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.
Snoozing 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.
Long 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.
Ladybug 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.
Snoozing 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.
Jumping Spider by John Kimbler, on Flickr
And now the "kill shot":
Jumping Spider with Prey by John Kimbler, on Flickr
Critter Mix Part Two
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Re: Critter Mix Part Two
Wonderful work as always John, I especially like the 2 Long horned Bees, a wonderful composition and great use of your narrow DoF.
Re: Critter Mix Part Two
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
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Re: Critter Mix Part Two
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
Dept. of Still Waters
Re: Critter Mix Part Two
Thanks!MarkSturtevant wrote: ↑Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:57 pmTop 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.
Lucky to find a critter that let me get close, but you're right -the rest is up to me.