Explosive High-Speed Smartphone Photography
YouTube Screenshot/COOPH
If you've ever wanted to dip your toes into the world of high-speed photography, now is the time to do so.
That's because you don't need fancy photography gear (or even expensive photography gear) to take epic high-speed shots like the one shown above.
That's because our friends over at the Cooperative of Photography (COOPH) have put together an awesome high-speed photography tutorial using just a smartphone.
As far as smartphone photography tricks go, the ones they've outlined in the video above are some of my favorites that they've ever done.
Let's break down how to tackle high-speed smartphone photography.
Get Some Flour
YouTube Screenshot/COOPH
Flour is a great medium to use for high-speed photography because it's light, cheap, you can add color to it, and creates cool effects when it's thrust into action.
As COOPH demonstrates, slap some flour on something that moves - in this case, a skateboard - find a well-lit area, and be sure you have a plain background.
With those factors accounted for, all that's left to do is to scream "action!" and be ready to press the shutter button on your smartphone.
As you can see, the colorful flour, plain background, and good lighting combine for an awesome high-speed photo.
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Just Add Water
YouTube Screenshot/COOPH
Another option for high-speed smartphone photography involves water and paint.
Fill a tank with water, grab a couple of syringes, draw acrylic paint into the syringes, and then add the paint via syringe to the water.
The resulting clouds of color in the tank full of water are eye-catching, aren't they?!
Learn More:
Impact Shots
YouTube Screenshot/COOPH
One of the most fun smartphone photography tricks is to train your smartphone camera on an impact of some kind.
As COOPH demonstrates, a great idea is to have a friend throw an egg at another friend so you can capture it with your smartphone.
The trick, of course, is to ensure you get the timing just right. Your friend might have to suffer through several eggings!
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Try Slow-Mo Video, Too
YouTube Screenshot/COOPH
Once you give these explosive high-speed smartphone photography ideas a try, switch your phone's camera into slow-mo video mode and see what you can create.
Different phones have different slow-mo capabilities with varying frame rates, but even if you have a basic smartphone, you can still capture some interesting slow-motion features.
I particularly liked COOPH's idea to put some sunglasses on a water balloon and then record popping it with a pin.
The video is cool, but the still frame of the moment the balloon exploded might be even cooler!
Learn More:
Wrapping It Up
YouTube Screenshot/COOPH
With that, you have a few ideas for stepping up your smartphone photography game.
Give these high-speed photography tips a try, test out your phone's slow-motion feature, and see what awesome creations you can come up with.
It's crazy to think of what you can do with a smartphone these days...
Now we can add high-speed and slow-mo photography to the mix!