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PT, this is a very efferctive idea, with contrasting "textures/properties (hard/soft)". I like how you have composed the part ellipse here. For some reason I think it seems a bit too tight a composition -- how about giving more dark space on the top and right for more imbalance. One thing you might try is a similar shot with needle on the suface of water (supported by surface tension). Could be interesting....

Mandar, TQ for your comments. What you see here actually is a needle floating on water.

Impressivem, PT. Very delicate and good composition (I agree wtih Mandar about the ellipse).

 

The one gripe I have here is the fact that you have weird texture on your water surface (right side of ellipse, and also bottom) - it would be very impressive if you could get the surface of the water to look like mercury.

 

Very original, PT. Congratulations from me.

 

Tom

I was sure it was mercury !!!

very impressive.

PT, that is very cool. You must have done a very good job of lighting it as I was sure this is some latex based membrane.

 

I had thoughts about whether things would aesthetically look any different if the needle was pointing into the top-right corner. For some reason these days I am very intrigued by how the left to right reading habit (atleast in the most of the world) changes how one feels about a pictorial composition. Did you consciously choose this orientation to add more depth? Just curious...

I figured it was the old needle floating on water trick, but the water doesn't look like water.

I'm a little bothered by the out of focus bit on the right of the vessel's rim. I'm also wondering what the curved sliver of light is in the lower portion of the water.

Very good theme fit.

Onyo-

I've never gotten a needle to float in water so...my hats off to you. I agree about the reflection on the lhs but find this an interesting shot none the less.

Very nice find PT. But I find that the texture on the water is a little distracting. Is it artefact caused by digital & compression, or was your water really showing this?

Well done PT (i mean, the trick)....

This one makes me feel like a kid. I'm so obsessed by understanding how to make a needle float on water that i dont really care about the photographic aspect of this shot!!

It's dead easy to make a needle float on water. Just place it on a scrap of tissue paper and wait for the paper to become so wet that it sinks (if you get impatient you can push the tissue down very carefully). The needle will float in the North-South directions.

 

The darker zone on the right and the curve at the bottom are stray reflections from things in the room and the top edge of the glass. The smudges are probably due to PT's low quality scratched drinking glass.

 

Light from a desk lamp aimed at the ceiling, white reflector top right and black card to create the shadow on the left, black velvet to cradle the glass. Polarising filter.

 

PT will attempt to reshoot this, using better quality glass, one day.

Very well-done trick, PT. I had never seen this done before and fnd it fascinating. A very good theme fit. So, is your needle pointing north or south?

 

If it were a bit more obvious the needle is floating in water, it would be stronger. I agree with comments made about the left hand side's lighting.

I like this idea very much, PT. I'd like it closer though, or more needles - a fleet of them : this guy seems a little lost so good to know he could probably find his way home with the inbuilt compass.

woow, Like invasion from nebula xy. And very beautiful, enigmatic and original. The composition and exposition are perfect. Very delicate... cheers Jana