Capturing the splash of a water balloon, the snap of a mouse trap or the impact of a bullet results in exciting pictures. Best of all, it doesn't require expensive equipment. This talk covers the theory of high speed photography, the required hardware, microcontroller hacking and setting up an improvised studio in the shower.
A camera, a flash, a microcontroller and a soldering iron is all it takes to create high speed photos of splashing water balloons and other fast moving action. This talk gives a walkthrough from zero to final results.
Starting with initial thoughts on the speed limits of common cameras and how to circumvent them, then going over the configuration of camera and flash. I explain how to use a microcontroller for precise timing of the exposure and how to wire it up to the rest of the setup. Using the example of a splashing water balloon I'll share ideas on using black fabric and duct tape to turn a shower into an improvised studio and finally take that shot.