Sometimes I see a photo or get an idea and it percolates in the brain for a few days or weeks before I find myself with the time and inspiration to try it. I had this idea of spinning a wheel over water and photographing the spray/drops flying off of it. I also thought it would be interesting to point a laser at it to see how or if the light bent with the water flow. First I didn't have a laser so off to the store(s) to find one. It ended up taking about five stores before I found a cheap one and by then my creative energies, and all others, were about sapped. I got home, helped put Zane to bed for his nap, and went about setting up for the photo.
Well, I didn't actually have a specific wheel in mind, more or less a general picture in my head, so I dug through a few of our junk drawers and came up with a plastic soda cap, drilled a hole through it, put it on a straw and gave it a spin in a glass of water while snapping off some photos. Blah. Blurry, not real water-flying-off-the-wheel like I'd envisioned, in fact it was really uninteresting. Hooked it up to a high speed drill and it was still lackluster. Obviously that part needed more work and planning. I settled in to try taking some water drop photos. At this point project ennui was setting in, so much so that I didn't even go downstairs to dig out the flash unit. They aren't spectacular photos, but it was still a fun change from photographing a two year old. Besides, not all ideas need to pan our or come out perfect, right?
water column is cool!
Keep on trying!
Maybe you need to run the water off of a much bigger wheel, such as a bike wheel?