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08/02/2006 01:34:40 PM · #26 |
Originally posted by elsapo:
Originally posted by greatandsmall:
Originally posted by elsapo:
i just follow them till they stop, then without making any noise, carefully approach. :).. |
Love your recent ribbon winner (as well as all of your insect shots). Curious, though...that guy looks like he had stopped permanently. Am I wrong in assuming that he is deceased? |
your right :(, I found him dead in a field where I take my bug shots.. so I figured I might as well take him home with me. |
A man after my own heart:) |
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08/02/2006 01:36:53 PM · #27 |
i usually end up with 100+ shots when I shoot bugs with my macro. I follow the wingless creatures around aimlessly. I have had very little luck with flying insects. I have a few bee shots but the background is not very appealing.
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08/02/2006 01:37:16 PM · #28 |
Thanks! ;^) You had be going for a minute.
Some interesting details in the article you provided the link to...so many ways. You would have figured? ;^)
Thanks again. |
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08/02/2006 01:37:57 PM · #29 |
The fridge trick works pretty well. That's for people who feel bad about killing them. Also shooting at the proper time of the day. Butterflies, for example, are less active when it's cooler. That make make them harder to find, but when you do, they are less likely to have the energy to fly away. If you can make it to a butterfly exhibit, do it in the morning or evening when they aren't all flying around. makes it a whole lot easier.
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08/02/2006 01:38:16 PM · #30 |
This is true. The problem for me is the LCD. It would need to be 3 times larger in order to tell if you've hit the focus. Looking thru a dslr viewfinder is MUCH easier to see what's going on.
(the S2 doesn't have an optical viewfinder, and it wouldn't work that close anyway)
but again, that's just me
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by hopper:
it's a little more difficult for point n shoot camera users due to the way those cameras focus. Autofocus is very slow up close and manual focus seems useless to me on those cameras (my wife has a powershot S3).
this is where digital slr's have an advantage in my opinion |
Even with a point 'n shoot you can do decent macros by prefocusing in manual as close as the lens will focus and then just leaving the focus there. Then you move the camera closer or further to get the plane of focus where you need it. This is actually the best way to shoot macros with any sort of camera.
R. |
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08/02/2006 01:39:16 PM · #31 |
| also, you could use bait (sugar water and whatnot) |
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08/02/2006 01:39:19 PM · #32 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Even with a point 'n shoot you can do decent macros by prefocusing in manual as close as the lens will focus and then just leaving the focus there. Then you move the camera closer or further to get the plane of focus where you need it. This is actually the best way to shoot macros with any sort of camera.
R. |
Ah-hah! Tip #233,409 I've gotten from you.
Of course, the S2 IS macro focuses to 0cm. Yes. 0. So maybe I'll focus to a smidge more. :)
Thanks! |
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08/02/2006 01:40:34 PM · #33 |
Find big sluggish bugs that don't move around much.
Taken with a point and shoot camera, BTW.
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08/02/2006 01:41:47 PM · #34 |
chuckle, I have a little drawer currently with several dead wasps in it who decided to visit my home last year and became permant guests. I personally find I would rather take them alive, but since these were dead anyway.... I have a rather lot of curious little things in various drawers on the assuption that sooner or later I will want to photograph them....
I suppose someday, someone is going to go to clean out the areas I keep my "to be used in photography someday stuff" and will get a BIG surprise :-)
 
Message edited by author 2006-08-02 13:48:19.
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08/02/2006 01:42:04 PM · #35 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Most of the bugs you see depicted so well in DPC are actually professionally-trained bug-models. There are several web sites devoted to selling and/or renting out these bugs to photographers. They respond to hand signals and are very easy to work with. They are kind of expensive, of course, but it's worth it if you get a ribbon.
I have used bugs from //www.bug_be_still.com in the past, myself. Only trouble was, I forgot to return them by the deadline and when I DID get around to returning them they had already passed away. The "restocking" fee killed my budget for the month, so I don't shoot bugs anymore. |
OMG! Did Robert crack a joke?
On a side note: GAS 'EM. Using Chloroform (I think that's with entomologists use), you can stun 'em or kill 'em. (Killing Jar) |
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08/02/2006 01:43:12 PM · #36 |
| Cold temperatures works like everybody says. Waking up early in the morning and taking advantage of the cooler temperatures and you can get dragonflys, butterflies, bees, etc in their natural surroundings. |
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08/02/2006 01:47:46 PM · #37 |
Originally posted by faidoi:
Waking up early in the morning ... |
Ah, see. That's why I need other alternatives. ;) |
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08/02/2006 01:51:28 PM · #38 |
Originally posted by levyj413:
Originally posted by faidoi:
Waking up early in the morning ... |
Ah, see. That's why I need other alternatives. ;) |
Early bird catches the worm :P
Message edited by author 2006-08-02 13:51:38. |
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08/02/2006 01:52:06 PM · #39 |
Originally posted by hopper:
the S2 doesn't have an optical viewfinder, and it wouldn't work that close anyway |
Yep. I've sworn I won't upgrade my camera until my photographic skills are constrained by the one I have now. I'm still faaar away from that point.
