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Photo of the day : October 2013

Hoverfly from yesterdays afternoon session with the macro rig. Gonna end up with huge guns if I do this for an hour a day! There's nearly 4Kg of weight in my hand. I think I need to use the monopod for better stability.

I'm getting how to use the speedlites to illuminate one side more heavily than the other and how to darken the background, slightly or totally. It's pretty easy actually, just have to be quick before the little critters are gone!

_MG_6438_zps1c8dae82.jpg
 
MacRy said:
Was out walking the dog today and came across a tree with some mushrooms in it. The light was really bad so I had to use my light on my Nexus 4 to illuminate them. Didn't turn out too badly.

Image
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I prefer yours to mine. It was practically dusk when I shot this.


Out of curiosity would you guys have cleaned up the mushroom prior to shooting (remove the grass etc) or leave it as nature did?

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ijohn.8.80 said:
Hoverfly from yesterdays afternoon session with the macro rig. Gonna end up with huge guns if I do this for an hour a day! There's nearly 4Kg of weight in my hand. I think I need to use the monopod for better stability.

I'm getting how to use the speedlites to illuminate one side more heavily than the other and how to darken the background, slightly or totally. It's pretty easy actually, just have to be quick before the little critters are gone!

Image
Click to expand...

Very good shot. How many out of focus or not quite in shot images do you get to produce this sort of shot? I would guess you would get a high failure rate. I'm probably getting a micro Lens soon and was just interested to know how you go about getting a shot like this. How close to the thing can you get before it flies off?
 
Apple fanboy said:
I prefer yours to mine. It was practically dusk when I shot this.
[url=http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5538/10523558206_b168716190_b.jpg]Image[/URL]

Out of curiosity would you guys have cleaned up the mushroom prior to shooting (remove the grass etc) or leave it as nature did?

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Very good shot. How many out of focus or not quite in shot images do you get to produce this sort of shot? I would guess you would get a high failure rate. I'm probably getting a micro Lens soon and was just interested to know how you go about getting a shot like this. How close to the thing can you get before it flies off?
Click to expand...

If you're shooting static subjects, you might want to look at something like Zerenestacker for front-to-back focus shots.

Paul
 
Apple fanboy said:
I prefer yours to mine. It was practically dusk when I shot this.

Out of curiosity would you guys have cleaned up the mushroom prior to shooting (remove the grass etc) or leave it as nature did?
Click to expand...

Same here. It was definitely the gloaming and that's why I needed the help of my phone and ISO1600.

If I see something that is obstructing a decent shot then I'll remove it from the scene. No point in missing a decent photo because of something I the way that you can easily influence.
 
Evil Spoonman said:
Great image! I have always wanted to get into photographing aircraft. I've started off with smaller flying things (birds), but eventually I'll get there. I would assume you make extensive use of polarising filters and lens hoods. The focal lengths look altogether pretty sane, though. No huge, huge zooms (600mm+). I also suspect you have to be careful with depth of field because planes are very large and if you shoot with too much aperture the tail will be blurry or something. Lots of stopping down.

How do you combat smog, air distortion, and haze? A polariser helps some, does it help to use high shutter speeds (minimal air movement within the capture time)? Just choose really crystal clear days?
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Smog is something you can't do anything about. As you may have known by the news, we have significant bushfires around Sydney. This makes photos terrible.

One day, visibility was down to 1000 metres, another day the haze was so bad that all helicopter flying was stopped. I didn't fly on those days and would never do so. You try and find the best days. Saturday was cooler and relatively clear with some light, scattered cloud.

I don't use a polarising filter - and never ever use higher shutters speeds unless your target is moving very fast. Try to use lower shutter speeds around 1/80 or 1/100sec and follow the target along (panning). This will minimise the effect of heat haze (a shimmering look).

Most of the focal lengths I was using were between 280mm and 500mm, some out at 550mm (a 200-400mm lens with 1.4x TC).
 
Apple fanboy said:
Out of curiosity would you guys have cleaned up the mushroom prior to shooting (remove the grass etc) or leave it as nature did?

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Very good shot. How many out of focus or not quite in shot images do you get to produce this sort of shot? I would guess you would get a high failure rate. I'm probably getting a micro Lens soon and was just interested to know how you go about getting a shot like this. How close to the thing can you get before it flies off?
Click to expand...

I would have removed the grass after chimping my first shot! :eek:

Thanks and surprisingly, I don't actually take lots of shots and hope for the best. I'm very deliberate and a scrooge when it comes to shutter activations! :eek:

The shot above is titled _MG_6438 the one prior of a completely different insect is _MG_6436 and the one after of another Hoverfly on a flower is _MG_6441. I don't have the others in between any more, I cull seriously on import, I'm a scrooge with my hard-drive too... :eek:

I can get really damn close to most critters, but, I'm slow and unthreatening, even when being eaten alive by mozzies whilst framing up a shot! If you charge in there, they will go scuttling off quick-smart. This is taken with extension tubes on and I was maybe 25mm from it with the end of my lens.

