What is used in this video?

<p>Not really photography or video related but do you guys know what kind of ink might have been used in these videos? Any idea how the light should be placed and what setting would be the best to shoot something like this? I will be using a Canon Mark III.<br>

http://www.wimp.com/waterink/<br>

I got some food coloring but it's not really giving me what I'm looking for. Any thoughts what kind of ink is used? </p>

 

<p>Might try fountain pen ink; they come in a variety of colors. </p>

<p>Some of those shots look like they're using something a lot more viscous than ink or food coloring. Like maybe some thinned latex paint. <br /><br />Regardless, there's a LOT of light involved. Lots of frames per second (and thus short shutter speeds), and a lens that's stopped down to get plenty of DoF, and what looks like a pretty low ISO ... that all adds up to some very bright lights. Ink or food coloring would, I'd expect, come across as much too transparent-feeling in some of those shots. Looks like it's being shot against a back-lit translucent acrylic (the back wall of the tank), with at least two more lights front-lighting the mixing fluids in some shots. The light sources are flicker-free, and seem to have a pretty good CRI, so could be some expensive, high-power LEDs, or could be more traditional hot lights, but I think that would be a problem working so close to the acrylic tank walls. <br /><br />There are other inks to play with, by the way: for example, print-making (litho) inks are provided quite thick, and can be thinned down. They have the advantage of being oil-based, so that would prevent quick dissolution in the water. And don't forget that it may not even BE water. Could be alcohol or amonia or some other clear liquid. </p>

<p>Thank you for the info guys.<br>

This is a photo from behind the scene of one of these shoots.<br>

Any idea what kind of light he is using? <br>

http://i61.tinypic.com/hv14k3.jpg<br>

Can i get similar lighting at homedepot? I'm tight on budget and probably have to return the lights after my shoot.</p>

<p>John, both lights appear to be common halogen work lights given their respective power cable size. I have a couple of 12V LED work lights that look similar but the power cable is of a much thinner wire gauge.</p>

<p>What Matt said about ink viscosity makes sense, although I have observed a similar effect as the photo you linked to using fountain pen ink in small quantities. Interestingly, you'd expect lower viscosity ink to diffuse quickly, but it doesn't if you add it to water slowly as they seem to in the photo.</p>

<p>All this reminds of fluid dynamics that I've all but forgotten about, but I bet food dye will work just fine if you can experimentally determine the right combination of fluid temperatures, viscosity and flow rate, and of course timing of the photo/video. </p>