But man, it's a pain to manually focus, as I've discovered in recent challenge entries. That's feature #1 on my list of why I'll eventually get a DSLR.
Of course, another reason I have this camera is because it takes great video, too, so I need only one thing to lug around.
What I need: something that fits in my pocket but also is comfortable to hold in my large hands, a full-scale sensor with zero quality sompromises, full manual controls complemented by mind-reading auto settings, a focus ring, a big optical viewfinder on a swivel mount for those weird angle shots, fantastic video/audio, and runs on a single AA battery for months at a time. |
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08/02/2006 01:54:04 PM · #40 |
Originally posted by faidoi:
Cold temperatures works like everybody says. Waking up early in the morning and taking advantage of the cooler temperatures and you can get dragonflys, butterflies, bees, etc in their natural surroundings. |
Even at night sometimes. For this shot I used a dim flashlight to set the focus. KM Z2 P&S camera BTW. ;^)
Sorry if this is a hijack. Not meant to be. |
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08/02/2006 01:54:13 PM · #41 |
Originally posted by levyj413:
Originally posted by hopper:
the S2 doesn't have an optical viewfinder, and it wouldn't work that close anyway |
But man, it's a pain to manually focus, as I've discovered in recent challenge entries. That's feature #1 on my list of why I'll eventually get a DSLR.
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Of course when you get a dSLR to take macros you have to use manual focusing anyways. It's just a bit easier to focus on the exact spot. |
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08/02/2006 01:55:14 PM · #42 |
Originally posted by faidoi:
Originally posted by levyj413:
Originally posted by faidoi:
Waking up early in the morning ... |
Ah, see. That's why I need other alternatives. ;) |
Early bird catches the worm :P |
But bird are ornitology and worms are helminthology. We're talking bugs here. |
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08/02/2006 01:56:41 PM · #43 |
Originally posted by glad2badad:
Originally posted by faidoi:
Cold temperatures works like everybody says. Waking up early in the morning and taking advantage of the cooler temperatures and you can get dragonflys, butterflies, bees, etc in their natural surroundings. |
Even at night sometimes. For this shot I used a dim flashlight to set the focus. KM Z2 P&S camera BTW. ;^)
Sorry if this is a hijack. Not meant to be. |
Early morning and right before sunset (twilight hours) are suppose to be the best times to take pictures. |
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08/02/2006 01:58:49 PM · #44 |
Originally posted by faidoi:
Of course when you get a dSLR to take macros you have to use manual focusing anyways. It's just a bit easier to focus on the exact spot. |
Right. But you get a nice ring to twist and terrific in-viewfinder indications. No buttons.
I'm looking at the LCD screen to try to see a small blown-up portion in the middle while simultaneously pressing the manual focus button continuously and pushing the four-way controller up and down to focus nearer or further.
It works okay in bright light, but in low light, blech.
Message edited by author 2006-08-02 13:59:25. |
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08/02/2006 02:04:41 PM · #45 |
You can let them attack you:
(yeah yeah, I know, not a bug. Still looks cool though)
Or you can test your nerves:
Heck even Woodie can help:
(after a little refrigeration time)
 
Or you can be really, really STUPID and
play with them on your kitchen counter:
(before using scalvert's shoe method to keep it still)
Message edited by author 2006-08-02 15:30:40. |
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08/02/2006 02:25:49 PM · #46 |
| OH, I just turned my loose on my back drop and waited till it stoped.. took pictures and then caught it and turned it loose outside. So, I guess I can put, No bugs were harmed in the making of this picture on it? :) |
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08/02/2006 02:28:36 PM · #47 |
If you can't get them to stay still, just get them to move where you want them to (if you feel up to it, the procedure is listed in comments of this pic). ;^)
...also a P&S camera (KM Z3) |
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08/02/2006 02:59:30 PM · #48 |
Killing bugs to get a photo for personal gain is wrong. The more you are out, chasing, hunting, stalking the bugs, the more you will appreciate them...and the better you will get at getting that great shot while the little guy is standing still...so patience is the best method.
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08/02/2006 03:07:41 PM · #49 |
I like to photograph bugs alive & found "au natural"
(on the other hand, bugs found indoors are executed with no malice ) |
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08/02/2006 03:11:04 PM · #50 |
Originally posted by hopper:
also, you could use bait (sugar water and whatnot) |
I've used sugar-water with good success, but I've never had any luck with whatnot, please share your secrets. ;) |
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