Wasp Head with new bellows

[Jon Boshoff]

This is a dead wasp that I found in my garden and is a stack of 26 images processed using Zerene stacker in the Pmax mode. I have just bought a Nikon bellows and this is my first effort using it. I used a Nikkor 50mm f1.8 on the front of the bellows with a Nikon D700 on the other end. Lighting was from a diffused SB 900 flash set on 1/128 power. The camera was set to manual mode and and the lens to an aperture of f8, shutter speed of 1/60 sec at ISO 200.

It took me ages and lots of test shots to get the lighting sort of acceptable and this is the result. I am pretty happy with it but think that the lighting can be made better - I just need to figure out how!!

Another thing I really struggled with was dust spots - not on the sensor but on the wasp. Took ages with a blower, needle and fine tweezer to sort it out. Any good tips on how to deal with this problem?

[BugEZ]

Here is a washing technique.
http://www.slideshare.net/sdroege/how-to-wash-bees

The author is correct. You can immerse bees and wasps in water, give them a squirt of dish washing detergent and shake away.

I have modified the rinse technique. After rinsing them in water, I do a final rinse in Isopropyl Alcohol. The alcohol rinse also promotes more rapid drying.

http://www.slideshare.net/sdroege/drying-wet-bees

As far as drying goes, I blot them on a lint free rag (fancy way of saying a tightly woven cotton cloth) then gently blow dry them.
I don't recommend using paper towels. The author of the web advice does not take the type of photos that we do. Paper towels tend to give off more lent than do tightly woven rags.

Good Luck!

Keith

[Jon Boshoff]

Thanks for the tips and links Keith, I will give them a try! It's got to be easier and quicker than removing the spots in Photoshop!