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compuwar said:
If you're shooting static subjects, you might want to look at something like Zerenestacker for front-to-back focus shots.

Paul
Click to expand...

Not sure if that was for both of us, but, I'll bite. I have and use Helicon Focus for image stacking.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Just curious. Nice range of colours. Whenever I try a shot like that, I get it home and look at it and think it's just a door. Then I look at somebody else's shot and I like it. I'm my own worst critique I guess.
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I hear you. I used to feel exactly the same way.
The trick, I have found is twofold

1) Composition: Fill the frame, so it looks like an abstract texture, not a door.
2) Post processing: The original as-shot, raw file of mine looked drab and almost grey. Vibrance and Saturation go a long way in bringing out the colors (but don't overdo it).
 
Puckman said:
I hear you. I used to feel exactly the same way.
The trick, I have found is twofold

1) Composition: Fill the frame, so it looks like an abstract texture, not a door.
2) Post processing: The original as-shot, raw file of mine looked drab and almost grey. Vibrance and Saturation go a long way in bringing out the colors (but don't overdo it).
Click to expand...

Okay thanks. Of course not overdoing it is always the trick! Practise, practise, practise. I'll give this a go in the coming weeks.

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ijohn.8.80 said:
I would have removed the grass after chimping my first shot! :eek:

Thanks and surprisingly, I don't actually take lots of shots and hope for the best. I'm very deliberate and a scrooge when it comes to shutter activations! :eek:

The shot above is titled _MG_6438 the one prior of a completely different insect is _MG_6436 and the one after of another Hoverfly on a flower is _MG_6441. I don't have the others in between any more, I cull seriously on import, I'm a scrooge with my hard-drive too... :eek:

I can get really damn close to most critters, but, I'm slow and unthreatening, even when being eaten alive by mozzies whilst framing up a shot! If you charge in there, they will go scuttling off quick-smart. This is taken with extension tubes on and I was maybe 25mm from it with the end of my lens.

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Not sure if that was for both of us, but, I'll bite. I have and use Helicon Focus for image stacking.
Click to expand...

Okay thanks for the insight. Pretty difficult for me to sneak up on insects. I'm a big fat bloke!
 
Cheese&Apple said:
WOW!...Outstanding shot John. I haven't had much success with extension tubes. I know that I have to work on lighting. Your setup appears to be working just great.

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More Puffins

PHD_7567-L.jpg
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Sorry, Peter. Somehow I missed this. Thanks. Stability and lighting are key to success, I'm finding with my macro attempts. The downside to using extension tubes is an even smaller DOF though, so there's yet another compromise to be made... :rolleyes:

Keep the Puffins coming, I love those birds.

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Apple fanboy said:
Okay thanks for the insight. Pretty difficult for me to sneak up on insects. I'm a big fat bloke!
Click to expand...

I'm not exactly a waif either, but if you are slow and deliberate they are pretty tolerant.

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Doylem said:
Looks like you're going to have a lot of fun with that set-up...
Click to expand...

Thank you, Doylem. It's quite challenging, but I am indeed enjoying the steep learning curve of it all. I just hope you all don't get bored with 'yet another macro from me...!' :eek:
 
sidefx said:
[url=http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3666/10514910086_3bef5849e0_z.jpg]Image[/url]
DSC_3925 by B&B Haynes, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Joe King said:
[url=http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3737/10538016273_2be72d3db7_c.jpg]Image[/url]
The Linesman by picturesbyJOE, on Flickr
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I love these 2 shots a lot.

Got myself a 70-200 over the weekend, then promptly spent Sunday morning at the local park shooting every bird and squirrel in sight.

So my entry for today. As always, C&C welcome.


IMG_6517 by Puckman2012, on Flickr
 
Puckman said:
I love these 2 shots a lot.

Got myself a 70-200 over the weekend, then promptly spent Sunday morning at the local park shooting every bird and squirrel in sight.

So my entry for today. As always, C&C welcome.

[url=http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5526/10527028276_4d82041b5f_c.jpg]Image[/url]
IMG_6517 by Puckman2012, on Flickr
Click to expand...
I love a squirrel. Can't wait to get my 70-200mm 2.8.

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MacRy said:
I love macro shots and when they are of the quality you have been posting I can't get enough of them!
Click to expand...

Agreed. I never thought I would be interested in macro photography when I started, but it is more interesting than I thought. Can be expensive though. Lenses, tubes and lighting all add up.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
I love a squirrel. Can't wait to get my 70-200mm 2.8.

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Agreed. I never thought I would be untested in macro photography when I started, but it is more interesting than I thought. Can be expensive though. Lenses, tubes and lighting all add up.
Click to expand...

I'd be very curious to get a description of your lighting for macro. More specifically how are you lighting your subjects.
I've just started dabbling with macro. I have extension tubes too. And an off camera flash. But so far have not figured out the best way to light stuff for good macro shots.
My only macro keepers so far have come outdoors in nice even natural lighting.
 
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