Improving macro pictures

Just bought that first macro lens? Post here to get helpful feedback and answers to any questions you might have.

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Daumantas
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Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 3:46 pm
Location: Lithuania
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Improving macro pictures

Post by Daumantas »

Hi guys,
I guess I'm pretty close to what I want to achieve in a sence of image quality, but I still miss a lot. I would really benefit if you could give me some tips, on what (and how) could be done to improve pictures like this:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/132213817 ... 203458019/

I'm using Pentax k7 with 35-70mm f3,5 macro or pentax 50mm f1,8 with some auto extension tubes. For lighting I use Pentax af160fc ring flash mounted outside of the lense (on a clamp). I found, that I get better light without extra diffusers on a flash.

I usualy set my camera on ISO100, 1/125-1/180 shutter, f8-22 and for flash power I use 1/16 or 1/4 of its power.


BTW: I'm tired of black background

Carmen
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Location: Buenos Aires
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Post by Carmen »

hello Daumantas!

I'm just a beginner, but I see nothing really objectionable in the photo you referenced. The light is very difuse.

But I agree that the black background could change, it gives me the sensation of night. Perhaps if everything is arranged to be a similar distance from light source, then there would be no black background. This could be easily acheived by simple variations in the angle of camera relative to specimen. For example a perfectly perpendicular perspective in which the specimen is on a relatively flat even surface, and the camera directly above, looking downward at specimen.

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Try focus stacking!
First find the sharpest aperture for the lens you're using, and find a way to move focus in small controlled steps. You can try doing it carefully by hand, too.
ImageJ, CombineZM and CombineZP are free (still, I think) stacking programs.
For backgrounds, a selection of leaves ?

Daumantas
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 3:46 pm
Location: Lithuania
Contact:

Post by Daumantas »

Carmen wrote:hello Daumantas!

I'm just a beginner, but I see nothing really objectionable in the photo you referenced. The light is very difuse.
Thanks Carmen, but I still miss more vivid colors and sharpness. Maybe I need other lens, or to do a better work in postprocessing.

Chris, I will sure try focus stacking. I guess it will do the trick, but when shooting live specimens in outdoors it's often difficult to get few identical shots and not to spook your subject away :D

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