Macro-photography

Wow Raphael, where are you finding all these creatures?

Neil

Hi, I managed to get a couple of photos of a Damsel fly yesterday with my Canon EOS 400D with my Canon 35mm macro lens. They are not always easy to get, as any sudden movement and they're off, this first one has just been resized.

This next one has been resized and cropped.

They were both more or less a point and shoot kind of procedure, as it doesn't take much to spook them.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 01/07/2020 09:14:08

NIce one Nick.

best advice I ever got for photographing insects was 'get the eyes in focus'...

Just out of curiosity, I took one of Nick's images and sharpened (the lightness layer only) in old PSP.

Whadaya think. I did use quite a lot of sharpening since I was only doing it to the lightness layer not the total image but I may have overdone it a little.

Hi Neil, thanks for the comments. It was a catch it while you can and hope the focus is good where it matters, it did twitch a couple of times between shots and I was surprised I got that close.

Regards Nick.

Hi Bandersnatch, it's not bad, but the dead stem it is on, now draws my eyes from the subject, I prefer the unaltered photo.

Regards Nick.

Yeah ... you're right Nick. I did think of selecting the but and just sharpening that but I think it would look a bit artificial with this picture.

Not just insects Neil ... the eyes are an important point of focus.

Again not a macro but ...

What I find fascinating, especially with insects like mantis is how, due to their eye structure, they seems to follow your movements.

Another great result Nick!

As you would know, it takes a very steady hand and lots of patience to get those close-ups.

Sam

Very nice Damsel fly Nick. They are very shy and easily scared. Im sure with a 35mm macro at 1:1 you sneaked up on it like a ninja!

The depth of field is very thin as the magnification goes up with macro photography. Hand held using an extension tube on a macro lens is a skill you have to master. Holding your breath and sneaking up on your subjects needs a lot of practice.

Hand held single shots with extension tubes.

4 leg spider

Hi Raphael, yes they are very shy and can see you coming. There were many of these flying around in my long grass back garden, but I was inspired to try and take a close up photo after this one landed in front of me while I was working on a IBC, I carefully and slowly took my old Galaxy Ace phone out of my pocket and took it the best I could. I crept up to one or two others with my proper camera, but they just flew off, so I had to just sit and wait for one to land close by. The camera phono photo below has being cropped by about 60%.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 02/07/2020 07:44:02

Didn't really need much magnification for this beast:

A female Stag Beetle wandering over our deck.

Stay well,

Rod

Segue from Rod’s post ... to this: **LINK**

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beetles-camera-backpack-180975341/

MichaelG.

Very tiny jumping spider. He is about 2mm in size. Taken with 3X magnification. 

Edited By Raphael Golez on 15/08/2020 09:39:05

Very nicely done, Raphael

MichaelG.

Brilliant, Raphael !

He (she?) almost looks friendly .... sort of.

Edited By Bandersnatch on 15/08/2020 17:01:17

Hi Raphael, I like your tiny jumping spider, it's very good, the spider that I took a little while ago isn't so good. I took it with my 35mm macro lens on my Canon 40D which was hand held and looking through one of the small pains of my lounge window, this was my third take, the previous one may have been better, but as I almost press the button, there was a flash of lightning and a very loud crack of thunder and that made the spider shake and myself also, but I did get a blurred photo of most of it. This is the best one, but is a little blurred and you can just see the blurred web it is on.

A couple of photos of a Biff Tip Moth caterpillar from a couple of weeks ago. One of my youngest granddaughters said "He's got a little face mummy" she loves bugs and things.

All three of the above photos have been reduced in size by 50% but not altered any other way.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 16/08/2020 20:01:06

Thanks Michael, Bandersnatch and Nick.

Nick I have the same issue also, especially hand held. I have to hold my breath and time the pressing of the shutter button in between breaths to avoid any movement or at least minimise it. I sometime takes several burst shots hoping one will be good. If I magnify beyond 1:1 then 80 percent of my work is done on a makeshift macro rail slide (I utilise my milling slide) and photostack it. This is the only way I can produce a good photo at this magnification.

I love the caterpillar picture. Im sure your granddaughter will enjoy your photos and subjects. My daughter is also fascinated with it. She always accompany me in our mini safari hunt for insects to take pictures in our garden.

I will upload a couple more of beyond 1:1 magnifications I took. Please do share more of your macro shots here.

Best wishes,

Raphael