, thank you for you visit
Hello,
I found your website because your photos had been shared on Tumblr. I wanted to congratulate you for those amazing pictures. It’s just… woaw ! I’ve watched all the galleries, photo by photo. You’ve done an awesome job, really. I just wanted to tell you that, because it’s people like you who make me love more and more photography. I’m 16, and I’d like to be a photograph later, but I know it’s very difficult at these days… People like you give me hope
Forgive me for my bad english, I’m from Switzerland
… Woaw !
Hi Morgane,
Thank you so much for your visit and kind words. Good luck with your photography
Thank you so much for the tutorial Sharon. Have to try this!
Hi Debbie, thank you so much for the visit and good luck with the oil and water abstracts
Hi Sharon:
First let me start by saying I love your oil and water work. I was intrigued immediately and thought I would give it a go. After trying this out, I have a couple of questions for you. #1. Are you placing the tumbler directly on top of the feathers? Or is there some distance? #2. In your instructions it says to use manual flash. I have tried that and the settings listed but have had no success. Are you using off camera flash? A diffuser? Just curious. Thanks for the great blog, I will keep trying this until I get it right.
Hi Stacey,
Thank you so much for your kind words
You had a couple of questions: Yes the glass of water goes directly on top of the feathers/or chosen background.
In terms of flash, I use the Canon Twin-Lite MT-24 II macro flash (http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-Macro-Twin-Lite-MT-24EX-Flash-Review.aspx ) I can position the flash heads so that the flash doesn’t bounce back of the water. (If you are using a built in flash try taking the shot at a bit of an angle to avoid this happening) I never use the flash at full strength.
Hope this helps
Thanks again and good luck with your oil and water abstracts.
Best wishes,
Sharon
Beautiful oil abstracts! I know some would prefer to keep the process a “trade secret”, so thank you very much for the insight
How would I use the washing up liquid in this?
Do I have to mix it in or something else?
(I love your work!)
I am so trying this! I only have a macro adapter for my 35mm lens, not a proper macro lens but I’ll see how it goes!
Hi Lauren,
Thank you so much for your visit. I’m sure a macro adapter will work. These abstracts are very addictive!!
Great works of art!
Hi Nick,
Thank you so much for your kind words
Right, this is now on my photography New Years Resolution list. I saw your site in May and said then I’d try it. Now I mean it. Happy New year to you.
Hi Patrick, thank you so much and happy New year
I’m a big favorite of your oil and water work. I showed your photo’s here in Belgium to my friends and they’re also very excited. What do you mean with: position the flash heads so that the flash doesn’t bounce back of the water? Do you flash through a diffusor, against the wall, on the ceiling, against a white paper or just on 45 degrees?
Hi Ronny, thank you so much for your kind words
. I have emailed you about your flash questions.
i am thrilled to have stumbled upon your work!!!
i love photography and dabble in it myself..
…couldn’t have found anyone better for having the same taste!
Hi Amy, thank you so much for your visit
Hello from Slovenia.
Vanja Tajnšek
What to say – wuauuuu. I love mornings, and those beautiful pearls, too. But my neck – uf
I love macro and nature in general, becouse it makes me calm, happy, peaceful. I’m member of Society of Photographers Celje – http://www.df-svit.si.
Thanx for sharing your knowledge with us.
I’ll be back
Thank you so much Vanja
here’s my first attempt, didn’t get that good so added a filter to ‘mask’ it.
I’ll try it again in better light and experiment with oil/washing up liquid/water ratio
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pacork/8371717640/in/photostream
Hi Patrick,
Thats wonderful! I love seeing photographers oil and water abstracts. I love the effect of the texture you have added to the shot. I have thought about adding a texture to some of mine before.
Thanks for the link.
Best wishes, Sharon
Hiya Sharon, thnx very much for sharing this with us, this is a technique I am dying to try, but am a little confused by the ‘manual flash’ – do you mount the flashgun on your camera , or how do you trigger it manually
sorry for being docile
Steve
Hi Steve,
I have emailed you. Hope that helps
Would you ever consider showing some photos of your setup for these shots?
For me they’d help and it’d be great to see exactly how you set up; type of glass container, how camera is mounted & positioned etc.
Hi Sharon, I was searching for oil on water macro techniques when I found your photos.
Most of the demo videos on the web use a fish tank or something big like that, otherwise much the same. I was thinking of using a picture frame after sealing the glass with silicone but a glass tumbler is a great idea, if I can find one with a clear base, no writing. Did you keep the tumbler at some distance above the background or did you just sit it on the colours? Great photos and tips, thanks. Martin
Hi Martin,
Thank you so much for your comment. I place the glass dirrectly on top of the paper/feathers etc. Hope this helps and thanks again for your visit
Hi Sharon,
Love your images. I have just purchased a 100mm Canon Macro lens and am finding it difficuly to use.
Thanks for sharing your work.
Hi Sharon
In Poland we also get to know your amazing … all these