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08/14/2010 04:15:33 PM · #1 |
OK, I`ll admit it, I thought it was a case of getting yourself a decent macro lens and the tiny world would spring to life in vibrant vivid colours in front of my very eyes in super sharp details - fire off a few shots, a blue ribbon thank you very much.
However, after borrowing a macro lens(sigma 105mm) from  KevIP6 I have now found out its is not easy at all.
Things I have learnt.
f11 is barely enough.
high ISOs really dont cut it very well.
Breezy days are a no-no.
Insects move... a lot!
Autofocus sucks! Manual focus and liveview, thats the ticket!
However, what I did find was that with plenty of practice, plenty of patience you can get some good shots but easy it aint! What I found most fascinating was using the live-view on my camera and just watching the insects as they are sitting still - or one thinks they are when viewing them with the naked eye - but watching them clean, spitting and and sucking drops of liquefied poop (photo to follow) is absolutely amazing - you cant believe the details you normally just cannot see. Actually I found 5x zoom on liveview the hands down best way to focus on these little critters. Anyway, here are a couple of samples of what I have caught so far - no way as good as the stuff that gets posted on here, but not a bad start I think.
Message edited by author 2010-08-14 16:23:16. |
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08/14/2010 04:18:00 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by Simms:
pressed POST far too early... editing!!! Call back soon! |
That's a false advertisement... I want my money back :-\ |
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08/14/2010 04:19:14 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by Simms:
pressed POST far too early... editing!!! Call back soon! |
Did you forget to read the small print?? Perhaps you need a Macro lens:)) |
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08/14/2010 04:31:29 PM · #4 |
| Really good first attempt Mark. Good lens to try out too. I bought a 60mm Nikon macro and its nice in that I can get REALLY close however it sucks in that the DOF is very very tiny and there is no way to focus on bugs as they move way too much and some of them might actually sting you because you are so friggin close. (We're talking around 3 inches away) |
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08/14/2010 04:36:32 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by Citadel:
Really good first attempt Mark. Good lens to try out too. I bought a 60mm Nikon macro and its nice in that I can get REALLY close however it sucks in that the DOF is very very tiny and there is no way to focus on bugs as they move way too much and some of them might actually sting you because you are so friggin close. (We're talking around 3 inches away) |
A little tip I use with the Nikkor 105mm and D300. Switch focus to continous on camera, the lens will compensate for small movements. I do most Macro work handheld. |
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08/14/2010 04:39:13 PM · #6 |
I found it very hard to get to grips with macro photography and, like yourself Mark, I found a new respect for the macro photogs.
P.S. - those shots are really good
Message edited by author 2010-08-14 16:40:41. |
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08/14/2010 04:53:04 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by SteveJ:
Originally posted by Citadel:
Really good first attempt Mark. Good lens to try out too. I bought a 60mm Nikon macro and its nice in that I can get REALLY close however it sucks in that the DOF is very very tiny and there is no way to focus on bugs as they move way too much and some of them might actually sting you because you are so friggin close. (We're talking around 3 inches away) |
A little tip I use with the Nikkor 105mm and D300. Switch focus to continous on camera, the lens will compensate for small movements. I do most Macro work handheld. |
Didn`t think of that - will give that a try tomorrow. Cheers! |
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08/14/2010 04:57:10 PM · #8 |
One word- Dewey Bugs. well, alright, 2 words.
Get up about 5:30-6. (unless the night hasn't cooled off at all). Look out your window, if there is any kind of wind or breeze, go back to bed. If it's still, head out to a field, preferably one near some kind of water. Get down and start looking, should be bugs galore. And all but hibernating, very still, all kinds of nice dew drops around. Go wild, but hurry up before it starts warming up and the bugs start moving again. |
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08/14/2010 06:16:37 PM · #9 |
Those are excellent first tries. The clarity is great on both. I'm not a huge fan of the "liquid shit" shot, but I'll admit, that's some sharp shit.
Just like anything else in life, you've got to try it before you knock it. I was surprised how hard it was when I first started, but thankfully patience is one of my attributes. For the shot below I stood on a trail to a waterfall for 30-45 minutes, which really isn't that long. My husband disagrees. My knees tend to not agree a lot too, since many times you're in a very awkward position trying to capture the scene. Again, just like anything else in life, often times the time and effort you put into something isn't rewarded equally. This shot is one of my favorite photos that I've taken, and it ended in the bottom 18% of a Freestudy. I still don't totally understand how it did so poorly.
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08/14/2010 07:38:48 PM · #10 |
One trick i've read for use in macrophotography is to cool down your subjects. Put them in the fridge (not freezer!) for twenty to thirty minutes, and they'll be nice and slow (but still alive) and easy to capture.
