Search found 291 matches

by ChrisRaper
Sun Mar 10, 2019 1:02 am
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Help with picture technique
Replies: 14
Views: 8389

With the weevil photo, I'd say the problems are definitely to do with movement. Try using flash from a few directions, diffused through foam cups, but also shield the equipment from external light sources such as windows and ceiling lights. Also remember that your camera has a huge lever on it (the ...
by ChrisRaper
Sun Mar 10, 2019 12:53 am
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: Beginner in extreme macro
Replies: 29
Views: 11295

I have no experience with mirrorless cameras but I'd dearly love a camera shutter that didn't die after 10 months and take the sensor with it! We get through so many camera bodies at the NHM that they have to be considered "consumables", which is ridiculous. Just my 2c, but at the NHM Dawn Painter h...
by ChrisRaper
Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:06 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Common House Fly
Replies: 5
Views: 1867

That's very nice :) I personally prefer a grey background because with white you tend to get a very stark contrast which can loose you some edge detail - especially in the arista and other fine hairs.
by ChrisRaper
Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:44 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Few stacks (Wasps, Weevil & unkown bug)
Replies: 16
Views: 6693

Great shots ... to give the 2nd bug a name I'd have to see a shot of the whole thing, but I am reasonably sure that it is a parasitic wasp of some kind :)
by ChrisRaper
Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:41 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Narcissus Bulb Fly
Replies: 10
Views: 2726

In my experience, with tachinids, they usually have hairs across the whole eye surface but they are easily rubbed off when the fly grooms or it gets damaged in life. They can be annoyingly difficult to resolve though and often you have to hunt for them against the right backround and lighting. :) I'...
by ChrisRaper
Wed May 23, 2012 7:54 am
Forum: General Discussion Forum and Community Announcements
Topic: The Enemy Within: A Cautionary Tale Of Security Software
Replies: 11
Views: 3200

I've never had a problem running "Avast! AntiVirus" and "SpyBot Search & Destroy" on all of my PCs and laptops (dozens over the years). It actually caught a new virus that a friend's corporate install of Sophos hadn't spotted - his laptop put the virus on a USB stock and my laptop caught it every ti...
by ChrisRaper
Wed May 23, 2012 7:45 am
Forum: Nature Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Nomada Bee
Replies: 4
Views: 1334

Nomada sp. are lovely insects to photograph - not easy either (from being very active) but quite common at the moment. I'd try to eliminate the noise and movement blur by dropping the ISO down, raising the shutter speed and introducing some subtle added light through flash :)
by ChrisRaper
Wed May 23, 2012 7:38 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Swordsman
Replies: 4
Views: 1627

Lovely photo :)

@abpho: you are only at risk if you are another fly - they are insectivorous, predating mainly on Bibionidae ;)
by ChrisRaper
Tue May 22, 2012 8:07 am
Forum: Nature Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: some handheld field stacks
Replies: 18
Views: 2999

these are all taken with the MP-E 65 at f3.5, just me and the camera and anything I can find to lean on. I tend to focus through the viewfinder so I'm moving through the focus of what I can see with the aperture full open (which in the case of this lens is f2.8) and so I will take more shots as I c...
by ChrisRaper
Tue May 22, 2012 12:14 am
Forum: Nature Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: some handheld field stacks
Replies: 18
Views: 2999

Nice photos Iain - what setup are you using? Did you make a typo on the first image - 111 images?!
by ChrisRaper
Mon May 21, 2012 9:26 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: The Red Beard
Replies: 7
Views: 2516

Fantastic colours - very well done :D
by ChrisRaper
Sun May 20, 2012 1:48 pm
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Hoverfly eye with coating of dust
Replies: 10
Views: 6773

I would guess that they have some sensory purpose but they are probably not very important because within the same groups some flies have the hairs and others have none (or very few hairs) and they seem to have no great disadvantage. There are even some genera where some species have hairs and other...
by ChrisRaper
Sat May 19, 2012 2:19 pm
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Velvet Mite
Replies: 16
Views: 4108

Stunning - love the colours!!
by ChrisRaper
Sat May 19, 2012 1:37 pm
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: Can I fit this in my bellows?
Replies: 15
Views: 4988

Peter De Smidt wrote:Q. T. Luong is trying to be one of the photographers that gets to use the photo version. See: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/ ... -the-world
Looks like a closed forum - login screen comes up. :(
by ChrisRaper
Sat May 19, 2012 2:29 am
Forum: Technical and Studio Photography -- Macro and Close-up
Topic: Hoverfly eye with coating of dust
Replies: 10
Views: 6773

Craig Gerard wrote:What are those protruding spikes called?
Most keys just call them "hairs" but they can also be called "ommatrichia" :D