Thanks for the kind remarks!
Saul
please share technical details !
These were all taken using the
Nikon MM-11/Olympus setup, with the
LED lights I put together a while ago (and a Canon 50D body). The first "overall" leaf shot was 2X with a 80mm f4 Schneider Componon-S. The others were with either with the 5/0.15 UMPlanFLN Olympus or 10/0.30 UMPlanFLN Olympus.
I don't have a shot of the specific lighting I used but it is based on, and very similar in concept to one I have used and shown before:
I use the Zeiss stage shown in the first equipment link given above. Fastened directly underneath the stage is a cut-away yogurt container. It serves the same purpose as the lower ping-pong ball in the above picture. (it is like a tapered cylinder). By directing a light (or lights) onto it, I can get a darkfield type of illumination.
The predominant light for these pictures (except for the low mag leaf shot) is this "soft" darkfield from under the stage. Upper lights may or may not be used with a domed diffuser as seen in this image. I play around with the upper lights and their diffusion until I get an effect I like. I also add background (Protostar black or colored paper) to achieve a desired background "color".