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homestar455
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
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 Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:37 am Post subject: My first insect macros |
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Hello all, I'm new to the world of macro, and I'd appreciate any advice or critique on my first few attempts at macro.
Damselfly:
ISO: 80
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/320
Bee:
ISO: 80
Aperture: f/3.3
Shutter: 1/1000
Grasshopper:
ISO: 80
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/200
Cow Killer:
ISO: 80
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/400
Ladybugs:
ISO: 80
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/100
These were all taken in the wild here in Southern California, captured on my Panasonic Lumix FZ7 using it's built in 72mm lens with a Tokina "3x Telephoto conversion lens" reversed in front of that, and a Digital Concepts macro focusing element mounted in front of the reversed lens.
The grasshopper is an HDR and is the only majorly edited image in there, the rest were only touched up to remove some severe Chromatic Aberrations.
Again, any comments or critique would be greatly appreciated. |
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Cactusdave
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Posts: 962
Location: Bromley, Kent, UK
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rjlittlefield
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 12561
Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:08 am Post subject: |
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homestar45, welcome aboard! 
Your photos show a lot of promise. I especially like the first one, the damselfly. Good focus placement on the face and eyes, and the slight tilt adds some interest.
Cactusdave has a good suggestion. To see examples, look at any of MarkB1's images in the Nature Photography section. I believe they are all shot with a Panasonic FZ50 and Raynox adapter. See for example HERE.
--Rik |
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homestar455
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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@Cactusdave: Thanks for the suggestion, that looks like it'd work out a lot better than my current bulky rig.
@rjlittlefield: Thanks, I'm hoping with practice, my pictures will show more than just promise. 
Awesome, thanks for the link... Now I really want one of those. Those pictures blow away anything I could get with my current lenses. |
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Cyclops
Joined: 05 Aug 2006
Posts: 2718
Location: North East of England
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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Hey good to see you here Tim!
Welcome abord
_________________
Canon 30D | EOS Rebel 2000-film(aka EOS 300) | Panasonic FZ-7 EB | Vivitar/Cosina 100mm f3.5 macro lens | EF 75-300 f4.5-5.6 USM III | EF 50 f1.8 II | Vivitar Series 1 19-35 f3.5-4.5 | Slik 88 Tripod. | My new blog:
http://mybackyardsafari.blogspot.com/ |
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homestar455
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Cyclops wrote: | Hey good to see you here Tim!
Welcome abord |
Thanks, glad to be here Larry. |
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PaulFurman
Joined: 24 Oct 2009
Posts: 595
Location: SF, CA, USA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:42 am Post subject: |
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Nice set.
What the heck is a cow killer??? |
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rjlittlefield
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 12561
Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:36 am Post subject: |
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| PaulFurman wrote: | | What the heck is a cow killer??? |
It's a wasp. Order Hymenoptera, family Mutillidae, common name "velvet ants" in honor of the fur. The females are wingless and sting ferociously, hence "cow killer".
BugGuide can often help with questions like this, for example a search on cow killer gives THIS.
--Rik |
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homestar455
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| PaulFurman wrote: | Nice set.
What the heck is a cow killer??? |
Thank you.
As Rik said, it's a type of wasp. (that's the translation for stupid people like me) Thanks for the info Rik. |
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Harold Gough
Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 5716
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England
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homestar455
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
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| Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Harold Gough wrote: | Most beginners will shoot from above. You have shot from their level. A great start!
Harold |
Thanks, I truthfully did originally try to shoot from above at first, but I didn't like the way the shots were turning out like that. |
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Harold Gough
Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 5716
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England
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| Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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| homestar455 wrote: | | Harold Gough wrote: | Most beginners will shoot from above. You have shot from their level. A great start!
Harold |
Thanks, I truthfully did originally try to shoot from above at first, but I didn't like the way the shots were turning out like that. |
You have the instinct for what is aesthetically good, rather than just technically correct (focus, exposure, etc.).
Try using vertical (portrait) format for some shots, when shooting or by cropping.
Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.
My manual flash setup for high magnification:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843 |
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homestar455
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
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| Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Harold Gough wrote: |
You have the instinct for what is aesthetically good, rather than just technically correct (focus, exposure, etc.).
Try using vertical (portrait) format for some shots, when shooting or by cropping).
Harold |
Thank you, I've actually been trying to train myself not to put all my focus and effort on the technical aspects, neglecting aesthetics. So I'm glad to hear you say that.
Thanks for the advice, I'll keep that in mind next time I go shooting... In hindsight, that damselfly would've looked way better if I used portrait orientation and better composed the shot. |
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Harold Gough
Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 5716
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England
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| Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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| homestar455 wrote: | | In hindsight, that damselfly would've looked way better if I used portrait orientation and better composed the shot. |
That's the one I had in mind. The grasshopper is marginal.
Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.
My manual flash setup for high magnification:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843 |
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homestar455
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
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| Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:58 am Post subject: |
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| Harold Gough wrote: | | homestar455 wrote: | | In hindsight, that damselfly would've looked way better if I used portrait orientation and better composed the shot. |
That's the one I had in mind. The grasshopper is marginal.
Harold |
Come to think of it, I did try a few of that grasshopper in portrait orientation... But he flew away before I could align the camera in a way I liked... |
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