Critter Mix Part Two

Images of undisturbed subjects in their natural environment. All subject types.

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Dalantech
Posts: 694
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:57 am

Critter Mix Part Two

Post by Dalantech »

I got lucky and found a snoozing Resin Bee. This is a new solitary bee for me as I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've photographed one. They look very similar to European Wool Carder Bees but the face is white instead of yellow.

Trachusa interrupta, male.

Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F14, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order. I held the grass stalk close to a wall to keep the background from being black.

ImageSnoozing Resin Bee by John Kimbler, on Flickr

I got lucky and found a one of the Long Horned Bees, named after their long antenna, sleeping in a flower and I photographed it as it woke up. The area where I found it is the last fifteen meters of an overgrown dead end road that's going to be mowed soon, so I transplanted a couple of the flowers that they like to my yard.

Tetralonia malvae, male.

Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 1x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order. I had a hard time keeping the scene steady and you can see my finger in the background.

ImageLong Horned Bee by John Kimbler, on Flickr

Tough to get a low angle on this Ladybug -the models that I work with are not the most cooperative ;) Although the plant that it's on might look like a Venus Fly Trap it's just a flower bud. Under a macro lens a lot of common things look completely alien.

Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F14, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.

ImageLadybug by John Kimbler, on Flickr

I found a pair of snoozing Long Horned Bees -named after their long antenna. Not uncommon for them to sleep together, and I wonder if it helps them to keep warm or possibly to warm up and get active faster.

Tetralonia malvae, males.

Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F14, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 1x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order. I used an artificial flower to keep the background from being black.

ImageSnoozing Long Horned Bees by John Kimbler, on Flickr

The jumping spiders that hunt on the wall that separates my place from the next villa are little fuzzy killing machines. Most of the time I see them with a gnat or mosquito. This one had just finished feeding and paused long enough for me to get a few frames.

Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F14, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.

ImageJumping Spider by John Kimbler, on Flickr

And now the "kill shot":

ImageJumping Spider with Prey by John Kimbler, on Flickr

aveslux
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 6:13 am

Re: Critter Mix Part Two

Post by aveslux »

Wonderful work as always John, I especially like the 2 Long horned Bees, a wonderful composition and great use of your narrow DoF.

Dalantech
Posts: 694
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:57 am

Re: Critter Mix Part Two

Post by Dalantech »

aveslux wrote:
Sun Jun 13, 2021 1:13 pm
Wonderful work as always John, I especially like the 2 Long horned Bees, a wonderful composition and great use of your narrow DoF.
Thanks!

When I first got into macro I'd look for magic angles that make the most of the depth. These days I'm holding on to whatever the critter is perched on with my left hand and resting the lens on that same hand (I call it the Left Hand Brace Technique). With everything on the same "platform" I have a lot of control over motion and where I'm gonna place the area of acceptable focus. So now I create those magic angles simply by twisting my wrist (camera hand) or twisting the critters perch with my left index finger and thumb.

MarkSturtevant
Posts: 1946
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:52 pm
Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: Critter Mix Part Two

Post by MarkSturtevant »

Top notch, as always. Although you can say that you have been lucky at your finds, its clear that you make your own luck by working very hard at it. :)
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

Dalantech
Posts: 694
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:57 am

Re: Critter Mix Part Two

Post by Dalantech »

MarkSturtevant wrote:
Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:57 pm
Top notch, as always. Although you can say that you have been lucky at your finds, its clear that you make your own luck by working very hard at it. :)
Thanks!

Lucky to find a critter that let me get close, but you're right -the rest is up to me.

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