To get better depth of field take several shots with different parts of the subject in focus (make sure focused areas overlap) and merge the pictures to one, erasing the oof areas. |
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08/14/2010 07:39:10 PM · #11 |
Well if shooting them in the wild becomes too difficult there's always the capture and refrigerate approach. Once the insect has been chilled you'll then be able to pose it in whatever setting you like and since it won't be moving all that much you'll be able to get the focus just right or even apply focus stacking. I tried it once and it made things fantastically easier. Personally, I prefer nature shots over this method but it's an option.
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08/15/2010 01:42:59 AM · #12 |
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08/15/2010 03:58:25 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by yanko:
Well if shooting them in the wild becomes too difficult there's always the capture and refrigerate approach. Once the insect has been chilled you'll then be able to pose it in whatever setting you like and since it won't be moving all that much you'll be able to get the focus just right or even apply focus stacking. I tried it once and it made things fantastically easier. Personally, I prefer nature shots over this method but it's an option. |
IS NOT AN OPTION!
if i find a man who take macro shots in this manner, well, i crack your camera on your head!!!
the secrets of good macro shots are:
tripod
a good head
remote shutter release
mirror up before the shot
live view (the nojon D3 live view is fantastic)
manual focus
and an early wake up and much patience to find insects and to fonf the right position to shot, for example the perfect parallelism with the subject bodies...
my macro shots are made always in the early morning (6 to 8 a.m.) and i think that are good enough...
Message edited by author 2010-08-15 04:01:58. |
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08/15/2010 05:15:38 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by GiorgioBaruffi:
Originally posted by yanko:
Well if shooting them in the wild becomes too difficult there's always the capture and refrigerate approach. Once the insect has been chilled you'll then be able to pose it in whatever setting you like and since it won't be moving all that much you'll be able to get the focus just right or even apply focus stacking. I tried it once and it made things fantastically easier. Personally, I prefer nature shots over this method but it's an option. |
IS NOT AN OPTION!
if i find a man who take macro shots in this manner, well, i crack your camera on your head!!!
the secrets of good macro shots are:
tripod
a good head
remote shutter release
mirror up before the shot
live view (the nojon D3 live view is fantastic)
manual focus
and an early wake up and much patience to find insects and to fonf the right position to shot, for example the perfect parallelism with the subject bodies...
my macro shots are made always in the early morning (6 to 8 a.m.) and i think that are good enough... |
Well like I said, I do prefer the shots taken in nature because often the setup shots are designed to do nothing more than show close up detail as a means to impress the viewer just like those razor sharp animal headshots taken at the zoo. The appeal is largely based on a ruse, a false perception that it was a difficult shot to begin with when it wasn't. Strip that perception away and more often than not you're left with little to be impressed about.
As a result the concept and setup needs to be extraordinary to overcome this lack of authenticity. But this is true for any type of photography where the camera is used to document a manufactured scene. In short, more is expected from a setup because they are artificial in nature. Seeing a photo of a butterfly covered in dew holds little appeal if that dew was simply sprayed on to a paralyzed insect in a laboratory studio setting. The appeal (i.e. the beauty of it) is that this phenomenon actually occurs in real life. To simply duplicate what already exists is nothing more than an academic exercise and should be treated as such.
Message edited by author 2010-08-15 17:19:27.
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08/15/2010 05:16:57 PM · #15 |
I think he stole my notes. :P
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08/15/2010 06:31:06 PM · #16 |
True...but higher (smaller openings) may result in less sharp photos due to diffraction. You need to have a gentle balance.
Originally posted by Simms:
f11 is barely enough. |
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08/15/2010 06:32:15 PM · #17 |
| Do check out our recent macro side challenge |
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08/15/2010 06:51:22 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by yanko:
I think he stole my notes. :P |
Did not! |
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08/15/2010 07:50:33 PM · #19 |
Here is a copy of a post I wrote about what I learned from the Macro side challnege:
Originally posted by PGerst:
Things I have learned through this side challenge:
1) The focal plane in macro photography is very small
2) The amount of light available is low
3) If you walk around the house with a macro lens, you find you really didn't dust as well as you thought
4) Insects don't pose for very long
5) Wildlife goes far beyond the large animals
6) Macro photography can make cotton balls look interesting
7) Bugs really do have many eyes
8) ...and hairy butts
9) Macro photography can give you poison ivy
10) There are little people all around us running the world, we just can't see them without a macro lens
11) Windy days suck for macro photography
12) A flash is your new best friend when shooting closeup
13) You can measure down to less than 27 µm
14) Pollen is sticky
15) Joining a SC can make you spend money
I think that sums it up for me. |
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08/15/2010 08:05:42 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by yanko:
Originally posted by GiorgioBaruffi:
Originally posted by yanko:
Well if shooting them in the wild becomes too difficult there's always the capture and refrigerate approach. Once the insect has been chilled you'll then be able to pose it in whatever setting you like and since it won't be moving all that much you'll be able to get the focus just right or even apply focus stacking. I tried it once and it made things fantastically easier. Personally, I prefer nature shots over this method but it's an option. |
IS NOT AN OPTION!
