night flowers

dougsmit · Post by **dougsmit** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:52 pm

Gourd blooms in my yard only open in the late evening waiting to be pollenated by nocturnal moths. This was shot just before 9PM as the last light was fading. I would really like to get a shot of the moths at work but it is really dark out there. For now, I'll settle for this Stilt Bug (ID correct?) waiting for a moth to arrive and provide his midnight snack.

I'm trying to decide how best to light night macro and how to see what I'm shooting without scaring it off. Suggestions from those with experience with night macro would be appreciated.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:53 pm

Doug,

Excellent picture -- great control of gradation on the white flower.

I like your ID of Stilt Bug (Hemiptera:Berytidae). They are mostly plant feeders, though. Arrival of a moth is much more likely to interrupt your subject's snack than augment it.

Night macros are tough and outside my experience. I'm looking forward to hearing what other people suggest on that score.

--Rik

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:53 pm

Very nice Doug.

I do not shot much night macros. The first rule is let them busy for a while. More they are busy less they care.

I also find AF assist lamp as on my Olympus SP-320 very useful. It emits restrainedly red light which does not scare the subjects much but makes them visible.
See here for example.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:19 am

Very nice Doug.