Climax

This was a significant composition for me because it opened the path for me to enter the world of surrealistic and conceptual photography.

How I did this:

1 - The fluid. I tried many kinds of liquid, including honey, oil, milk, and even cough syrup, but all of them were extremely challenging to shoot. After many experiments, I finally settled on corn syrup. The sticky nature of the syrup was perfect for this assignment.

2 - The trials. Getting a satisfactory thickness was the key element of the setup. I had to keep testing the mixture. If it was too thin, I needed superb reflexes to capture the flowing liquid. If it was too thick, it would drive me mad trying to pour it out. I also found that the trials were best carried out in the kitchen. Imagine having this sticky stuff spilling all over the place. My preparation started as early as 3 a.m. A family member woke up and asked what the hell I was cooking. I replied, "Naaah, just preparing for the set." He sighed and went back to sleep.

3 - The setup. After wasting about 1 kg of corn flour, I finally got the right mixture. I rubbed the surface of a stool with wax, then used tissue to polish the surface gently. The idea was to create a water-resistant surface so that I could maintain the shape while the syrup was falling. A few droplets were used to complement the puddle.

“Getting a satisfactory thickness was the key element of the setup.”

4 - Lighting. The reason I woke up at 3 a.m. was that I wanted to prepare early so I could catch the morning ray. There is a window in my house where the sun shines nicely onto a white wall. The bounced light is soft and diffused. However, what I got that day was cloudy weather. That spoiled my plan. I had to shoot it in my room instead. I used a 500W sport light and bounced the light off the wall.

5 - Getting the shot. I learned that I could not simply pour the liquid out. That was the result of my failed previous attempts. I positioned one cup on top of the other and used a pencil to guide the "tail". Thanks to the right mixture, it was interesting to see a long tail being dragged out from the syrup.

After three days of tireless sessions and 3 x 36 rolls of film, I finally got this shot.