if i find a man who take macro shots in this manner, well, i crack your camera on your head!!!
the secrets of good macro shots are:
tripod
a good head
remote shutter release
mirror up before the shot
live view (the nojon D3 live view is fantastic)
manual focus
and an early wake up and much patience to find insects and to fonf the right position to shot, for example the perfect parallelism with the subject bodies...
my macro shots are made always in the early morning (6 to 8 a.m.) and i think that are good enough... |
Well like I said, I do prefer the shots taken in nature because often the setup shots are designed to do nothing more than show close up detail as a means to impress the viewer just like those razor sharp animal headshots taken at the zoo. The appeal is largely based on a ruse, a false perception that it was a difficult shot to begin with when it wasn't. Strip that perception away and more often than not you're left with little to be impressed about.
As a result the concept and setup needs to be extraordinary to overcome this lack of authenticity. But this is true for any type of photography where the camera is used to document a manufactured scene. In short, more is expected from a setup because they are artificial in nature. Seeing a photo of a butterfly covered in dew holds little appeal if that dew was simply sprayed on to a paralyzed insect in a laboratory studio setting. The appeal (i.e. the beauty of it) is that this phenomenon actually occurs in real life. To simply duplicate what already exists is nothing more than an academic exercise and should be treated as such. |
my thoughts
in the wild .. that's the way to go .. a shot loses its appeal for me if i know its been set up .. of course you dont always know if a shot has been set up .. but what i particularly love about taking photographs of insects is the challenge of capturing them in their natural environment and the realism ..
my suggestions for photographing insects in their natural environment ..
no tripod .. i would love to meet the insect that stays still and waits for the photographer setting up a tripod to within 5 inches of their face possibly knocking branches or wotever in the process .. also you dont always have a lot of time .. some insects only stay in one place for a very short time .. the flightier ones it could be from one second to 20 seconds .. you want to be getting as many shots as you can when you can rather than wasting time setting up a tripod ..
do not allow your shadow to fall on them ..
listen to their sounds so you can identify them and locate them ..
learn about them in their natural habitat ..
wind just makes it harder to get a shot in focus but its not impossible ..
earlier in the morning they're groggier but most of my macro shots have been later in the day ..
have an external flash coz the light can be constantly changing and so you can shoot at higher f-stops eg. f11 and still have a well lit insect ..
focus stack if you want more depth of field .. no f-stop will be high enough to get all of an insect in focus if you're shooting real macro ..
always manual focus ..
take heaps of shots .. a lot will seem perfect in the camera, the focus exactly on the eye .. but when you get it on the computer you can be a millimeter off .. that's like a 32nd of an inch ..
be considering your composition as you're approaching the insect ..
move very slowly .. no jerky movements ..
brace yourself .. if you're standing up then legs far apart, brace your arms against the side of your body and dont breathe !! .. the slightest movement will put your focus out .
if you're lucky enough to get an insect lower down and you can squat or sit you can brace your arms on your legs ..
if you're in a place where you think you'll find a lot of insects .. stop, listen and look .. try and become one with their environment .. get in the zone ..
and i think the most important is to be passionate and also respectful of these amazing little creatures we share our world with ..
Message edited by author 2010-08-15 21:31:07.
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08/15/2010 08:10:06 PM · #21 |
Great tips,  roz, thanks! Magnumphotography has always liked to shoot bugs and now has a ring flash and drove the local insect populace nuts with it last night! ;-)
Message edited by author 2010-08-15 20:11:12. |
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08/15/2010 09:20:19 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by snaffles:
Magnumphotography has always liked to shoot bugs and now has a ring flash and drove the local insect populace nuts with it last night! ;-) |
OH...was that him doing his imitations of a firefly last night? Good job too :O)
Ray |
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08/15/2010 09:22:23 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by RayEthier:
Originally posted by snaffles:
Magnumphotography has always liked to shoot bugs and now has a ring flash and drove the local insect populace nuts with it last night! ;-) |
OH...was that him doing his imitations of a firefly last night? Good job too :O)
Ray |
No, last night he was driving the local treefrog populace nuts with it! ;-) |
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08/15/2010 09:24:55 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by snaffles:
Originally posted by RayEthier:
Originally posted by snaffles:
Magnumphotography has always liked to shoot bugs and now has a ring flash and drove the local insect populace nuts with it last night! ;-) |
OH...was that him doing his imitations of a firefly last night? Good job too :O)
Ray |
No, last night he was driving the local treefrog populace nuts with it! ;-) |
Oh great... now we probably have a good portion of the local tree frog populations blinded by harsh flashes... what next? I suppose you will suggest frogs' legs eh? :O)
Ray |
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08/15/2010 09:52:44 PM · #25 |
| It's actually amazing, how long insects and frogs will stay in place and let themselves be photographed at really close distances with a big scary ringlight flash doing its thang just inches from their faces. Hope Ryan posts some on his portfolio for people to see! |
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